The Front Porch Swing

[BCMaraniac]

It's amazing how those big dogs can jump! Does he stay around the house pretty well?

Actually he does. He has 16 acres to patrol....and that is what he does. During the day he stays around the house with the chickens, and at night after they have gone to bed he stands watch. Right at nightfall he makes his rounds around the perimeter. The neighbors see him walking the perimeter at the top of the hill, then he turns and walks down along the road to the driveway, then comes back to the house. He doesn't like visitors, except for the Schwann's delivery man.....LOL. His hearing is incredible. He dozes during the day, but if a large bird.....except for geese....flies over, he is up, chasing them off. During the summer he get under bushes with the chickens to stay cool. There is one place he will not let the chickens go, though....and that is the front porch where he gets fed because they steal his food....LOL. One night he was having a fit barking.....and he had a possum cornered, and Greg shot it. Another night my daughter came home from school and he was laying in the driveway with a possum....this one wasn't dead, so I finished it off with my .22. I truly think he has kept my chickens from falling victim to predators. My Aussie has actually followed his lead. She keeps watch over the birds in her area, and stands vigil at night. We have two sectors, if you will. Ben has full run, and Kodi has a designated area, which includes the barn.

You have to keep in mind though that we didn't get him until he was 3, so he was pretty settled. He is 5 now. I have heard that the LGD's really come into their own between 2 and 3.....but I can speak to that since we didn't have him during that time.

 

[LindaB220]

Hon, you are creating extra work for yourself all the way around.....you really want to make this easier and still have a great bird setup? Then listen to ol' Mama Bee.....

1. Order these today...not tomorrow or the next day...TODAY.

http://www.amazon.com/Threaded-Poul...id=1395966540&sr=8-1&keywords=poultry+nipples


Screw them into any ol' container...an ice cream bucket, paint bucket...just get yerself a bucket and screw these things into the bottom of it and hang it up above your brooder...they will learn how to use them if you remove the other water and you can transition this right out to your coop and use it all summer and fall. Clean water, sufficient supply, no work.

2. Stop using newspapers and paper towels and all that silly crapola in your brooder box....just dump in pine shavings~large flake~on top of a little bit of soil from where you are going to be having your pen. That's it...no more cleaning the brooder as you will just add more litter as needed, making a poop lasagna, until they are out on their own. That's called deep litter and you might as well start it now.

3. Stop scooping birds gently...blah, blah, blah. Grab them birds and put them in a box, grab them again and put them back after you make the above changes~no matter how much they scream and flap...they are not your friends...friends don't bite your hands. Then, no more grabbing necessary until you transfer into the coop. If one bites you, peck it back...and hard and don't stop until they are running around that brooder just trying to make a new hole in the wall to get away. If not you will be the wimpy chicken on the block and get bullied every day. They are babies and already ruling over you!!! Stop that right now and in a hurry.

4. Split your brooder into two brooders if you have a way to do it so they will have a little more space....you can make a brooder out of nigh anything. All my brooders are just haybales in a big square or rectangle with a wire or plastic mesh topper.

5. Set your feeder up out of the litter so they won't be messing it up so much and if you aren't using one already, use a trough style feeder with a wire topper...easy to fill with one hand, will save you on feed and mess and they cannot flick the feed out, while it minimizes fighting at the feeder. Easy to make with just scraps of lumber and will last you forever, great for dry or wet feeds and will hold as much as a bulk feeder if you make it deep enough. Make it high enough that it hits them in the chest when they eat.



Work smart, not hard.

 

[luvblues7]

Hon, you are creating extra work for yourself all the way around.....you really want to make this easier and still have a great bird setup?  Then listen to ol' Mama Bee.....

1.  Order these today...not tomorrow or the next day...TODAY.

http://www.amazon.com/Threaded-Poultry-Nipples-Sanitary-Chickens/dp/B00846NTRI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395966540&sr=8-1&keywords=poultry+nipples


Screw them into any ol' container...an ice cream bucket, paint bucket...just get yerself a bucket and screw these things into the bottom of it and hang it up above your brooder...they will learn how to use them if you remove the other water and you can transition this right out to your coop and use it all summer and fall.  Clean water, sufficient supply, no work. 

2.  Stop using newspapers and paper towels and all that silly crapola in your brooder box....just dump in pine shavings~large flake~on top of a little bit of soil from where you are going to be having your pen.   That's it...no more cleaning the brooder as you will just add more litter as needed, making a poop lasagna, until they are out on their own.  That's called deep litter and you might as well start it now.

