The Front Porch Swing

[Beekissed]

Ohh I wish I had a plucker. Isn't there some DIY build it yourself plans for a plucker? I need to check that out.

Right now I have about 9 roosters and they crow 24 hours a day. Thank goodness they aren't close to the house. But I do love to hear roosters crow... but they do get carried away.

I can't bear it! Yes...I can't bear the incessant crowing of a rooster.

It's like listening to a dog that barks all day...drives me insane. I have grown to really love the quiet and so cannot stand constant crowing. The occasional crow is lovely and fine. I don't allow the other kind...don't allow a dog to bark constantly, nor a rooster to crow constantly. They better both have a darn good reason for the constant chatter and, if not, it's got to stop.

So far I've had success with that. I don't know if I could pull it off if I had a neighbor with a mouthy roo because mine would want to keep answering that challenge. Even when I had that pen chalk full of roosters I didn't have all day crowing...first thing in the morning and an occasional crow by the flock master and then no more.

 

[Oldmomma]

Bee I got to see if I can upload one day the video I made my first night of Ramadan here. The monthvof fasting. I woke up before dawn and put my video camera towards the east and just sat. All the animals waking to morning and the morning call to prayer from all the mosques. Its quite humbling. But uploading takes forever here but I will ask a few buddies how it can be done. I take roos and calls to prayer over car horns and wailing sirens any day.

 

[Triple Willow]

I can't bear it!  Yes...I can't bear the incessant crowing of a rooster.     It's like listening to a dog that barks all day...drives me insane.  I have grown to really love the quiet and so cannot stand constant crowing.  The occasional crow is lovely and fine.  I don't allow the other kind...don't allow a dog to bark constantly, nor a rooster to crow constantly.  They better both have a darn good reason for the constant chatter and, if not, it's got to stop. 

So far I've had success with that.  I don't know if I could pull it off if I had a neighbor with a mouthy roo because mine would want to keep answering that challenge.  Even when I had that pen chalk full of roosters I didn't have all day crowing...first thing in the morning and an occasional crow by the flock master and then no more. 

Oh yes, barking dogs. Something about a dog that won't shut up infuriates me. I want to put it out of my misery! My roosters are far enough from the house that it doesn't bother me at all. I may get tired of that one day, probably. ha What is really neat is all the sounds the Buckeyes make. Sometimes they sound almost like a dog growling. If somebody didn't know what it was making the noise I could see it scaring the peewater out of them in the dark. hahaha

 

[Triple Willow]

There are plans on this site somewhere for two different pluckers.  One was a drum type thing that you drop the chickens in and the whole drum spins but the one I thought was cool was one that is fit onto the end of an electric drill and you just hold the chicken up to it.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/260936/rubber-plucker-fingers-cheap-place-to-buy-them/10

You can probably find the drum one fairly easily, search on plucker fingers.

Thank you, I will check that out.

 

[Loc20chick]

Reading threads on byc sure can give you the warm fuzzies. Reminds me of the group I was with during the war. We held hands and cried and prayed for the safety of those we loved and screamed for joy at any tidbit of news from the harder hit areas. Sadly once it was over most moved on to other things but ive kept in touch with a few. Finally met my soul sister when she came to get her new house set up but sadness set in right after. Her daughter they though had cancer of the uterus and my son passing well we both set into sadness. Not having good internet between us set her into depression and she gets so sick she wont get online so I can talk to her. I pray for her daily to find strength and look for any signs shes online but I cant skype no more. Im hoping that she will visit again soon. I get lonely here but the animals and surviving keeps me going. I go sit on the hill and talk to my son and God and ask for guidance. Once I get a place I can get busy enough to wash my worries. Waiting 2 weeks now for hubby to send money, im out but got food in the house just nothing for emergencies. Thankful medical is free here so that is big relief on me. Out of a few things but I manage best I can. Waiting on a friend to get back from seeing her kids and wishing I was in my own place so I could have ladies over but soon enough. God has his plans. Got 1 gig of internet left so hubby better send message soon. Hes been so sick this past year and being alone there doesnt help. My daughter that lives closest to him got two austic boys to handle so he hasnt seen them in over a month now. And most of others we know get busy with their own lives. Well better get my butt off this step since I just meant to say hello. Take care all. Good friends are gold.

I hope u get some good friends to keep you company there, and praying for your husband and friend too.

 

[bruceha2000]

Quote:

Thank you! I wonder if these "push in" type are very good?
https://www.meyerhatchery.com/produ...D=PINW&grd_prodone_filter=PRODUCT_ID = 'PINW'

I expect they work equally as well as the screw in type. I would use a little silicone (aquarium, not bathroom caulk) no matter what you choose because even with the right size drill bit, it is hard to get the hole EXACTLY right.

Deb I love where you live. A 100' here is pretty miserable. What is your humidity there? Usually when it gets 100' here the humidity gets to around 80% and you suck air and can't breathe. LOL

100 is pretty miserable most anywhere. Dry heat is still heat! I grew up just south of L.A.. But, yeah, adding the 80% humidity adds a whole level of discomfort.

Woot, what a day! I finally put the EE and Wyandotte pullets, ducklings and guineas into the bigger coop. I had to chase some of them down (those guineas sure do hate me) and clip a couple wings, but once that was done, they were pretty happy to explore the new space they had.

It even looks like I have a couple broody hens! I'm trying to find someone in San Antonio or locally who has Muscovy hatching eggs, but I haven't got a response from the man I originally bought my Muscovy from. Anyone have any leads for me?

