Trefoil, I was tired of it before it started, belive me. We're in the 20s for highs and the lows are teens and singles. Ice everywhere and more snow coming. Animals are all fine, well fed and happy. Life is good.
The building of Pea Palace(Pic Heavy)
- Thread starter frenchblackcopper
- Start date
Funny FBC.....I've been serioulsy thinking about a rocket stove. The only thing I'd need to get would be iron pipe for the chimney. It'll have to wait for better weather now but it's floating around in my head and working itself out. Now will this burner be inside the building ? I know 2xs a day I am going out to my peas' house and running a propane heater just to keep the temps up in there. With the insulated building, it doesn't take much and it holds the temps fairly well. Momma and Daddy peafowl are doing a whole bunch better now they are inside all the time and off of the cold ground. With the windows in there they can still see everything going on outside and seem to be very content.
I have another question for you FBC, if I remember, didn't you say the pea palace was a distance from your house? How are you going to fare going out in blizzard conditions? Do you have something to 'follow" back if you can't see the lights?
- Thread starter
- #293
Haunted,yes this complete burner would be inside the building.There is several sets of plans on youtube for this same oil burner as well. The secret is that air,or propane is used to blow air thru a small opening that has a constant flow of oil running over it,thus atomizing the fuel or blowing a mist outward which is easily lit and stays lit.One example shows a 2" diameter tube about 2-3" long where this atomized fuel spray is being delivered and burned.What makes this so unique is the oil,no matter if it's used vegetable oil or engine oil isn't filtered in any way,so no filters or small air orifices can become plugged up.Once lit it will continue to burn until the fuel source is shut off.You can use a small 30lb propane tank instead of compressed air which makes it nice in super cold conditions where an airline would freeze up from condensation.It's misleading by watching the atomized spray being blown and burnt,because it looks like the fuel is being put thru an injector and is under pressure,which it's not in this application.The excess oil that isn't burnt is allowed to drip back down into a bucket where it can be reused again and again until it's all gone.You must have the fuel source higher than the burner so gravity always keeps the fuel flowing.
Pea Palace is about 300' from my front door on the back corner of our property.Our forecast has now changed somewhat here,as we are now under a winter weather advisory until tomorrow where several counties south of us are still under blizzard warnings so thats where the worst is heading this time anyway.I can only remember possibly 2 "Blizzards" here that resemble those on "Little House on the Prairie" and those was when I was much younger.Nothing could keep me from getting to the Palace at least once daily for feeding and watering.50 or more Peas depend on me for that out there.
Pea Palace is about 300' from my front door on the back corner of our property.Our forecast has now changed somewhat here,as we are now under a winter weather advisory until tomorrow where several counties south of us are still under blizzard warnings so thats where the worst is heading this time anyway.I can only remember possibly 2 "Blizzards" here that resemble those on "Little House on the Prairie" and those was when I was much younger.Nothing could keep me from getting to the Palace at least once daily for feeding and watering.50 or more Peas depend on me for that out there.
The burner sounds like a winner! If you do it please report back! So many of us live in places where we have to offer a little help now and then that this maybe just what is needed.
The reason I ask about the line of sight and land marks, I have to go outside to access my cellar where my wood furnace is. It's not even 30' away from my back door and I have an outside sodium yard light. We have had the weather so rough that it was all most impossible to find our way back to the back door without a rope strung between the cellar door and the back deck. That's why most barns are attached in NE. So many have perished trying to find their way back only to lose sight of where they are and end up wandering off, only to be found in the Spring. Still happens today so it's an issue. Be careful is all I can say.
The reason I ask about the line of sight and land marks, I have to go outside to access my cellar where my wood furnace is. It's not even 30' away from my back door and I have an outside sodium yard light. We have had the weather so rough that it was all most impossible to find our way back to the back door without a rope strung between the cellar door and the back deck. That's why most barns are attached in NE. So many have perished trying to find their way back only to lose sight of where they are and end up wandering off, only to be found in the Spring. Still happens today so it's an issue. Be careful is all I can say.
- Thread starter
- #295
Okay this weekend marked the last of my inside construction.After watching the weather a lot last week in the absence of my all time favorite weather forecaster(Heather Tesch) I noticed the downward spiral in approaching temps here this week.One of my top concerns was the sparrows and starlings that have been getting inside the building and freeloading all day on crumbles and water.I still had gaps between 5 roof rafters and the top wall sill that needed closed up.Then to finish up the last inside pen on the west side which is 12x12 in size.
