The Old Folks Home

[vehve]

Mixing in honey and blueberries with some greek yogurt is nice. I like the really sour ones, you get a nice balance when you mix something sweet with them, much more character in the taste than the really sweet ones. But we also have loads of flavored yogurt sorts with beneficial bacteria here, it's not as sweet as yogurt in other countries.

 

[chickadoodles]

Mixing in honey and blueberries with some greek yogurt is nice. I like the really sour ones, you get a nice balance when you mix something sweet with them, much more character in the taste than the really sweet ones. But we also have loads of flavored yogurt sorts with beneficial bacteria here, it's not as sweet as yogurt in other countries.

Thanks, I will have to try some berries and honey in some. I have tried some of the good flavored ones and like them.

 

[ozexpat]

@gryeyes

You seriously need to file a restraing order. If not for anything else but to both piss him off and document his crazy attitude. You also need to revive the fact that he is illegally discharging firearms.

You should also consider twenty or so Guineas in a coop as close as legally permitted to his bedroom window.

Your town is beautiful. Its sad to have to put up with neighbors like them.

 

[vehve]

@gryeyes

You seriously need to file a restraing order. If not for anything else but to both piss him off and document his crazy attitude. You also need to revive the fact that he is illegally discharging firearms.

You should also consider twenty or so Guineas in a coop as close as legally permitted to his bedroom window.

Your town is beautiful. Its sad to have to put up with neighbors like them.

Wind chimes made with paint bucket lids and other scrap you find would be a nice gesture towards the neighbor too, a lovely symphony of clinks, clanks and bonks. That would give a nice rhythm track for the Guineas to sing over.

 

[Teila]

My suggestion:

The soundtrack from 'Teething Toddler' cranked up on the stereo! As far as I know, teething toddlers are not illegal and I am sure it would be easy to find one to record and play back.

Know a good snorer? Also not illegal

 

[vehve]

Oh God. Now Virpi is behaving a bit like Veera was at the beginning of her broodyness. And Veera is still sitting her nest. Gah. I'm going to have to make more nests soon.

 

[chickadoodles]

@Greyeyes, I also think you should file a restraining order and let it be that. I would be afraid that you living alone if you make him to mad that some day he might lose it if he has such a short temper and hurt you.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Insulated coops are nice and more usable. I insulated one small part of my coop last summer (only one part, because WOW

one roll of insulation and a few sheets of plywood are very expensive up here). The insulated part just stays much warmer, even when fully vented, simply because my very strong and cold wind can't rob the heat as easily.

As to water...what you do greatly depends on 1. How often you can carry water out, and 2. How reliable your electric is.

My electric is terrible, and I can usually carry out water quite often. So, we carry out water three times a day, until it is so cold that the water freezes into a solid block in one hour or less. Then I use a stock tank deicer in a black rubber horse feed pan. That stock tank deicer can thaw itself out of a solid ice block very quickly, and those flexible black rubber pans are WONDERFUL, and immensely strong. You can smack them about to pop the ice cube out without breaking the pan.
I wanted to connect the coop to the house, but the spouse said no.

We have more than enough land for oodles of coops, except that I need to
1. Be able to see the coop from the house to be able to check on things (predators, boys having left the door open, etc.)
2. Be able to haul water to the coop in the dead of winter through blasting winds and heavy snow
3. Be able to get electric out to the coop if I need light (some breeds really need light to keep laying, and it is nice to be able to thaw the water when it is super cold)

Those restrictions GREATLY limit where I can put coops, especially since the spouse doesn't want to be able to see another coop. Makes it kinda impossible actually.

...

That's exactly what I do except I use bird bath heaters in the small and medium rubber tubs. They are indestructible.

I think I need to insulate some of the buildings. Through the summer the last few years I saved the feed bags and fill them with leaves in the fall to line the walls of the brooder house. It doesn't help much but some. Then at the end of winter I use the leaves for run bedding before the greenery starts to grow.

Wind chimes made with paint bucket lids and other scrap you find would be a nice gesture towards the neighbor too, a lovely symphony of clinks, clanks and bonks. That would give a nice rhythm track for the Guineas to sing over.

I like the windchime thing. Or with trash can lids. Put them up on a breezy day long enough to drive him nuts then take them down and put them away before the authorities arrive.


Speaking of windy days. We had a big storm overnight. There are a lot of trees down in the area. A huge limb came down across my drive. There are still 5000 people without power around me. Luckily we kept power. I have about 75 eggs in the incubator and hatcher and 6 chicks under a week old.
Sadly, I took the trash out and almost all of my giant Thai corn got knocked down. It had tassled and the silk was just emerging yesterday.

The rain is about to hit again. We're supposed to get 3 to 4 more inches today.

@Greyeyes, I also think you should file a restraining order and let it be that. I would be afraid that you living alone if you make him to mad that some day he might lose it if he has such a short temper and hurt you.

Yeah, there needs to be official documentation. Not that it would keep a crazy person from doing harm.

 

[chickisoup]

quoting Alaskan----My electric is terrible, and I can usually carry out water quite often. So, we carry out water three times a day, until it is so cold that the water freezes into a solid block in one hour or less. Then I use a stock tank deicer in a black rubber horse feed pan. That stock tank deicer can thaw itself out of a solid ice block very quickly, and those flexible black rubber pans are WONDERFUL, and immensely strong. You can smack them about to pop the ice cube out without breaking the pan.

I have actually had one of the black rubber pans spring a leak this past winter. I guess the schizophrenic weather I had was just too much for even one of them

I really thought they were indestructible. I have a black rubber bucket that must be at least 35 years old and still fine. This pan was bought last summer. Maybe that's why. I do use those things in all sizes, everywhere around the place. I really like the new pans I have that have handles molded right into each side. You can easily carry them one handed because the handles will fold together (at least in warm weather) like a tote bag. Throw them on the ground and it's right back to their nice round shape.

Yes, Alaskan, I do heat my coop WHEN NECESSARY, which isn't often. Instead, I have a super well insulated "sleeping quarters" coop and keep enough girls in there to keep everyone comfy without over-crowding. I also have a heated waterer of course, one that has a two-step thermostat, one for the reservoir and another for the drinking tray. Works great (and safely) for pennies. When it is just too nuts, I have an oil based heater I can turn on that has a built in thermostat that kicks on a 30 and off at 40o. However, the way I have it setup, the thermostat part is snugged into a corner so it's really kicking off and on at a lower room temp. I have a remote thermometer on a shelf above the roost that I can check from inside the house so I know at all times what the interior coop temp is and if I need to intervene. Floor space is not close to what you have but remember during the daytime my girls have the breezeway (somewhat enclosed in winter) that gives them direct access into the greenhouse where they love hanging out on cold winter days. They can go out into the shoveled yard area but rarely want to unless it's really sunny, spoiled chooks.

 

[chickisoup]

@Greyeyes, I also think you should file a restraining order and let it be that. I would be afraid that you living alone if you make him to mad that some day he might lose it if he has such a short temper and hurt you.

I agree! If, for no other reason (heaven forbid) they decide to start harming your animals. From your posts, it appears there are a pair of these crazies. Pack mentality could take over but they might not be as quick to act if they are aware there is a legal record of prior behavior toward you.