North Carolina

[nursebecky99]

FIRST EGG!! i think it was one of my wyandottes. I'm so proud! The girls are 19.5wks old

 

[NewHomesteader2010]

Good morning! I hope everyone has a dry Monday.

NH - is the doctor SURE your due date in in July?!?

TF - What kind of birds did you get from Hollow?

Well...to avoid going into the TMI category, the due date was an estimate based upon the initial US (the one that confirms pregnancy). At that time, I was told it is 98% accurate, so I will say that it's close?!? LOL. My first child was late, the second was early and now this one is late...I'm beginning to see an AWFUL trend!! So long as I deliver before the hubby's family arrives in August, I will be happy! Of course, if I go even sooner (like NOW) I would NOT complain, but in fact probably do a little happy dance!!

Hehe Thanks for making me smile today!! I had an ugly doctor's visit with my youngest's pediatrician, and well...it's nice to actually be able to smile right now!!

 

[DSTchickencraze]

There are some things that need licensing and others that do not.

http://growingsmallfarms.ces.ncsu.edu/growingsmallfarms-meatandeggs/

http://www.ncagr.gov/vet/forms/index.htm

http://www.ncwildlife.org/Portals/0/License/Documents/Wildlife_Gamebird_Propagation_Application.pdf

Here's some links to start. Have fun!

Hey thanks so much! Who knows what I will start doing. Oh and is there any chance I could get some pics of the chickens? Don't know if it's sunny where you are, but the birds are singing and bathing in the sun where I am!

 

[dutchbunny83]

FIRST EGG!! i think it was one of my wyandottes. I'm so proud! The girls are 19.5wks old

Congrats!!!! It always seems like it takes forrrrrrever for them to start laying! Wyandottes are great, I love them!

 

[DSTchickencraze]

Hey to everyone again! I was wondering... Does anyone have any experience in making any special designed type coops... I mean, right now we only have three Cuckoo Marans and trust me, for me that is not enough! We are getting some more laying hens to help calm down our rooster, since my mother has put him on probation for charging her... (Hopefully getting some awesome hens from Hollow soon, according to what I've heard from Tammy Farms!) Anyway we also need to drastically change our coop! They are in a dog type wire kennel and are laying in a dog house!

I mean if I don't fix this, I'm going to go crazy and I'm not the one living in it.
Their area is okay for about ten or so chickens, and our Marans are completely content with it, but there is barely enough room to roost and their feed container always gets filled with water. It's an okay temporary place, but if we are getting more hens I definitely change some things!

So we had an above ground pool before these constant storms from hell started drowning us. Anyway the pool was torn down by a storm but we still have part of a deck up that I think would make a great little personalized chicken coop. Really only need a place for them to roost and lay, because we mainly like to free roam them in the day. The only problem with it is that I'm only 14 and don't have that much experience with building. I mean we have tons of wood and materials we can use for it, but my mother and I aren't what you call architecturally inclined... We have some friends that might be able to help, but I wanted some advice from some real chicken people that have done this kind of thing before...

This is what we have to work with.







We are willing to buy a new coop if it is well built and reasonably priced, just have to find a reliable one first (plus we aren't jumping to conclusions until we know this will absolutely not work).

So anyone have any ideas, advice, know anyone trustworthy you could direct me too, or well anything please help this new egg

and this little guys!

 

[LukesCityHens]

I'd wire the outside of that thing and hook a hen house to it

 

[Bresseman]

Well thast it

neighbors stupid giant dog just jumped up and yanked my rabbit cage from the roof of the barn! The cage was bolted and chained to the roof, 4 ft in the air. The dog just yanked it down, killed one of my bucks and now I have to go hunting for my two prego does!!!

the dog is a large 120+ lbs mastiff and while I love the breed I hate this dog! Last month, he ripped open a coop, didn't kill anything, but still ripped the wire and door off. And back in the fall, I had to replace my dog fence because he basically trampled it!! Ugh and the owners are just idiots who also have chickens that don't give a crap about!!

you know what they live on like 20 acres and have a huge expensive house you think could afford some fricking fencing to contain their dogs!

Ok sorry about the rant.... thanks for listening.

I would make a complaint to animal control or if you have a gun just shoot the dog. Particularly if the dog is on your property. Dogs that kill livestock or destroy property shouldn't be tolerated.

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

DST, what I see there is lumber to build a coop. The lattice should not be used for walls, as a predator could easily get through it, but it can be used above to help provide shade. The rest...I'd dismantle the lumber and reuse it. But I've got a talented hubby, so that's easy for me to say. If it's just you and your mom and you are lacking carpentry skills...not so easy. Do you know if the wood is pressure treated or not? If it is, you may even be better off dismantling and then finding a swap for a usable coop. Someone might be willing if that lumber is good. And dismantling takes little skill, but some strength and perseverance would be good!

I'll get out this afternoon and try to get pictures. I won't be able to get a head count and see exactly what I'm willing to part with right now until dusk, though.

I would not have guessed you as 14. You write well and present yourself well. I had assumed you to be a fair bit older.

 

[DSTchickencraze]

DST, what I see there is lumber to build a coop. The lattice should not be used for walls, as a predator could easily get through it, but it can be used above to help provide shade. The rest...I'd dismantle the lumber and reuse it. But I've got a talented hubby, so that's easy for me to say. If it's just you and your mom and you are lacking carpentry skills...not so easy. Do you know if the wood is pressure treated or not? If it is, you may even be better off dismantling and then finding a swap for a usable coop. Someone might be willing if that lumber is good. And dismantling takes little skill, but some strength and perseverance would be good!

I'll get out this afternoon and try to get pictures. I won't be able to get a head count and see exactly what I'm willing to part with right now until dusk, though.

I would not have guessed you as 14. You write well and present yourself well. I had assumed you to be a fair bit older.

Thank you Hallow! My parents have done a really well job raising me and has spent a lot of time showing me how to present myself well

. Anyways thanks for the advice on the deck as well. We have even more wood if necessary, but we could easily reuse the wood from the deck too! I think it is the perfect place for the coop, because we can keep an eye on it from the house if we need to and they could roam out to the horse pasture and munch on some bugs. Since I am a fourteen year old gymnast I have the strength necessary to take the wood apart and build the coop. If only we had some good plans for a coop. Would you know where I could get some chicken coop plans or anything? I mean as long as I have some plans I could put it together with my uncle and mom easily. I just don't know how to make a whole knew coop without plans... Any help?

 

[BHep]

I see plenty of potential with that old pool deck. But I am seriously lacking in carpentry skills.

I am seeing coop on top...run on bottom.


In news here, the last pen in the barn is almost complete. I just need to add the wire and it is done. This pen is 16 x12 and I will have my brooder in there and then grow outs on the floor. Then I will divide the run and open a pop door out of the pen next to it. Now the barn will be done, unless I add on to the barn,,I have no more coop space.

p.s. Hollow has beautiful birds.