My new life! Pond, pens, coops and garden!

Jbum · Apr 11, 2019

Well we finally were able to find our forever home! 6 acres of pure joy! Not to sell all the work I have to do short but I have a great start! I will be updated the modern day “Bumstead” as I progress to show both my success and failure along the way. We are blessed with a decent size pond equipped with a 5 year old Koi fish and an existing coop “that was very nasty” that I am almost done cleaning if the weather and work would cooperate lol. The runs are big but not covered which is a concern of mine but I will tackle that as we go. Looking to make them Predator proof way before the chicks come out. Has anyone else raised all their birds together? Also we have a pen for goats coming to Bumville soon but for now we are focusing on the 6 chicks, two turks and Burt and Ernie our ducks. And of course a small garden to get started this season. So please enjoy and chime in through out this journey with us and I hope I (we) can learn and prosper along the way!

I added a nesting box for better access.

We had some visitors the other day!

Willowspirit · Apr 11, 2019

Beautiful place! I love your pond! Congratulations!

DenisaG · Apr 11, 2019

Congrats on your new home! Looks like your run has lots of fun chicken toys in it!

Callender Girl · Apr 11, 2019

I am envious of your pond and koi, and that you had some existing structures that could be renovated when you moved in. When my insurance agent first saw this acreage, he apologized that he couldn't insure the rickety building that once housed dozens of chickens.

Eleven years later, the drafty thing still only houses sheep, and my yard is filled with various small coops and shelters. The sheep, BTW, live in a pasture adjoining the miniature goats.

The ducks live in their own shelter, the Iowa Blue chickens in their own, the Sapphire Gems also have private housing, and there are two "mixed dorms," of chickens of different breeds who have chosen each other as coop mates. Yeah, my birds aren't spoiled.

Thank you for all the photos; they're great. I am looking forward to updates on Bumville. Welcome to BYC!

N F C · Apr 11, 2019

Congrats on finding your forever home! Looks like a pretty place and the pond is a really nice size. Best of luck with your new adventure

Jbum · Apr 12, 2019

After some inspiration from here I installed a poop tray. I will just lay cardboard down on the shelf and simple swap that out with new and discard the old right into the compost pile. Also raised their feeders on the inside. Next will be in stall the water system and tidy up the nesting boxes on the inside. They had exposed sharp edges in the door way so I put some wood around that to prevent any injuries. So far I’ve been able to use all reclaimed materials and it’s working out ok.

Thanks for looking!
Jbum

drumstick diva · Apr 12, 2019

beautiful setting when you are finished it will look like a high class poultry motel.

Jbum · Apr 20, 2019

Growing like crazy! They are all still doing well in the brooder together. Ducks can be little bullies but the chicks and Turks and still have there own room. Thinking next weekend we will make the move to the coop! If Mother Nature will play nice of course.