Tonight the actual temp is supposed to get down to zero with between 15-18 below wind chills outside.Last night before dark I had the last pen finished and all the gaps closed in.I don't have or plan to ever use a fishing net to catch birds with but rather do this in darkness.I had 2 purple b/s hens.2 opal hens and 1 bssp hen,as well as 1 bssp male all from 2011 hatch that needed moved inside.They had been in a pen beside my garage since this spring but many nights I noticed they would not go inside the enclosed room I had for them unless it was very windy and raining outside.Last night I caught them two at a time and made 3 trips to get them inside the new pen.I also had 9 ornamental pheasants I could not allow to go thru the expected cold weather that is predicted for tonight and tomorrow nite so they were all caught and brought inside too.
The starling and sparrow issue seems to have stopped today,as proof is normally above a few inside pen doors where the freeloaders sits and poops all day.That was not seen tonight in the usual places so I'm sure closing up the gaps ended this issue for good.
Inside the 24x30 building I still have room for another 12x12 inside pen on the east side but it's not needed this winter so next spring that can be completed.To date inside this building I have 6 pens and 3 seperate pens built off the floor above ground to keep 2012 hatched young peas in.Total head count is for inside occupants is 9 ornamental pheasants,and 28 full sized adult peas and 32 2012 hathed peas.I will try and get some pictures this weekend of the last pen and some of the happy peas inside but tonight when doing chores it was considerably nicer inside this building than what it felt like outside with the wind blowing.
The ornamental pheasants I moved will stay outside in the worst of weather sitting on a perch no matter how cold it would be.If anything I feel better by now having inside space to safely house everything I have at present but next fall I could find myself behind again if I do get more breeding pairs or trios,At least being locked inside a building under a roof and out of the cold blowing wind I feel better now and the fowl will be better off in the long run I'm sure.
Tonight the actual temp is supposed to get down to zero with between 15-18 below wind chills outside.Last night before dark I had the last pen finished and all the gaps closed in.I don't have or plan to ever use a fishing net to catch birds with but rather do this in darkness.I had 2 purple b/s hens.2 opal hens and 1 bssp hen,as well as 1 bssp male all from 2011 hatch that needed moved inside.They had been in a pen beside my garage since this spring but many nights I noticed they would not go inside the enclosed room I had for them unless it was very windy and raining outside.Last night I caught them two at a time and made 3 trips to get them inside the new pen.I also had 9 ornamental pheasants I could not allow to go thru the expected cold weather that is predicted for tonight and tomorrow nite so they were all caught and brought inside too.
The starling and sparrow issue seems to have stopped today,as proof is normally above a few inside pen doors where the freeloaders sits and poops all day.That was not seen tonight in the usual places so I'm sure closing up the gaps ended this issue for good.
Inside the 24x30 building I still have room for another 12x12 inside pen on the east side but it's not needed this winter so next spring that can be completed.To date inside this building I have 6 pens and 3 seperate pens built off the floor above ground to keep 2012 hatched young peas in.Total head count is for inside occupants is 9 ornamental pheasants,and 28 full sized adult peas and 32 2012 hathed peas.I will try and get some pictures this weekend of the last pen and some of the happy peas inside but tonight when doing chores it was considerably nicer inside this building than what it felt like outside with the wind blowing.
The ornamental pheasants I moved will stay outside in the worst of weather sitting on a perch no matter how cold it would be.If anything I feel better by now having inside space to safely house everything I have at present but next fall I could find myself behind again if I do get more breeding pairs or trios,At least being locked inside a building under a roof and out of the cold blowing wind I feel better now and the fowl will be better off in the long run I'm sure.
Glad to hear you got it done FBC. We're in for it now and I too just finished up a few little details, lol. I'm already thinking about added space here. Not so much for the peas but my geese and ducks. It never ends does it?
- Thread starter
- #297
Haunted, I think I've mentioned to Casportpony a few times now when they begin building to do so with expansion in mind.I really only wanted to have 3 pens of diffrent colored peas but you see where I'm at now.And I plan on whites,cameos,peach and possibly 2 other colors not to be mentioned.No,the building does not seem to stop until you get to the point of the feedbill finally making you realize enough is enough.I'm not to that point yet.I can store 1800 lbs of feed at a time which currently amounts to $503 a fill.My total number of peas being fed daily is rather high because finally I was able to hatch my own so I do have 30 or so 2012 chicks I'm feeding extra this winter above what I had last year.I know my daily cost for feed and have a very good idea a cost per bird each day at this point.I suppose if I someday become dependent on using a wheel chair and not being mobile on my own,that would finally make me realize it's time to cut back.But for now,the fore-planning continues for whats needed in the spring of 2013,,and then 2014.
