Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[Wishing4Wings]

I got 7 eggs also, but 2 were cracked.

One had a paper thin shell. Sure it's those darned worms. Tomorrow is worming day.

 

[BullChick]

I am not a total "picture" person. I thought cattle panels were metal gates with 2" diameter bars? I do have an idea (or a million) for making a hoop coop. I just don't know if I should. It could be made for quarantine, but that is what the hutch was supposed to be. And it is. I just won't be taking the Marans out, and adding them to the big coop. Now I need a new quarantine pen. I have a small dog carrier for a chicken overnight, and a couple totes for the accidental chick during Chick Days. You know? The ones that jump in the car (or on the motorcycle) when you are paying for your feed, and aren't looking. Sneaky little things!

My current problem is ventilation without rain/snow getting in. I have some idea, but I am actually BUILDING this coop, not just taking over a shed. Or the garage. Or the other shed. Or the sun room. Or the back porch. Or ...

I am worried I will do something wrong.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote:

yep it comes with fever and nausea from all the chicken poop

then there's the hatching phase

i have started my camera campaign on the family. The first step is WHINE about my miserable camera and COMPLAIN that its 6 years old.... muahahaha

i will have on by mothers day.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I am not a total "picture" person. I thought cattle panels were metal gates with 2" diameter bars? I do have an idea (or a million) for making a hoop coop. I just don't know if I should. It could be made for quarantine, but that is what the hutch was supposed to be. And it is. I just won't be taking the Marans out, and adding them to the big coop. Now I need a new quarantine pen. I have a small dog carrier for a chicken overnight, and a couple totes for the accidental chick during Chick Days. You know? The ones that jump in the car (or on the motorcycle) when you are paying for your feed, and aren't looking. Sneaky little things!

My current problem is ventilation without rain/snow getting in. I have some idea, but I am actually BUILDING this coop, not just taking over a shed. Or the garage. Or the other shed. Or the sun room. Or the back porch. Or ...

I am worried I will do something wrong.

MC you will do fine. I am terrible at cutting straight but in a pinch the lumber stores will do it for you. I have several large metal dog crates from when i did animal control. they are an awesome temporary solution. This one is really dirt cheap, so i figure if i mess it up its not a huge loss. That was my thing too, i had no idea what these panels were till i saw them up close and real life. they are rigid but easy to bend. I have seen them listed as feedlot panels too. the tarp cover is a 12x16 tarp. just stack straw bales around the base for extra warmth. I will cover the outside with hardware cloth to keep coons and dogs out. I keep on the lookout for greenhouse frames, carports anything that can make a coop. People hate traveling with me now. I holler out "OOOO that would make a good coop!" at random moments

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I got 7 eggs also, but 2 were cracked.

One had a paper thin shell. Sure it's those darned worms. Tomorrow is worming day.

What did you decide on for a wormer? I haven't seen any thing but, I just bought a bottle of the pour on ivermectin stuff to do all my critters. there's a few threads on here about it, i think its the easiest way to go. I used wazine when i first got all my birds last year but have learned a lot since then, lol. I would rather test, but i have read on several sites the stool samples may not show it all correctly, and now i am worried about it. We talked about the pigs a lot, Dad and i, and he explained that the pigs really pick up a lot of parasites from the ground. He was a butcher during college years, started telling me how meat looked in the "old days"

He has me weirded out over it now. Most of my critters comingle at some point, except the new chickens this year. The pigs i just brought in and my 2 i had of course will all be treated. The 2 new pigs have me worrying over it. they were not well cared for, and were fed straight corn. the little berk is terribly thin.

 

[cheeka]

Quote: yeah... I'll tell my boss that I need a few days off so I can do that, think she'll let me go? I couldn't even get a day off when my (former) MIL died in January. the dome was a stroke of genius born out of desperation to save my remaining chickens from the fox. it's amazing what I can come up with when the pressure is on! look for an old tarp carport, or at least the pipes from an old carport... cuz that's all mine is made from. my mechanic will bend more pipes for me anytime I need them... his daughter really loves my eggs...

