Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[cheeka]

MC, sorry to hear you are having postal troubles... it's so frustrating... I get the wrong mail all the time too... but at least my carrier has a bit of an excuse... they keep changing the house numbers for 911. I used to be 34552, then I became 141, now I'm 312. I still get mail addressed to 143A which is a half mile down the street... and I only lived there for 5 months (12 years ago) before I bought my house... and my old carrier retired, so this is a new guy and he's confused. and his sub is new, so she's confused too. I try to be considerate of their "confusion" but... come on... my name alone is so unusual, that should be the first tip. don't give me mail that is not addressed for Leather.

I have multiple multiples on my route. same name, same house #, different street. easy to confuse. so I double check every piece of mail before I stick it in one of those "confusing" boxes. I've had mail that didn't arrive at it's destination... trash bill was one! so now, I tape the bill to the top bag of trash. the collector takes it and turns it in. no more problems. I tip her (yep, i have a trash lady!) regularly so she doesn't mind taking my bill... you might want to leave the carrier a note to please double check the mail before leaving it... to prevent misdeliveries, whether they do or not... have to see...

my good friend got a Christmas card really late, like a week ago... and it was slit open (probably from the machinery that sorts) and the gift card inside was literally hanging out. but it hadn't been stolen, and it eventually arrived... she was amazed... I had a friend who sent me a cute pack of cards with a pug on it, and it arrived in a plastic bag that stated that it was damaged in handling, but my contents were gone...
it doesn't hurt to speak to your carrier about making an effort to be efficient.

 

[BullChick]

Cheeka, I have seen your hoop coop, and I am not clear on something. Do you have an actual coop that is all wood, and blocked in for predator protection? Or, is it just the wire and plastic sheeting?
BTW, I did just see the "strike through" button. Ha ha ha!!! Ha ha ha !!!!!

 

[cheeka]

The "Dome" is it's own separate entity, with 2 coops wired in from the outside with hardware cloth. I have 2 coops attached, one, a store bought coop, attached at the front/left of the dome. I actually took apart the store bought coop so I could thread hardware cloth directly into the seams and bolted it in place inside the coop, and wire tied to the dome. it is predator proof at that junction. the second coop, is handmade from an enormous farm apple crate with a peaked plywood, hinged roof. that coop is attached to the rear/right of the dome. the hardware cloth that encloses that section is stapled in place to the coop, and wire tied to the dome. it is predator proof at that junction too. (I used about 200 staples) the hardware cloth "skin" runs 14-15 inches beyond the dome over the ground as a skirt. the skirt has either large slabs of shale/paving stone on top, or large chunks of maple trunk. if a predator has the strength to move those items, it still cannot get in as the skirt prevents digging. the only spot that is a "danger" zone is my entry door. but that has a 2x4 on the inside to block anything coming from under the door, and a ski pole wedged in the latches that seals the tiny slit made from the wooden door meeting the metal frame. But, I used over 125' of hardware cloth, so, virtually, no hole is bigger than .5x.5

the dome is 15' long, 12.5' wide and 5.5' tall (it's almost tall enough for me to stand up perfectly straight... but I'm a bit slouchy, so it's tall enough) the store bought coop is large enough for 6 LF, and the apple coop will hold 8 LF. I need to add one more coop in the Spring, as the chicks will outgrow the portable run within the next 2 months. that's 8x8x4, with lots of roosts... but after Carl goes, there are still 13 chicks. it's too small for that many birds. I will continue to use it... may attach a coop to that instead of the dome... keep Si and 6 pullets there??? we'll see.

the blue and yellow stuff is vinyl, super heavy duty stuff. guaranteed for something like 25 years of consistant outdoor use... I got it for free
I use it in summer on one section, to give some shade and rain protection. it's completely wrapped for the winter. makes it a smidge darker, but truly, light gets in, it's nice in there. my nosy neighbor came by to see what I was doing with the portable run... she thinks the chicks are cute, and she thinks I'm nuts to give the Dome to the chickens. she thinks it so nice, she would camp out inside! kooky lady...lol

 

[cheeka]

after that long detailed ramble... the dome can be a stand alone dwelling. the coops can be removed fairly easily... and the hardware cloth that has been cut to allow the coops to be attached can be replaced, also fairly easily...