3.  Stop scooping birds gently...blah, blah, blah.  Grab them birds and put them in a box, grab them again and put them back after you make the above changes~no matter how much they scream and flap...they are not your friends...friends don't bite your hands.  Then, no more grabbing necessary until you transfer into the coop.  If one bites you, peck it back...and hard and don't stop until they are running around that brooder just trying to make a new hole in the wall to get away.  If not you will be the wimpy chicken on the block and get bullied every day.  They are babies and already ruling over you!!!  Stop that right now and in a hurry. 

4.  Split your brooder into two brooders if you have a way to do it so they will have a little more space....you can make a brooder out of nigh anything.  All my brooders are just haybales in a big square or rectangle with a wire or plastic mesh topper. 

5.  Set your feeder up out of the litter so they won't be messing it up so much and if you aren't using one already, use a trough style feeder with a wire topper...easy to fill with one hand, will save you on feed and mess and they cannot flick the feed out, while it minimizes fighting at the feeder.   Easy to make with just scraps of lumber and will last you forever, great for dry or wet feeds and will hold as much as a bulk feeder if you make it deep enough.  Make it high enough that it hits them in the chest when they eat. 



Work smart, not hard. 

Oh Bee I swear we must have been cut from the same cookie cutter. You wouldn't happen to be Black Dutch would you ? I learned along time ago that when you have animals, any kind of animal, you have to make sure you keep "alpha" status at all times. I love all my little critters but I WILL at all cost be the boss.

Okay ladies you can add my name to the list of people getting sick. My dear husband has been sick for over a week and just had to share the virus with me. SonRise and I had plans to go out to eat tomorrow and then come back to my chickie playpen to talk chicken but the way I'm feeling right now it doesn't look like it's going to happen. So please say a prayer for me tonight when you talk to the Father.

Thanks Carolyn.

 

[rrrmamma]

@ Carolyn, hope you wake up feeling better. You are added to my nightly prayers. Sleep well and wake up ready to go.

 

[BCMaraniac]

Linda, watch out if you see one of these in your brooder!!

 

[Beekissed]

Oh Bee I swear we must have been cut from the same cookie cutter. You wouldn't happen to be Black Dutch would you ? I learned along time ago that when you have animals, any kind of animal, you have to make sure you keep "alpha" status at all times. I love all my little critters but I WILL at all cost be the boss.

Okay ladies you can add my name to the list of people getting sick. My dear husband has been sick for over a week and just had to share the virus with me. SonRise and I had plans to go out to eat tomorrow and then come back to my chickie playpen to talk chicken but the way I'm feeling right now it doesn't look like it's going to happen. So please say a prayer for me tonight when you talk to the Father.

Thanks Carolyn.

I think it's necessary for survival and a happy flock to have someone being the leader that doesn't have a brain the size of a pea.

Already prayed!

Get well, good woman! Everyone seems to be getting sick right now...that yearly seasonal weather changes that tend to bring on this crud. Just found out my great niece is very ill and in the hospital with a high fever and they don't know why. Poor Lindz and her whole family, Blooie isn't feeling good and now you.

That does it...I just made a big pot of chicken soup today and am setting it up on the porch for all you sickies, along with some 7 Up and saltines. Okay...who took my rectal thermometer?

 

[Triple Willow]

That does it...I just made a big pot of chicken soup today and am setting it up on the porch for all you sickies, along with some 7 Up and saltines. Okay...who took my rectal thermometer?

I feel sooo good today... really!!! lol

 

[BCMaraniac]

Yeah, I know. It's not as bad as Monk but sometimes I have to seriously think if I pick up 3 packets of sweetner when I meant to get two. Decision time. Which do I put back. I have dropped one and searched to get it back so I can put another back. Unfortunately is right. If I know that somebody has done or said something incorrect I have to prove that I'm right. Sucks when I'm wrong. I have to apologize for flying off the handle (or whatever that saying is|) My daughter says its a darn shame that my OCD is not the kind that compulsive cleans.

I can remember when I was in school and working, I had a horrible schedule. Needless to say, NOTHING got done at my apartment. But when I had a weekend off, I would clean.....even to the point of getting a toothbrush......it's kinda like nesting when you are pregnant.....only it was the whole apartment!! Looked good, though.

If I didn't have time to do it perfectly, it didn't get done.