I've found the Peas to be the cheapest to feed out of all that I have here. They really don't seem to eat the same as the chickens and ducks. They eat but not as much. Maybe it's the feed I give them, it's an All Flock starter grower and I add in wild game bird feed and BOSS. Don't have a clue. They're happy and healthy.
How were the temps there this morning? I had to go out a 4:30 and get the heater going for a bit. The inside of the house was down to 19 degrees at the floor. Got it up to 35 for them and the sun is coming up. We're at -6 with a wind chill of -16 and it's still dropping. I'd love to give them a heat lamp but I don't trust them. Better to just get out there a couple of times in the night and run the heater while I'm standing there.
How were the temps there this morning? I had to go out a 4:30 and get the heater going for a bit. The inside of the house was down to 19 degrees at the floor. Got it up to 35 for them and the sun is coming up. We're at -6 with a wind chill of -16 and it's still dropping. I'd love to give them a heat lamp but I don't trust them. Better to just get out there a couple of times in the night and run the heater while I'm standing there.
- Thread starter
- #299
Haunted,was down to 8 degrees this morn,3 degrees wednesday morning and on Tuesday right at ZERO at 6am.Let me lend some free advice on heatlites if I may.Many associate buildings being burnt down because of heat lites. This was many the cause of farrowing houses years ago when straw was used for bedding.The heat lites was left hanging close to the sow that was confined in the farrowing crate but as small pigs grew their nosey nature caused them to bump and play with the lites eventually causing them to fall down on the straw and after awhile flames would start.
I use heat lites on all newly hatched peachicks and I still have heat lites on all 2012 hatched peas that are now moved into the 3 wall pens inside the Palace.But every one of those heat lites I have made some provisions to that leaves me confident they will never start a fire.It maybe easier to explain with pictures and if so let me know and this weekend I will take one apart and show you my upgrades but it goes something like this.
First there is a 2 piece porcelan fixture that a) has threads to screw in the heat bulb and b) another female threaded piece that is used to tighten down on the bulb porcelan piece and the heat shield.I first unscrew these two pieces.Inside you will see two electric wires with wire connectors that are screwed onto the bulb fixture piece.I will cut these two wires making them as short as possible and still be able to be attached to the bulb base.On many there is a small piece of wire that is crimped around the base of the cord right before the wire coating is split to allow both wires to be seperated and used.I will cut this small wire off and then use my own wire and make two complete wraps around the cord.I then tie a simple 1 loop knot as close to the wire,or end of the cord just as close to the end where the cord covering is still intact.You must do this as close as possible to the very bottom of the cord because you still have to screw the second piece of porcelan onto the first. By screwing these two together the shield is also being held tight. You may find that trying to screw the two porcelan pieces together is tough and many times I have added several drops of oil to the threads. This makes threading them back together much easier and I can get them tighter than the factory does.Next around the porceln piece,the shroud has two punched openings for a cheep wire hanger to be used.The ends of the wire that goes thru the shield often times are straight. I bend them up as much as possible making it impossible for either end of this wire hanger to come out of the aluminum shield.
Since I made a knot in the cord between both porcelan pieces I can now use the cord itself as a way to hold the lite into position.Pulling on it only makes the knot tighter and by having this knot in place,the cord will not pull thru the porcelan opening,where before only the small wrap of wire,around the cord was all that was there.And since I re-bent the wire holder ends that is attached to the shroud,I than can use a piece of wire or small chain to also attach the lite with at the desired height.I now have 2 ways to hold the lite where I want at the height I want. You will notice a few pics back here how I installed the heat lites on the wall pens.I cut the plywood so the aluminum shields would half way fit and then secured the shields with at least 3 drywall screws going thru the shield into the plywood. I then used scrap 2x4 welded wire to cover the heat bulb on the bottom.Even tho the lite is flush with the ceiling the welded wire is still in place to keep the peas from hitting the lite when they start flying around and that causes early heat lite failures,,but not anymore here.
If you make the heat bulb so it can be held at a certain height no matter what,the cord and chain both would need to become severed before the lite would fall down on wood shavings or straw,thus causing a possible fire.You can also cut the power cord going to the heat lite so it is the exact length needed when the heat bulb is in the exact height position you want,to the electric outlet.That way if the lite gets knocked down,it will instantly become unplugged.A little work and expermenting and heat lites are very safe in my opinion.Plus some modifications insures they are permanent and cannot be knocked down.
I use heat lites on all newly hatched peachicks and I still have heat lites on all 2012 hatched peas that are now moved into the 3 wall pens inside the Palace.But every one of those heat lites I have made some provisions to that leaves me confident they will never start a fire.It maybe easier to explain with pictures and if so let me know and this weekend I will take one apart and show you my upgrades but it goes something like this.