 

[showbarnmom]

2...2 22...work.gave me two eggs!!!!!!! That's it! One duck one chick! They think they are slick! I know theylay more. What do they have in store?

6...6...6...6 little chicks!!!! Boy was I surprised to find them at work!

 

[BullChick]

after that long detailed ramble... the dome can be a stand alone dwelling. the coops can be removed fairly easily... and the hardware cloth that has been cut to allow the coops to be attached can be replaced, also fairly easily...

Thank you for the explanation. Now come build this coop for me. I have too many ideas, and too little time to decide!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: http://www.raincreekpottery.com/Pages/HoopCoopChickenTractor.aspx
Can't remember if i shared this with you guys before.
Its kinda like Cheeka's hoop coop, just uses a different frame. I am using it as a starting point to get like 3 of them done buy late spring. Need buildings FAST hehehe!
Well, didn't get the feeder out of the field yet. We had rain and flurries, wind and my arms and shoulders refused to cooperate LOL. The fighting was minimal so maybe my rooster adjustment paid off on the guinea cocks yesterday.

We laid 2 goose eggs and 3 chicken eggs today

I set 9 goose eggs in the separate incubator so this will be my first try on them too. Tomorrow is my 7 day candle on the chicken eggs.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Cheeka, you have a coop condo going there. Must be super cozy if the neighbor wants to move in! You kept writing and writing.... Did you eat dinner? (I need to find a smiley with a huge nose to insert here.

) I was trying to tell which chick is Carl. Is he a blk & wht? You can tell the white pullet is such a character, standing up so straight and looking directly at the camera. She is cute too. When RuPaul went to his new home, the lady put him straight in with some 6 week old chicks she was growing out. RuPaul was about 17 weeks old, but he never bothered the babies and she said most young roosters won't hurt chicks. I don't know exactly who has him now or if he even avoided the stew pot. My MIL buys eggs from this lady and she took him for a friend of hers who wanted to have chickens. I'm going to try to track him down and see if I can visit for some pics.

SBMom, no pics?? Are you going to leave the chicks at work or find them a new home?

MC, I also need some ideas for a coop for the little mini bantams that we will eventually be getting... I think... maybe... probably. They can't handle temps under 40*, so will have to have a draft free coop with a heat source during the winter. The good thing is they are so small, a rabbit hutch would be super roomy for a trio. Gotta keep checking craigslist.

 

[animallover505]

Hey guys! I got 7 eggs today. I let the chickens out when I got home to free range, but I had to herd them up and put them up because I heard a bunch of dogs so I got worried. They were NOT happy.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

http://www.raincreekpottery.com/Pages/HoopCoopChickenTractor.aspx
Can't remember if i shared this with you guys before.
Its kinda like Cheeka's hoop coop, just uses a different frame. I am using it as a starting point to get like 3 of them done buy late spring. Need buildings FAST hehehe!
Well, didn't get the feeder out of the field yet. We had rain and flurries, wind and my arms and shoulders refused to cooperate LOL. The fighting was minimal so maybe my rooster adjustment paid off on the guinea cocks yesterday.

We laid 2 goose eggs and 3 chicken eggs today

I set 9 goose eggs in the separate incubator so this will be my first try on them too. Tomorrow is my 7 day candle on the chicken eggs.

On no jchny! It's happened! You've contracted incubatitis which will turn into hatchaholism in the later stages. It is highly contagious and there is no cure. Your only hope to mitigate this terrible condition is to show lots and lots of pictures!

Thanks for the link. Gotta check that out.