Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[emorems0]

I love that sound

You're not alone! At our old house we had a metal porch roof just outside our bedroom window and a sky light above our bed... I LOVED laying in bed at night during a thunderstorm, the flash of lightning through the sky light and the pinging of the rain on the metal roof

 

[SilkieSensation]

 
I love that sound 

You're not alone! At our old house we had a metal porch roof just outside our bedroom window and a sky light above our bed... I LOVED laying in bed at night during a thunderstorm, the flash of lightning through the sky light and the pinging of the rain on the metal roof

Doesn't bother me. I can tell if it's rain, sleet or snow & how heavy just by listening to the roof. Never have to go to the window. Before you ask, snow makes a "shhhhssshhh" sound as clumps of it slide bown my slanted roof. The more often I head a slide, the heavier & wetter the snowfall. Ice comes off in sheets with a rattling clatter & tells me it's warmed up a few degrees to let the heat from the roof loosen & melt it.

 

[fisherlady]

Without looking at it I have a suggestion for tieing down almost anything movable:

For or more screw in dog stakes, dog chain and a few double ended snaps for length adjustment of the chain.

I like the screw in dog stake idea.... if you have any old 8" cement blocks laying around I like them for tie downs also. They weigh 40# each +/- a pound so are great for corner weights. A length of chain strung through 3 block on a side should give you a lot of holding power. another consideration..... if you are covering it with a tarp you are essentially creating a wind tunnel, if you enclose one end of it then you are creating a powerful sail (think giant wind sock!), so to reduce complications from this you should always pay attention that the open end is pointed away from prevailing wind direction, or at least have it close to another building which can create a wind block for you.

My little Hercules found a new home today. A 16 acre farm with alpacas, emus, ducks, chickens etc. The lady was very nice and told me I could've certainly contact her in the future for Emu.

Hercules:




Funny story: I had one guy email me asking how I get my dog to not harass the chickens. I didn't even realize I had my dog in one of the pictures.

Awesome! Glad he found a good home to enjoy!

I just wanted to show off my silkie baby that we hatched over the summer from my silkies. Isn't he handsome? His name is Cannonball.

I absolutely love his color!! Great name for the handsome guy!

You guys probably don't care, but when I got home today I checked on my seeds that I planted and I had 2 watermelon sprouts and a teeny tiny oregano sprout! I'm so excited! Spring is here!

Wrong!! We DO care!

I see many others already chimed in with their garden progress also.... I enjoy hearing about the garden progresses. I have horrible property for a good garden now but we are figuring to do a container garden at camp and maybe here also to get some table tomatoes and peppers.... maybe a few cucumbers and some lettuce.... uh, oh... I'd better quick planning or I'm gonna need a bunch more buckets! LOL

I woke up to little ice balls pinging off my metal roof at 6am.

I love that sound! Takes me right back to being 10 years old and visiting my Grandaddy's place in Southern Maryland. He had a tin roof on his porch and I loved sitting out there listening to summer storms!

I know this should technically be in the Feeding and Watering your flock forum but I am looking for local advice. I used to feed my chickens the layer feed from Countryside organics, that was before I got so many lol. It costs $70ish dollars to ship 100 lbs of feed! I have been just buying the HomeFresh brand pellets from the feed store but they don't want anything to do with it. I would love to find someplace local or semi local that makes their own feed. Can someone point me in the right direction? I am in kittanning but willing to travel a bit to buy in bulk

Try calling the feed mill in New Bethlehem. I think they are Redbank Valley Mills. They may do custom mixes but you would probably have to buy in bulk. There is another called Osterling's Feed Mill on 422 in area of Fennelton.... 724-283-1819. I haven't stopped there yet to check them out but DH is planning on it the next time he travels through there for work.

I love that sound

Me too!

 

[chiques chicks]

I have a couple free range rabbits!
They got out last month and like to wander around the barn outside. When scared they run in to the pen and hide, but seem happy, lol. Even see them out in the snow.

 

[dheltzel]

I've gotten 6 eggs a couple days from 7 laying hens. Pretty good!

Anyone need a cooler bater? Would this work?

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/zip/4940281424.html

Nice! I sent them an email to see if it's still available. Close to work too.

If you wanted it, I will let you have it. I could maybe pick it up for you and meet you at my work.

 

[dheltzel]

I like the screw in dog stake idea.... if you have any old 8" cement blocks laying around I like them for tie downs also. They weigh 40# each +/- a pound so are great for corner weights. A length of chain strung through 3 block on a side should give you a lot of holding power. another consideration..... if you are covering it with a tarp you are essentially creating a wind tunnel, if you enclose one end of it then you are creating a powerful sail (think giant wind sock!), so to reduce complications from this you should always pay attention that the open end is pointed away from prevailing wind direction, or at least have it close to another building which can create a wind block for you.

Exactly right about the prevailing winds. I did all that and was fine until July 3rd, when we had a freak thunderstorm with the wind coming from the east and it picked those heavy tractors right up and tossed one about 100 yards away. Really did a number on other wood and wire. I spent all day on the 4th fixing them enough to keep the chickens contained. That's when I added a bunch of pallets stacked on the open sides and tied to the framing.

I've got a number of ideas for improving the design on the next ones I build. I'm gonna take pics among the way too, so if it works well, I have it documented.

 

[wingstone]

I have a couple free range rabbits!
They got out last month and like to wander around the barn outside. When scared they run in to the pen and hide, but seem happy, lol. Even see them out in the snow.

was it a breeding pair.. some people are purposely letting them loose and even going as far as planting specifics for them to eat..
seen a few u tube video about free ranging rabbits

 

[lorealle]

I'm located in Central PA and looking for a few specific breeds...polish, blue cochin and either black or blue copper marans. I'm hoping to get chicks but if you only have hatching eggs, I could do that too. Thanks y'all!

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

I have a couple free range rabbits!
They got out last month and like to wander around the barn outside. When scared they run in to the pen and hide, but seem happy, lol. Even see them out in the snow.

Were these yours that got loose? or just some that you found?

Nice! I sent them an email to see if it's still available. Close to work too.

If you wanted it, I will let you have it. I could maybe pick it up for you and meet you at my work.

It's all yours, but thanks for asking!

I'm located in Central PA and looking for a few specific breeds...polish, blue cochin and either black or blue copper marans. I'm hoping to get chicks but if you only have hatching eggs, I could do that too. Thanks y'all!

Welcome!

 

[dheltzel]

I'm located in Central PA and looking for a few specific breeds...polish, blue cochin and either black or blue copper marans. I'm hoping to get chicks but if you only have hatching eggs, I could do that too. Thanks y'all!

Welcome!
I can help with the Copper Marans chicks, if you are not too far from Pottstown. Most of the chicks are black, but an occasional blue hatches (1 in 7 from last weekend's hatch). You really only need 1 blue one in your breeding pen to keep some blues showing up in your flock (blue is partially dominant). I hatch every weekend.

Also, RayInPA, a (fairly quiet) member here, advertises BCM eggs on Craigslist. He's in Robesonia, that may be closer for you. I'm not sure if he has some chicks to sell or only eggs.