Quote: yes, I concur. incubatitis is a serious condition, that when evolves into hatchaholism, not only has no cure, it also comes with the new condition called "crazy chicken lady"... isn't it wonderful that byc exists as a support group for all of us afflicted with this condition? W4W, you make me laugh so hard! and yes, I did get supper... about 7:45, very late for me... hard to stay perky, but he totally understood, and left at 9:30 so I could get some rest.

I am not a total "picture" person. I thought cattle panels were metal gates with 2" diameter bars? I do have an idea (or a million) for making a hoop coop. I just don't know if I should. It could be made for quarantine, but that is what the hutch was supposed to be. And it is. I just won't be taking the Marans out, and adding them to the big coop. Now I need a new quarantine pen. I have a small dog carrier for a chicken overnight, and a couple totes for the accidental chick during Chick Days. You know? The ones that jump in the car (or on the motorcycle) when you are paying for your feed, and aren't looking. Sneaky little things!

My current problem is ventilation without rain/snow getting in. I have some idea, but I am actually BUILDING this coop, not just taking over a shed. Or the garage. Or the other shed. Or the sun room. Or the back porch. Or ...

I am worried I will do something wrong.

that's what I thought a cattle panel was too, could be covered with hardware cloth and make a nice frame... DH must be happy that you are not moving them into the house...

so last night, after all was quiet, I took the pup out for a pee and it was SNOWING!!! just lightly, but it freaked me out for the chicks sake. I grabbed the flashlight and dashed to the backyard. they were all roosting and were completely fine. I woke up Archie, who started crowing. which set up a chain reaction... and before I got halfway back to the house, all 3 boys were harmonizing, accented by the tiny wee crow of a very young cockerel. it was just so dear... I'm sure the neighbors didn't feel the same way, but it was only 9:45... and they stopped pretty quickly. I got up super early to check on them and see how much snow...just a dusting, and they are fine. the main roost broke... but it was getting a bit brittle... I didn't think it would last long, but I didn't expect it to break right away... that must have been a nasty shock to the chicks... dumped, unceremoniously onto the ground in the middle of a good deep sleep... I will pick up a handrail at the lumberyard on my way home from work. it's pretty cold this morning, but the run is fairly toasty and quite cozy... I'm so relieved!

W4W, the cockerel is dark brown and red. omg, looking at this pic again, look at that comb! I didn't notice it back then at all... what a knucklehead... I can't find him in the crowd shots either, but, they were piled in the feed bowl...

 

[cheeka]

oh yeah, I knew there was one more thing I wanted to say... the white chick... what a ham! she's in just about every picture, right up at the front of the line for anything to eat... very sweet once you catch her, but she's pretty quick to hop out of the way... she will be one of my fav's... I'm sure of that!

 

[okallthis4eggs]

For what its worth I use small trees for roost poles. The bark helps them grip it. Hand rail from the lumber yard is usually made from oak and expensive. Just a thought cheeka

 

[okallthis4eggs]

For what its worth I use small trees for roost poles. The bark helps them grip it. Hand rail from the lumber yard is usually made from oak and expensive. Just a thought cheeka

You have to cut it to length anyway and if you drill a hole thru each end you can use wire/coat hanger, strap iron, ect to attach it in your run. Hope that helps.

 

[BullChick]

Quote:
MC you will do fine. I am terrible at cutting straight but in a pinch the lumber stores will do it for you. I have several large metal dog crates from when i did animal control. they are an awesome temporary solution. This one is really dirt cheap, so i figure if i mess it up its not a huge loss. That was my thing too, i had no idea what these panels were till i saw them up close and real life. they are rigid but easy to bend. I have seen them listed as feedlot panels too. the tarp cover is a 12x16 tarp. just stack straw bales around the base for extra warmth. I will cover the outside with hardware cloth to keep coons and dogs out. I keep on the lookout for greenhouse frames, carports anything that can make a coop. People hate traveling with me now. I holler out "OOOO that would make a good coop!" at random moments

Yup, I do that too. I even did it at the garbage dump (no, the guy didn't give me the trailer). My M-I-L is getting tired of me threatening to take her carport.

She is offended that I think it is a coop.