All the roosters seem huge whenever I come back from a trip. They gain a little confidence when they aren't constantly reminded that I'm the boss. That was squashed out as soon as I came home and grabbed up a couple roos to pet and coddle. They were so embarrassed, hehe!

Sounds like your life has improved 1000% Laura

Now, about the new house.

We can't get the beds upstairs, the pinch point at the stairs (where the opening in the second floor ends above the staircase) is just over 5'6" so the box-spring won't fit. DH is 6'4" so he plans to cut into it and correct that problem.

ABSOLUTELY DO NOT DO THAT!!!!!!! That "thing" he is cutting into is a support beam. It holds up the floor above and possibly the ceiling joists above that if there is a wall over that location. Support isn't as much about how WIDE the beam is but how strong it is vertically. You do NOT want to weaken it AT ALL.

There are 3 ways I can think of right off to 'fix' the problem:
1) get 2 smaller box springs. Depends on the size of your bed but they are very commonly used for Kings and maybe they make them for Queens as well.
2) depending on the construction, open up the ceiling and see if you can bolt a steel C beam (looks like an I beam with the 'plates' cut off one side) to the joist you want to cut into on the side opposite the stairwell opening. It can be shorter (in height) than the joist but provide more support. I did that with the stairs the go out from the basement.
3) If you need just a LITTLE more height, double up on the joist (again on the 'inside') and then cut back only the "offending" beam an inch.

With the latter 2, if you are cutting back all the way to the sides where the beam attaches to cross pieces, the added on piece needs to connect into those as well.

Here is an example of stupidity done for the same purpose only in this case the beam was a 30 foot long hand hewn 8" x10", not typical 2x lumber as I suspect you are looking at. If you look closely, you will see that they cut right up to the bottom of the mortise for BOTH of the joists (4" to 6" trees, flatted on one side, common in the mid 1800s) leaving nothing to support the ends of the joists but pieces of 2x sitting on the tops of the built in cabinets. Strictly speaking, the remaining depth of the beam was adequate to support the floor above given the width of the span but there is no way the joists would have been properly supported with ANY amount of cutting. The only possibility where doing this would not have been compromising would be if they put support posts directly under the tenons of the joists under the beam:




Also, all the exterior doors are only 32". No getting a new couch in there. DH is going to change out the front porch door and the house door to 36" doors. It was a hard decision because the front door is the original solid mahogany door and is practically pristine condition. However, one of the back doors is still one of the original ones but is in pretty bad shape, so he will move the front door to back there and we will put a new 36" fiberglass craftsman style door at the front.

Or use the mahogany door inside either for a passage door or on a pantry. Hate to see beautiful wood get torn up by the weather.

Bruce

 

[Triple Willow]

@Bee... How is the water situation in your coop? I hope things are drying out. It is so frustrating when we get monsoons and water has nowhere to go and ends up running inside the coops/runs. I plan to move one coop and dig a trench down one side of another for that very reason.

 

[rrrmamma]

Ohh I wish I had a plucker. Isn't there some DIY build it yourself plans for a plucker? I need to check that out.

Right now I have about 9 roosters and they crow 24 hours a day. Thank goodness they aren't close to the house. But I do love to hear roosters crow... but they do get carried away.

We checked into building one and by the time you buy the fingers, find a washing machine, buy the floor plate, do the wiring it was almost as cheap to buy one ready made. He found one on line for about $300 and it was close by near Columbus so we could pick it up. You-tube has some good videos, Just type in chicken plucker. It is all stainless steel, no plastic parts. It would have doubled the price to have it shipped so unless you can find one locally building your own might be cheaper. e-bay has a ton of listings, I talked to people who actually used the drill plucker and you usually still have to remove some pin feathers etc. by hand. Still an improvement over hand plucking. The birds do have to be scalded as usual and the guy we got it from says for it to work the best they must be bled out, scalded and two at a time put in the plucker. We will be trying it this next week when we are supposed to have a few dry days back to back. I am so tired of this rain, but I know I will be missing it come August! We are raising meat birds that I will be processing in a few different batches, so I hope the time saved is worth the money he spent.

 

[Triple Willow]

@rrrmamma... let us know how it works for you. I am going to have to rig up or buy something if I keep processing very many birds. If one can be built I'm sure my boyfriend could do it. He's good at that sort of thing.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Now, about the new house.

The closing went well, we now own 2 houses! Anyone want to buy a house No problems except that we had to wait for 15 minutes for the mortgage company to get the printed docs to us to sign. Turns out Friday was their busiest day so far this year for closings.

We can't get the beds upstairs, the pinch point at the stairs (where the opening in the second floor ends above the staircase) is just over 5'6" so the box-spring won't fit. DH is 6'4" so he plans to cut into it and correct that problem.
Also, all the exterior doors are only 32". No getting a new couch in there. DH is going to change out the front porch door and the house door to 36" doors. It was a hard decision because the front door is the original solid mahogany door and is practically pristine condition. However, one of the back doors is still one of the original ones but is in pretty bad shape, so he will move the front door to back there and we will put a new 36" fiberglass craftsman style door at the front.

We found some old wooden Adirondack chairs in one of the buildings. Very comfortable, but need to be sanded and refinished. So, new seating for the Front Porch. We rested on the front porch swing one evening, I can tell we are going to do that a lot once I sell this place and move there for good.

Cutting & folding boxsprings so they fit through tight spots is a whole thing. The Internet is full of useful advice about it. Usually mattresses smoosh enough to fit, but even then some common sense is useful. I once could not persuade some of my usual helpers that my mattress had a narrower width so they needed to rotate it 90 to fit it through a door, and then I couldn't persuade them to put it down so I could move it myself (as I have done plenty of times) ... riiiiiiipppppppp!