She said/He said Who's right? Who's wrong? No one!

[scflock]

Hey, I'm a know nothing too, I'm just crazy enough to think I might get it right eventually...;-]


Ruby, give some thought to how much snow you might end up with on that roof. A steeper slope (e.g. 5" per 1') will likely get the snow to slide itself off and never really build up. Also, make sure your material is smooth, not like the fiberglass panels where the surface is coarse, it will also help the snow slide off. Finally, make it slope down to where you want the snow to go.

What is "snow"?

 

[RubyNala97]

Sounds like a great plan! I also use roofing slanted for drainage. Just be mindful of where it lands and splatters. I mount buckets on the down hill side to catch rainwater. I used to bury my wire 1 ft in the ground, but as my pens got larger that was too much labor. Now I strip sod around 4 inches deep and 18 inches wide. Then I turn chicken wire like an "L" down the fence and across the flat. This makes an 18" wide curtain to discourage digging, and digging a 4 inch deep strip is much easier than digging a 1 ft deep trench. Then I place the sod back over the wire and Voila!

Do you mean like this?

I'd make the run taller than you are. You'll need to rake or clean it out occasionally and you don't want to stand upright and smack your head - repeatedly. (LOL takes me a while to learn, part of my temp run is 5' tall.) I built the garden coop at my old house and use the smoke colored panels for the roof. It was still too hot in the summer, but I could slip boards underneath the roof and have solid shade in sections. PS: The hardware cloth on this one extended about a foot down into the ground.

I know, I wanted it to be taller but I'm building it off the coop and that how high the coop door goes. That was the one draw back. Oh and I LOVE your pic!! That looks nice! I like how you did your roofing. Was it added on later? Or did you do it that way for ventilation?

 

[scflock]

Okay so you know how I told you that I was on day 17 and tomorrow is lockdown. Well when I shined the flashlight into the incubator I heard cheeping. But there is no external pip yet. So should I go into lockdown tonight or should I wait? I just don't want the baby to be shrinkwrapped because I do completely dry incubation.

I think I would go ahead and lock down

 

[RubyNala97]

Hey, I'm a know nothing too, I'm just crazy enough to think I might get it right eventually...;-]


Ruby, give some thought to how much snow you might end up with on that roof. A steeper slope (e.g. 5" per 1') will likely get the snow to slide itself off and never really build up. Also, make sure your material is smooth, not like the fiberglass panels where the surface is coarse, it will also help the snow slide off. Finally, make it slope down to where you want the snow to go.

Ok, I agree with the steeper slope. I said that but the guy helping build it thought otherwise. So I will stress that again. And yes, smooth roof. I'll check it when he gets back with the supplies. If I didn't have a roof the snow would just fill the whole run! We've had some hard core blizzards in the last few years! This will be my first winter keeping chickens outside. I plan to staple plastic around the run and maybe extra tarps for insulation?

Okay so you know how I told you that I was on day 17 and tomorrow is lockdown. Well when I shined the flashlight into the incubator I heard cheeping. But there is no external pip yet. So should I go into lockdown tonight or should I wait? I just don't want the baby to be shrinkwrapped because I do completely dry incubation.

I would lockdown....like, right now! you should have a pip by tonight! Early little guy! Have your temps been high?

 

[FridayYet]

Very nice!

Thanks, I miss that coop, worked really hard on it. Now my chickens are slumming it here in NM, but they don't seem to mind much. Not as pretty but much more space.

Do you mean like this?

I know, I wanted it to be taller but I'm building it off the coop and that how high the coop door goes. That was the one draw back. Oh and I LOVE your pic!! That looks nice! I like how you did your roofing. Was it added on later? Or did you do it that way for ventilation?

Looks like that would work great, depending on the predators in your area.

The roofing was part of the plans I followed and It was the last thing put on. Yes, ventilation was crucial to survive the summers there and I had the ceiling covered in hardware cloth as well since our main predators were rats.

 

[NTBugtraq]

Ok, I agree with the steeper slope. I said that but the guy helping build it thought otherwise. So I will stress that again. And yes, smooth roof. I'll check it when he gets back with the supplies. If I didn't have a roof the snow would just fill the whole run! We've had some hard core blizzards in the last few years! This will be my first winter keeping chickens outside. I plan to staple plastic around the run and maybe extra tarps for insulation?
I would lockdown....like, right now!

you should have a pip by tonight! Early little guy! Have your temps been high?

Think more of a wind break than insulation...chickens rarely freeze as long as they are dry and out of a cold wind. My roo lost his comb and a toe last winter due to frostbite, but I was constantly getting the place wet due to water issues. Of course that is where you definitely need something...your watering method. I won't go into mine cause its way too elaborate, and still not finished. Finally, also consider insulation for your eggs, as they can freeze solid also.

 

[scflock]

Awesome! What kind?


You can end up with "creme de la reptile" all over your face if you're not careful with that.

Shovel works well too.  Especially when your dog is too dang lazy to do anything.  Thought the bugger was gone, but no, just being lazy, under the porch.



Good to know!   It's a shame to have to kill beneficial predators when they become less than beneficial.  I was pretty sad about it when it happened here, but what are you going to do?  Skin it! That's what! 


Hey, I've always been, *cough cough* shall we say, different?

Are you Amy Schumer?

 

[RubyNala97]

Think more of a wind break than insulation...chickens rarely freeze as long as they are dry and out of a cold wind. My roo lost his comb and a toe last winter due to frostbite, but I was constantly getting the place wet due to water issues. Of course that is where you definitely need something...your watering method. I won't go into mine cause its way too elaborate, and still not finished. Finally, also consider insulation for your eggs, as they can freeze solid also.

Frozen solid eggs, are you serious??? I didn't think about that! I will have to check the nest boxes often. And I will do lots of research in the fall on winterizing everything! I don't even want to start thinking about it being dark by 4pm! That really depresses me!

 

[rossfam06]

Ok, I agree with the steeper slope. I said that but the guy helping build it thought otherwise. So I will stress that again. And yes, smooth roof. I'll check it when he gets back with the supplies. If I didn't have a roof the snow would just fill the whole run! We've had some hard core blizzards in the last few years! This will be my first winter keeping chickens outside. I plan to staple plastic around the run and maybe extra tarps for insulation?
I would lockdown....like, right now!

you should have a pip by tonight! Early little guy! Have your temps been high?

I think I would go ahead and lock down

Okay!! I will lockdown now!!!! They were high here and there. I have an LG 9300 so...you know how those temps work in there. Always changing never stable. LoL!!! I dont know why I put myself through all the trouble. LoL!!!

 

[WVduckchick]

Awesome! What kind?


You can end up with "creme de la reptile" all over your face if you're not careful with that.

S&W M&P Shield in the 9mm. Then he reveals to me that he knows I'll love it and take it, so then he can go back and get the 40 lol
We'll see if I like it any better than my Sig P938...

Okay!! I will lockdown now!!!! They were high here and there. I have an LG 9300 so...you know how those temps work in there. Always changing never stable. LoL!!! I dont know why I put myself through all the trouble. LoL!!! 

Good luck!! Can't wait for some pics!!