The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[Fred's Hens]

didn't want to tie up valuable space for ones I wasn't sure who laid them.

I thank you for your diligence, Nanny. No, I really do not want to hatch out any mutts. I don't need nuggets or tenders that bad.

 

[immyjay54]

I thank you for your diligence, Nanny. No, I really do not want to hatch out any mutts. I don't need nuggets or tenders that bad.

Fred,
I was just outside and got a half decent shot of the brother to your's and Nanny's boys. He's out of the same daddy but maybe a different hen. He is right at about a year old right now. He doesn't carry his wing that low. He was wondering what I was doing. This is the daddy of my few that I hatched this year.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Thanks Jim. You can really see the age has added thickness to your cockbird. Not much to dislike there. There is something about the quality of the feathering on these birds that I really, really like.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Jim,
I didn't have any frostbite problems this year - even with the bitter temps getting below zero.
I use a heavy clear vinyl in the winter attached with Velcro. I loosen the bottom on most days and roll it up. Then roll it down again at night.
This provides great air circulation and yet really holds enough warmth in at night.
On the rare occasion it didn't get above 20, I'd simply raise only the top flaps... it all depends on the temperature and amount of sun on a given day.
All vinyl is off for the summer now of course.
Here's a pic I took mid-winter when I was breeding. Hatched a few hundred eggs from these pens Jan thru March.

such an amazing picture. I'm getting DH to build me a pen like yours but only 2 pens not 4. Then I'm going to try a second time for asking him to make a hoop coop. Once I see which one I like better Then I can make a few more. I hope to have 4 pens I can use for breeding this coming winter.
I'm thinking solid walls for winter though.

 

[bluebirdnanny]

Haha then the big card table turned upside down with osb sides and a screen lid made for it should work just fine! And one of my hardware cloth 1'x1' cubes to protect the light.

Or will see what is available at the Caring Place tomorrow. Work until 2 there.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

We got our roofing for the test (first attempt) breeding pen tonight from lowes. DH went overboard with placing the screws in between the ripples but at least it only took him 90 minutes to get the panels on, even with getting interrupted twice. Now we just need to get the walls and doors done. I'm still trying to decide where I want to place a nesting box. I have time for that though as I'll need the pen for growing out chicks before this fall's breeding time.

 

[immyjay54]

We got our roofing for the test (first attempt) breeding pen tonight from lowes. DH went overboard with placing the screws in between the ripples but at least it only took him 90 minutes to get the panels on, even with getting interrupted twice. Now we just need to get the walls and doors done. I'm still trying to decide where I want to place a nesting box. I have time for that though as I'll need the pen for growing out chicks before this fall's breeding time.

Sally, I don't know what kind of roofing you are talking about but if it is like what I have the fasteners are to go in the top of the ridges not in the lower grooves. I got that from Lowes that is 4 X 5 1/2 panels. This is what I use. It is so easy to work with. One person can lift it up onto the roof. http://www.lowes.com/pd_12747-1115-...L=?Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&facetInfo=

 

[bluebirdnanny]

That makes sense. The lower part would be more inclined to leak with water going INTO the lower dip of the grooves. A hole in there, especially in freezing winter temps may cause ice dam and water leak back up. Common sense.

Going to work on the coop more today. Also getting the back room ready for holding my chicks for couple of weeks. Only room cats aren't allowed in and has a door I can close.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote: Yes DH has his own way of following the instructions. He skipped the pre-drilling of holes too. But the good part is that we plan to move the pen into our pole barn for the winter so leaking won't be an issue with melting snow.
We ended up with 2 tan and 2 semi clear / semi blue panels from lowes.

That makes sense. The lower part would be more inclined to leak with water going INTO the lower dip of the grooves. A hole in there, especially in freezing winter temps may cause ice dam and water leak back up. Common sense.

Going to work on the coop more today. Also getting the back room ready for holding my chicks for couple of weeks. Only room cats aren't allowed in and has a door I can close.

Very good points. Dh did the screws on the high part on one of our small tractors last year. The roof still leaks at the seams and some of the screws, not too much, but some. Our pen that is covered with a tarp leaks much more. And in the winter those ice buildups were a weight issue first then a slow melting issue. It stinks to be thinking at least it is not raining only to find a slow dripping of water right in front of the nesting box.

A question about the breed. Is bumble foot more of a problem for these lovely chickens since they are larger? We have roosts made of 2 x 4 with the 4" side being the side the rooster would sit on. My largest rooster is currently recovering from bumblefoot surgery.

 

[immyjay54]

Sally,
I'm not saying your DH did wrong. It is just when I did mine, the first sheet that I put on I thought gee, with those nails in the gully would maybe cause leaks. I pulled the nails and filled the holes with tar and put them in the top of ridges. With the stuff that I used, they sell special nails to fasten them with and they have rubber washers on the nails. I didn't have to drill any holes, they went right through. It sounds like we maybe used different stuff for roofing. lol Wishing you the best of luck. I can say that I have had mine on for 3 years now on the one building and it works super and has held up to the wind super good. I sure hope I didn't cause any confusion.

Jim

Sally, another idea that I did was I bought a few tubes of tar like in a caulking tube and use a caulking gun just put some of this on each screw and that should seal it up. You have to overlap these a little. I just went one of the high parts. Comes out to be about a 4 inch overlap I'd guess.