 

[Beekissed]

I feel sooo good today... really!!! lol

 

[Blooie]

Hon, you are creating extra work for yourself all the way around.....you really want to make this easier and still have a great bird setup? Then listen to ol' Mama Bee.....

1. Order these today...not tomorrow or the next day...TODAY.

http://www.amazon.com/Threaded-Poul...id=1395966540&sr=8-1&keywords=poultry+nipples


Screw them into any ol' container...an ice cream bucket, paint bucket...just get yerself a bucket and screw these things into the bottom of it and hang it up above your brooder...they will learn how to use them if you remove the other water and you can transition this right out to your coop and use it all summer and fall. Clean water, sufficient supply, no work.

2. Stop using newspapers and paper towels and all that silly crapola in your brooder box....just dump in pine shavings~large flake~on top of a little bit of soil from where you are going to be having your pen. That's it...no more cleaning the brooder as you will just add more litter as needed, making a poop lasagna, until they are out on their own. That's called deep litter and you might as well start it now.

3. Stop scooping birds gently...blah, blah, blah. Grab them birds and put them in a box, grab them again and put them back after you make the above changes~no matter how much they scream and flap...they are not your friends...friends don't bite your hands. Then, no more grabbing necessary until you transfer into the coop. If one bites you, peck it back...and hard and don't stop until they are running around that brooder just trying to make a new hole in the wall to get away. If not you will be the wimpy chicken on the block and get bullied every day. They are babies and already ruling over you!!! Stop that right now and in a hurry.

4. Split your brooder into two brooders if you have a way to do it so they will have a little more space....you can make a brooder out of nigh anything. All my brooders are just haybales in a big square or rectangle with a wire or plastic mesh topper.

5. Set your feeder up out of the litter so they won't be messing it up so much and if you aren't using one already, use a trough style feeder with a wire topper...easy to fill with one hand, will save you on feed and mess and they cannot flick the feed out, while it minimizes fighting at the feeder. Easy to make with just scraps of lumber and will last you forever, great for dry or wet feeds and will hold as much as a bulk feeder if you make it deep enough. Make it high enough that it hits them in the chest when they eat.



Work smart, not hard.

All great advice! And you're absolutely right - I AM making it harder on myself than it has to be, I'm know. But this place is so small, and when it starts to smell in there it REALLY starts to smell in the whole house. And then there's Kendra to consider. She has so many health issues now that I'll do anything not to make her situation worse, and she's here every single day for at least 2 hours. I can't divide the brooder - it's way too small for them now. They are in Ken's office, or what used to be his office! (Teehee!) We've gone nuts the past week trying to think of something - anything - to reduce the overcrowding. At this point all I can do is wait until Tuesday - moving day for them. I can survive until Tuesday, right? You can bet your bottom dollar that the next time things are going to be way, WAYY different!

I can, however, get my hiney down to the feed store in Powell first thing in the morning because I know I saw those water nipples there. I've read about them in other forums here but dismissed them because so many people have trouble with them in the winter. Well DUH, Diane, it isn't winter now, and you need them NOW! ! I don't know why I didn't even consider that before you said something! Not thinking clearly? Who, ME? With that many chicks will one be enough? If they are hanging from the side of the brooder and not taking up floor space there's room for two.

And I can stop with all the newspaper foll-de-roll (boy, spell check had fun with that!) and just go with straight litter in there. We put a tarp down on the floor under the brooder because we knew it would probably get messy under there, and I'm so glad we did that right, at least. I have a hanging feeder, and that has really helped, No litter in the food, and they eat quite nicely from it - no scratching the food out and very little billing it out either. I posted a picture of them feeding all cozy and friendly-like earlier. I take it out at night because they need the sleeping space and they don't eat while they're sleeping anyway.

I kinda liked the scooping and petting part of cleaning time. I use that time to check for little boo-boos, eyes watering, runny noses, that kind of thing. With this many chicks so crowded, it would be so easy to miss something that a couple of minutes of looking them over might catch early. But Charlie, Jane and Rose are in for a big surprise next time my hand goes in there! Um, how big does the hole they dig into the sides of the brooder have to be. One jailbreak was plenty!

Okay. <deep breath here> I am in charge. I am the boss. My way or the highway - er - freezer. I am SUPERCHICKEN. Oh, that didn't come out quite right, did it? Pass me a balut - if I can eat hagis I can eat anything! Wait, can I back up and stop at the part where I was Superchicken? I saw the picture of the balut.