Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[Sally Sunshine]

Sally, don't know if you have any mesh type bags like the ones oranges or onions come in??? If so you can make 'chicken pancakes'... an invention of DH's in return for a joke I made about spoiling birds. Anyway, what he came up with was pancake batter (he did add extra eggs to increase protein content)... he added chopped up dried cranberries (left over from baking banana bread), raisins, rinsed canned corn and a cup or so of wild bird seed (which has hulled sunflower seeds and nuts in it). He cooked it on the skillet just like regular pancakes. And they looked like grainy pancakes. We gave them to the birds still slightly warm and they loved it. The pancake batter just made a convenient way to hold it together. You can feed them direct to the birds or rip them up a bit and stuff them into the orange bags to hang above their heads like a tether ball.

Suet blocks also can be entertaining.

Alternative or extra ingredients I have planned for future pancakes... mealworms, slightly crushed peanuts, sunflower seeds, oats or wheat grains, fine chopped apples pears or peaches, chopped hardboiled eggs, and any melon I had on hand (cantaloupe, honeydo, etc.)

Greatness as usual M'Lady!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

ha ha ha Hubs just said make a frozen block with some vegies in it... sped

 

[wingstone]

needs a caption.

 

[fisherlady]

Our weather was OK for letting them out to roam the last two or three days. We are set up better for it this winter with the large 'carport' type roof around two sides of the coop now, and we put up tarps on the side fencing to give them a large protected outdoor hang out. Even on the coldest days there are many who spend a lot of time roaming in and out and even perched out side under their roof. I will keep the outside run's gate shut the next couple of days so I don't have to go out checking for roamers in the yard hideouts.

 

[chippysmom327]

Thank you! Did you go?

Unfortunately no I'm a long while away. I'm going next year though!

My coop windows are made of chicken wire. I stapled old feed bags over them today to keep it warmer in there. So how do I get light in the coop? I want them to be up and about tomorrow but ugh.

 

[fisherlady]

Unfortunately no

I'm a long while away. I'm going next year though!

My coop windows are made of chicken wire. I stapled old feed bags over them today to keep it warmer in there. So how do I get light in the coop? I want them to be up and about tomorrow but ugh.

This may work as long as you have another source for ventilation... local hardware stores and building supply places can often cut Plexiglas to size, 1/4" works well, measure it to fit at least 1.5" larger on all sides. 3/4 of an inch in on each corner pre-drill a hole the same size as the screws you are going to use to attach them to your coop wall with, if a larger window you may need more screws, just always pre-drill the holes . When you do attach them, don't tighten down the screws very tight or you will crack or break the Plexiglas. It isn't as cheap as plastic or feed bags, but can provide a good alternative for foul weather protection that can be easily removed and stored for summer.

 

[fisherlady]

Another resource to check into.... check with your local furniture store to see what they do with the plastic they use to cover furniture for delivery (in particular is mattress plastic, it is very heavy and is often thrown away)... if you ask nicely they may agree to save a couple of deliveries worth for you instead of pitching it. We recently had a new mattress set delivered and the plastic was huge and heavy duty and has been safely stashed for future use...

 

[galgo98]

As far as the plastic, it being ghetto was a huge concern for us as well. I love my Aunt dearly but her multiple chicken "coops" and runs are enough to make me cry. Her layout reminds me of the Winchester Mansion. She's got little makeshift chicken coops and packing crates and plywood "things" thrown together in a hurry all over the place. With those metal electric fence stakes shoved into the ground here and there with chicken wire wrapped around them and draped over top and everyhing all zip tied together. Every time birds fight, she separates them and throws up another little makeshift run and box of some kind for a coop for the bullies or bullied. This spring we are going over there, ripping everything down and building her a proper coop. Big enough for everyone and a real run.

LOL!!! I want to add a third hole in our shed with a third dog run to add another trio of geese to my menagerie. DH said our shed is going to look like that mansion built by that crazy woman in California!!!

Yep, I got third out of my age group, and my sibling got first.

Congrats!!

Alternative or extra ingredients I have planned for future pancakes... mealworms, slightly crushed peanuts, sunflower seeds, oats or wheat grains, fine chopped apples pears or peaches, chopped hardboiled eggs, and any melon I had on hand (cantaloupe, honeydo, etc.)

Do your friends/family know that you are going to make mealworm pancakes!!?? I accidentally left the bag of (dried, not alive) mealworms on the counter when we had some friends over last week. After it was discovered, I noticed everybody eyeballing their food.... I said "NO!", I don't put mealworms in OUR food, just the ducks!!!!

 

[fisherlady]

Do your friends/family know that you are going to make mealworm pancakes!!?? I accidentally left the bag of (dried, not alive) mealworms on the counter when we had some friends over last week. After it was discovered, I noticed everybody eyeballing their food.... I said "NO!", I don't put mealworms in OUR food, just the ducks!!!!

Most of our friends and families have quit even asking!

...... though when they come over for dinners they do often ask 'did I ever meet this one before??'

 

[LisaYolkUm]

Most of our friends and families have quit even asking!

...... though when they come over for dinners they do often ask 'did I ever meet this one before??'

about meal worms

I started a drawer some time ago ........I don't think I am doing it right though because I only have the beetles.........I never get the worms.

Are the beetles eating the worms.........or

has this morphed into a different type of bug?

I have been doing this for long enough

I used wheat and oatmeal
I put in a piece of bread now and again
I use carrots or other small veggies for them to eat and get liquid

there has been no observable mold or bacteria........

any advice.......

I am thinking of just bringing the beetles into the coop for cold weather day fun-------