The Front Porch Swing

[Triple Willow]

LOL....  it doesnt hold a candle to people who can work the land and provide for their own table....  

deb

I think it is kind of like "the church", each person has their own job to do and without the next person doing their part you're all up the creek! The bible explains it much better referring to "the body"- one part depends on the other to function.

 

[Triple Willow]

sawsall suck and Im a man not to mention they are dangerous. Depending on what you are doing use a plung tool you can get one for about 20 at Habor freight they are sooooo convenient its not funny  Be well grasshopper you couldnt give me a sawsall

I love Harbor Freight. I couldn't work there or I'd bring no money home!

 

[Triple Willow]

The automatic watering system ... I ran PEX pipe from my water source through my coop at the point where the roof & wall meet. From there I put in an elbo and dropped a line down to the Little Giant Automatic Poultry Fount as seen at this website ...

http://miller-mfg.com/page/1/Product-Detail.jsp?groupId=616&prodId=92833

I had trouble with them leaking at first ... but I replaced the interior valves with used valves I got for free at the tire store and it's all fine now. I still have to clean them, but only need to Cary water in the winter.

The manufacturer's site SUCKS, but you can find a video about how to install them, and get kits to connect them to a garden hose, and also get little tripod stands or wall clamps for them from a large retail site.

I got to learn how to do plumbing for that project!

I like it! How do you clean it out when it gets funky? Do you have to disconnect it?

 

[RachaelS]

Quote:
we have one here, always getting 10%-20% off coupons, maybe I should make a visit. I also need a good pair of wire cutters.

 

[Triple Willow]

we have one here, always getting 10%-20% off coupons, maybe I should make a visit.  I also need a good pair of wire cutters.

Ohhh it is tool and gadget heaven! Some say they are not the highest quality tools but I don't care, not like I am a professional tool user. LOL Their prices are hard to beat and they have all kinds of neat stuff. I'm just so glad I don't live too close to one. hahaha

 

[chickenboy190]

All I can catch are oppusoms.........

 

[wyoDreamer]

Harbor Freight is great. Some of their stuff is a lower quality tool, but if you are wanting a tool for low use or if it is something that you are not sure you will use much, they are wonderful. We have purchased a low quality tool from there, used it till it broke, got another one and finished the job - and have never used the tool again. buying it twice was way cheaper than buying the "good" brand name one and the rental rates were way too much, plus we worked on the project at our pace instead of pounding it hard for 8 hours to get it done in a day.
We get stuff from there a lot, my DH is a tool-aholic. The neighbors call our place the Hardware store.

We are half an hour from town, so it helps to have plenty of supplies on hand for when things break down.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I like it! How do you clean it out when it gets funky? Do you have to disconnect it?

The bowl twists to disconnect, and when the bowl is off, the valve is closed. I just take a low, wide bucket around the coop disconnecting the bowls with the bucket under them to catch the dirty water, then take them to my kitchen sink to wash, then go back around and put them back on. It only takes a few minutes to make the circuit. If I had extra bowls I could do it all in one trip, but the bowls aren't free ...

I installed hose bib shut off valves at the ends of the lines so I can flush the whole system every day.

 

[Regin]

Come April I will be at the end of my first year with chickens. Learned a lot from my small flock. Next I am planning on expanding my operation.

Originally I made a drip water system with a tank out of a storage bin, large flexible tubing to a pipe with drip emitters.
Still had to give water in dishes during freezing weather. Since we are in South Carolina that's about 4 to 6 weeks worth.

Also, It was a bit of overkill for my few chickens. Especially since they are on fermented food and don't drink much water.
The one quart bottle emitters, that I made for the brooder, are plenty big enough.
(Quart bottle, one emitter in the bottom. Used Two wire ties around the neck to make a hanger.)

I took the tank water dispenser apart for now. Plan on doing more of the quart bottles for my new pens.

Still not happy with my feeders, going to try some other ideas on that.

I would like to take a 40 by 80 fenced area and do half chickens and half garden. The idea is to swap sides every fall so everything except the perimeter has to be moveable.

I'm planning on doing one large pen for the egg flock. Three med pens (Boys, girls, and grow out). Then several breeding pens.

One idea is to use panels or field fencing supported by t-posts and possibly covered by chicken wire or hardware cloth. Has to be covered and tall enough to get inside. We have red tail hawks, owls, raccoons, squirrels, and the neighbor's dog.

 

[Searsmom]

Deb,
Great idea! Will have to keep that in mind next time. DH did the original build of the coop, from there it has all been up to me, including the fencing. Inside the run area, is another coop built the same way as my "grow out pen" but made with cheaper supplies so it is not holding up as well. Not sure what to do with it. Maybe I should get some ducks and turn it into a duck house

. that is just what I need, another animal to clean up after!

Those grow out pens are pretty darn heavy, took 3 guys to unload them and move them to their spots. Last year I need to move stuff around and DH was not interested in helping, so guess what I figured out? You can go inside them and lift them up and shove, so one little girl moved them around by herself. Not as quick as 3 guys, but still got the job done. It was very empowering. Now I don't worry about it, I always find a way to use the tools at hand to get the job done. Even bought a socket set just for me. I hid it so it does not get "borrowed" and the parts go "missing"

I know most of you ladies have known this for a long time, but it is amazing when you figure out for yourself, you can do stuff, with out help if need be

Ducks! The hubby wants most of the duck eggs - he didn't have to go through trying to start them in the house, learning how poopy they are, stirring it every day and cleaning out completely every other day. He wants more ducks (we have 1/4 left who thinks she's a chicken). ONLY OUTSIDE WHEN IT'S WARM!!!!

I used to have an entire tool set - power drill, multiple screwdriver sizes, a hammer, a tape measure, a screw/nail box - etc. etc. My husband kept raiding them, I have no idea where they are. He even gave me my own tool kit. Then pilfered that.