Surviving Minnesota!

[ejb3810]

You gonna come visit the show in Hutch this fall?

Who, me. I think not, but you never know for sure ?

 

[Varagol]

Did you have predator losses or illness losses. I think I see a pic of your run in the avatar. You might consider different wire (hardware cloth) or /and coverage from above to avoid birds of prey attacks. Polish crested birds cannot see those coming very well.

The losses came from shipping stress, as the 13 that didn't make it were all gone within 24 hours. The avatar is a run I am working on, need to finish cleaning the shed out (9x12) before I can start getting everything up.

I'm trying something that may or may not work, but sounds good on paper lol. The 9x12 shed is going to be split in half for two coops each with its own run. The chickens will both share the inside of the shed, but hidden from each other with a common wall of plywood and chicken wire. This way they should all benefit from the added heat in winter, and will each have their own 8x16 run (covered once I'm done).

This pic kind of shows what I'm talking about:

Still lots more work to be done on both runs and inside. I've still got stuff to clean up, and waiting for stuff to come in (flight netting and misc. stuff). I'll be enclosing it with chicken wire, and then welded wire on top of that, down about a foot in the ground. Flight netting on top, with chicken wire over that as an extra precaution. The run in the back right is using an old dock as the base of the wall. 1/2" gaps, so plenty small. Still going to run chicken wire over that as well. The first eight feet of each run will be covered, the "end" eight feet will have the flight netting/wire combo. Still deciding what kind of roofing for the covered section, but leaning towards tin. This way I can collect rainwater easier during the summer to tie into an auto-water.

 

[jerryse]

Caught up reading this thread . The weather lately vacuums . Loosing too many half days to rain . Tired of cold and wet . Already planning how to save time by skipping some things until next year . Lumber piles are dwindling . Having to get creative sometimes . Made 2x4 s out of 2 inch flitches . That is 2 inch bark on set asides that did not make 2 x10 s . Going to start on gable ends . Then on to drywall catchers before I cover the roof . I will be scratching through the set aside 3/4 inch pile to get enough . Not much lumber will be left and that will be mostly short or junky . Heard the shots since the duck opener .

 

[holm25]

Is their a show on Saturday? Or is it in Oct? I heard their was one on Saturday..

just a swap I think. There is a show in Wisconsin this weekend.

 

[duluthralphie]

Morning.....
See ya all laters!

 

[destiny_56085]

Well I am confused. I just seen someone post on mn site on fb saying they had a swap this weekend.. but I know their is one on Oct 26th
I want to go bow hunting this weekend but I will stop in Hutch if they do have a swap.

The MN State Pigeon Association is hosting a swap tomorrow (Sept. 29th) at 7am at McLeod county Fairgrounds. Their club meeting is at 10am. Usually a smaller swap, but everything welcome as long as you have testing paperwork.

The MN State Poultry Association is hosting their fall show the last weekend of October. There is a sale section there, but these are going to be quality birds and price reflects that usually.

Hope that clears up any confusion!

 

[duluthralphie]

Hey all...
I know some of you like to hear about all the things that happen in my poor pathetic life.

I have been so busy with the campaign, I have been unable to read here let alone write much.

This morning I was up at 5 and wrote 3 political papers and started a speech.

The now reigning wicked Witch of the North, formerly known as the WWD, awoke several hours later. She was "cold", her feet were cold, the floors were cold.......We all know how the WWN (wicked with of the north) is about cold and what parts of her are cold and when......

I being a considerate and slightly fearful husband of the WWN, honored her request and went to fire up the furnace. We have hot water heat with a gas fired boiler. I had a small leak I have vowed to fix for the last couple years. I have failed to do this and just live with the leak, filling as needed.

This is because I am basically lazy. I decided I should fix this leak because there is a good chance I will be living in St Paul 4 days a week or so this winter (heaven help me, I hate St Paul, but I will do what I must for future generations)..........

I decided to get the leak fixed as I knew it would only take 5 minutes to do.......I was wrong....


I took the old joint apart that was leaking, expecting to simply slip a new PEX line into the old quick coupler. When I pulled the quick coupler apart, it broke. This dismayed me and set my time estimate back by 5 minutes.

I was not worried as besides being lazy, I process the quality of being semi-cheap. I grew up in tough times and nothing useful was thrown away. Now, I am no where as old as EJB or Jerry who grew up during the depression, but I am close.

My children do not think of me as being cheap, the consider me to be a hoarder. They are wrong but they grew up in good times, so what do they know?

I simply went out to the shed and got a used quick coupler that I had saved for just such an emergency. I found the little supports needed to stiffen the PEX lines. Inserted them and slipped the new coupling back together.

I then went and filled the lines with water. Proud of my days accomplishment, which had taken 30 minutes, or 25 more than planned. Not bad, I thought as I could be out politicking in no time.

I noticed the pressure was not building as fast as it should have. I went to check the coupling and was immediately drenched with cold dirty water coming from under the floor where the lines run. Luckily they simply run across the open under the joists.....Unluckily, the water was about 33 degrees. This was not a fun moment.

I ran back and turned the water off, and went to repair the coupling. It appears I failed to noticed the perfectly good used coupling had a crack in it which under pressure caused my cold water shower.

I removed said coupling. Did you know a cracked coupling can hold back 400 gallons of water, when said water is not under pressure?


All 400 gallons poured over my head when I removed the coupling. I almost said bad words. Judy was upstairs and shouted down to the basement, "What is wrong? There is no excuse for that kind of language." Typical of a full fledged witch.

I was sure there was an excuse for that kind of language. I then had to go back out to the shed and find another new used coupling. I did not have a straight coupling but I had a perfectly good 90 degree coupling...

With a few modifications I could use the 90 and save the 6 bucks and trip to Menard's for a new straight one. I got the new used coupling in place. Went back and turned the water back on.

Again the pressure was slow in building. I went to inspect the new joint and took another cold water fully clothed shower.....Bad words ensued again, followed by an uncalled for admonition from the reigning WWN.

It appears the 90 degree coupling will not work if the tubing going into it is not perfectly lined up with the joint. I fixed this by taking down the tubing and moving it to line it up and then putting up new hangars.......

I was smiling and happy the entire time, because that is just me, Mr Happy!


I turned the water back on, pressure build and everything is hunky dory here now. I am sure glad the WWN does not have to worry about cold body parts any longer. However, my mood is ruined. I am afraid I will be as grouchy as EJB on a good day for the next 24 hours.

I am hoping telling this too all of you will be therapeutic and my normally friendly lovable mood will return.

Have a great day......and remember being frugal is not hoarding!

 

[bobbi-j]

At least you got it fixed, so you can avoid the WWD! I have To wait till Oct to start mine. I had to deal with mine last winter when Joe was at his yearly military training. Something was wrong with it so I had to let water into it every couple days. One day I came home from work and the pressure was as high as it could go! Scary!!! Had to call someone to work on it. Needed a new temp gauge. Still need to let water into the pipes tho. I’m sure that will always be Too busy to worry about it

My DH thought we weren’t turning our furnace on until October. I informed him of the error of his ways as I flipped the switch

 

[holm25]

My DH thought we weren’t turning our furnace on until October. I informed him of the error of his ways as I flipped the switch

 

[I Love Layers]

26° this morning. Finally started the fire place in the evening on Wednesday. We don't even build it up enough to have hot ashes in the morning, but the house isn't to cold, yet.