The Middle Tennessee Thread

[DMRippy]

Hi, I am new to the thread but been lurking for a month or so. I live in north eastern part of middle TN. I have buckeyes and buff orps plus lots of extra breeds that I am not breeding at this time. Just hatched my first bunch this week that I got from Donna. I have 24 new babies to go with my 40 others. I plan another hatching of my eggs in three weeks, just separated my chickens into breeding pens. This is just a habit I can't break!

Do you have DARK brown leghorns? ..... if so we might have some egg trading to do next time

 

[Raven1]

Donna I know you had a bad experience at the Cookeville Exotic Sale but I have bought there before and had a good experience so its like a lot of things some good some bad, but absolutely buyer beware!

 

[DMRippy]

Donna I know you had a bad experience at the Cookeville Exotic Sale but I have bought there before and had a good experience so its like a lot of things some good some bad, but absolutely buyer beware!

I didn't have the bad experience someone else had a HORRIBLE one. I got a good customer out of the deal LOL.

 

[emmalynn]

Does anyone do white wyandotte bantams around here?

 

[DMRippy]

Does anyone do white wyandotte bantams around here?

I have White Wyandottes but not bantams.... They are the biggest wyandottes I have LOL.

 

[FeyRaine]

well Oramman87 you can donate some of the stuff in your garage to me and have all the room you need for the chickies LOL just kidding I know I have a metal barn 25x30 and there is no way I could do chickens in there too much stuff!!


DMRippy oh my I wish I had the buildings she has holy cow!!

I have a couple of coops one has free rangers but they are starting to like my porch and leave the evidence behind

so I saw these on craigslist



and we could double the length for less than what they wanted but I think this is ideal you can walk in both the run and roost area .....I can separate by breed and be good, besides my silkie pen is always my grow out pen they are so docile. I have enough boards to make one just gotta pick up a few 2x4 . I plan on the end of summer having like 5 of these maybe 6. Think I will build (dh) will build LOL a solid wood floor for the roosting area with vinyl flooring hopefully to find on CL for free just for easier clean up of pine shavings. I don't think I will use them as tractors more permanent

I have 3 similar although much larger non-portable which we built ourselves none portable due to size. Here is what I've found using them--
1) Definitely less cost/matterials to build in relation to the sq ft of floor space
2) Fast to built compared to normal building
3) Completely annoying to use for the following reasons
a) always HIT MY HEAD & I'm barely over 5ft tall, but no matter how many times you think you are paying attention you always take a step, or reach for something and BAM !
b) the chickens would rather lay eggs way back up under the angled edges than any sort of nest box offered, so you need a kids' rake to reach the eggs but still BAM hit head again.
c) to winterize my non portable ones they have to be completely covered w/ wood or very thick plastic ALL THE WAY b/c if you try to cover part, then snow/water is funneled directly into the yard area wherever the covering stops, making a muddy mess.

So as a portable summer pen these would be great, but bigger non-portable & year round , lets just say I put my foot down and we built normal square stuff for the last 2 pens.
Also, I could not do portable here -- I've had foxes tunnel under 2 ft wide buried field fence in ONE NIGHT portable w/o a buried perimeter is a chicken buffet for preditors here.

That is just my experience but I figured ya'll might want to consider those issues b/f building...

 

[cpegram]

I have 3 similar although much larger non-portable which we built ourselves none portable due to size. Here is what I've found using them--
1) Definitely less cost/matterials to build in relation to the sq ft of floor space
2) Fast to built compared to normal building
3) Completely annoying to use for the following reasons
a) always HIT MY HEAD & I'm barely over 5ft tall, but no matter how many times you think you are paying attention you always take a step, or reach for something and BAM !
b) the chickens would rather lay eggs way back up under the angled edges than any sort of nest box offered, so you need a kids' rake to reach the eggs but still BAM hit head again.
c) to winterize my non portable ones they have to be completely covered w/ wood or very thick plastic ALL THE WAY b/c if you try to cover part, then snow/water is funneled directly into the yard area wherever the covering stops, making a muddy mess.

So as a portable summer pen these would be great, but bigger non-portable & year round , lets just say I put my foot down and we built normal square stuff for the last 2 pens.
Also, I could not do portable here -- I've had foxes tunnel under 2 ft wide buried field fence in ONE NIGHT portable w/o a buried perimeter is a chicken buffet for preditors here.

That is just my experience but I figured ya'll might want to consider those issues b/f building...

Thanx for the info....I have a great pyrenees I dont have to worry about predators the best dog I have ever owned!!...hmmm I didn't quite think about everything at an angle inside maybe good as breeding pens. hmmmmm lots to think about.

 

[Masonicflock]

Usually a sale every other weekend in elkton, ky. Ran by amish and Mennonites. I go there off and on

 

[poultrylady]

wondering if anyone can give me any details on the exotic sale coming up in Clarksville (I think)? When I search it online, only details about the last one they had comes up. Any one ever been? Thoughts?

The next sale will be March 5th, 6th, 7th, & 8th. Poultry will sale on Friday the 7th. This auction is just like any other-you just have to be careful, especially with the chickens, look for signs of illness and keep any birds you might buy seperated for a while. I usually go for the exotics- peafowl, waterfowl and pheasants. I have excellent results buying these, some of the best peafowl breeders in the United States sell here. the outside sale on Friday morning is worth the trip, I have got some great deals on wire, cages, nest boxes, and other items

 

[Oramman87]

That would make an AWESOME BROODER BOX!  You could divide it up if needed too! 

Well you made me do it I was wrong it is 7x4 feet I am out in the garage now waiting to see if I can get it warmed up enough.

My chicks shipped yesterday so they should be here tomorrow morning and I think this will hold all 50 just fine. I am a little worried that it's way to cold for the chicks.