First there is a 2 piece porcelan fixture that a) has threads to screw in the heat bulb and b) another female threaded piece that is used to tighten down on the bulb porcelan piece and the heat shield.I first unscrew these two pieces.Inside you will see two electric wires with wire connectors that are screwed onto the bulb fixture piece.I will cut these two wires making them as short as possible and still be able to be attached to the bulb base.On many there is a small piece of wire that is crimped around the base of the cord right before the wire coating is split to allow both wires to be seperated and used.I will cut this small wire off and then use my own wire and make two complete wraps around the cord.I then tie a simple 1 loop knot as close to the wire,or end of the cord just as close to the end where the cord covering is still intact.You must do this as close as possible to the very bottom of the cord because you still have to screw the second piece of porcelan onto the first. By screwing these two together the shield is also being held tight. You may find that trying to screw the two porcelan pieces together is tough and many times I have added several drops of oil to the threads. This makes threading them back together much easier and I can get them tighter than the factory does.Next around the porceln piece,the shroud has two punched openings for a cheep wire hanger to be used.The ends of the wire that goes thru the shield often times are straight. I bend them up as much as possible making it impossible for either end of this wire hanger to come out of the aluminum shield.
Since I made a knot in the cord between both porcelan pieces I can now use the cord itself as a way to hold the lite into position.Pulling on it only makes the knot tighter and by having this knot in place,the cord will not pull thru the porcelan opening,where before only the small wrap of wire,around the cord was all that was there.And since I re-bent the wire holder ends that is attached to the shroud,I than can use a piece of wire or small chain to also attach the lite with at the desired height.I now have 2 ways to hold the lite where I want at the height I want. You will notice a few pics back here how I installed the heat lites on the wall pens.I cut the plywood so the aluminum shields would half way fit and then secured the shields with at least 3 drywall screws going thru the shield into the plywood. I then used scrap 2x4 welded wire to cover the heat bulb on the bottom.Even tho the lite is flush with the ceiling the welded wire is still in place to keep the peas from hitting the lite when they start flying around and that causes early heat lite failures,,but not anymore here.
If you make the heat bulb so it can be held at a certain height no matter what,the cord and chain both would need to become severed before the lite would fall down on wood shavings or straw,thus causing a possible fire.You can also cut the power cord going to the heat lite so it is the exact length needed when the heat bulb is in the exact height position you want,to the electric outlet.That way if the lite gets knocked down,it will instantly become unplugged.A little work and expermenting and heat lites are very safe in my opinion.Plus some modifications insures they are permanent and cannot be knocked down.
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I'm following but if you can get pics I would like to see! We've got stupid cold here right now. The temps are in the minus and the winds are still screaming. I just had a gust go through here a few minutes ago that was 45mph. They are saying to expect the wind chills tonight in the minus 30 range. Yeah.....I am sooo up for this.
I've got a thermometer that sends to the base here in the house. I had their house up to 50 degrees, floor level, at 6:30 pm and it's now down to 26 degrees. And they say wind chill doesn't effect anything but skin. Well it's sucking the heat out of the buildings quite well. This is an extremely well insulated building, no drafts, and the windows are now covered with 'storms' on the outside. For that matter, I have a wood furnace for my own house that normally will drive us right out and I'm having to use a gas fireplace as well just to keep the temps around 65 degrees. Again, extremely well insulated house. Like I said, just plain stupid cold, you can't win the fight with this stuff.
I've been waiting until the temps in the pea/turkey house dip down to the high teens before I intervene. I'll be going out in a bit to run a radiant gas heater for an hour and then come back in and wait for it to drop again. Not much sleep tonight I'm afraid, lol.
I've got a thermometer that sends to the base here in the house. I had their house up to 50 degrees, floor level, at 6:30 pm and it's now down to 26 degrees. And they say wind chill doesn't effect anything but skin. Well it's sucking the heat out of the buildings quite well. This is an extremely well insulated building, no drafts, and the windows are now covered with 'storms' on the outside. For that matter, I have a wood furnace for my own house that normally will drive us right out and I'm having to use a gas fireplace as well just to keep the temps around 65 degrees. Again, extremely well insulated house. Like I said, just plain stupid cold, you can't win the fight with this stuff.
I've been waiting until the temps in the pea/turkey house dip down to the high teens before I intervene. I'll be going out in a bit to run a radiant gas heater for an hour and then come back in and wait for it to drop again. Not much sleep tonight I'm afraid, lol.
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