The Old Folks Home

[chickadoodles]

@vehve I go to bed early. I've been up about an hour. There's shootings every night - unrelated to the unrest.

@chickadoodles there are still mink afoot along with all the other regular predators, coons, possums, fox, coyote and the airborne variety. The neighbors husky/malamute pack haven't broken their log chains since early in the year.
I have 2 larger coops and 3 breeder units minkproofed now but all the chicks I hatched this summer are grown and I need more space or sell some. 2 more breeder units that each hold about 6 birds are next to be reinforced. I took some measurements right at dusk last night. Another building that normally takes all the grow out birds has to be completely redesigned. It safeguarded them from raccoons for years but is no defense against mink.

I have all the materials to build automatic doors in the breeder complex, just haven't had the time to finish up.

We're supposed to have a pretty warm December and I'm hoping to get my automatic water systems refurbished to work in the dead of winter. That will take about $100 for each system and lots of new piping.

Wow it sounds like you have really got some much accomplished on your coops and pens. Hopefully you will get the rest done soon enough without any more loses.

Here the chicken doors are open all the time, i have them to close them up if I need to and usually only when I am trying to catch one do I have to use it. I am not trying to brag. My dogs will not let anything near the birds because they think all the chickens are for them to eat and they don't want to share! lol
I do have one dog that I can let in my runs with the birds that wont hurt them she likes to play with them.

I need to set up some type of auto waters for our pens. Digging the ditch for the pipe is going to be the hardest part since our coop and pens are abt. 1/4 mile from the house and water source.

I think we are going to fence off an area in the pasture to let the birds out to range in. I just wish I could figure out how to make it portable to move around the pasture. But it would have to be the 2x4 welded wire so the dogs can't get to the birds but I don't want the hawks and buzzards getting them either so we will likely add some bird netting over the top of the fenced yard.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

@chickadoodles do you have electric at the coops? I'm using 55 gallon food grade barrels on their side elevated just enough to fill the pipes leading to the nipple waterers. I just fill them once and it lasts about 3 months depending on how many chickens.
I'm changing the piping to a loop with external inline filter, pump and heater. All of which will be in the coop with the barrel outside. I may use 2 heaters with one on a thermocube that comes on at 35 and another that comes on at either 0 or 20. I haven't decided on that yet.

Here's one of the places.



This is the other side of the complex.






I can work in the breezeway out of the weather with access to all roosts, feeders and nests.
In the last picture the left side has 2 units for pairs and one for a trio. The right side has 2 units for 6 or 7 birds.

 

[chickadoodles]

@chickadoodles do you have electric at the coops? I'm using 55 gallon food grade barrels on their side elevated just enough to fill the pipes leading to the nipple waterers. I just fill them once and it lasts about 3 months depending on how many chickens.
I'm changing the piping to a loop with external inline filter, pump and heater. All of which will be in the coop with the barrel outside. I may use 2 heaters with one on a thermocube that comes on at 35 and another that comes on at either 0 or 20. I haven't decided on that yet.

Here's one of the places.



This is the other side of the complex.






I can work in the breezeway out of the weather with access to all roosts, feeders and nests.
In the last picture the left size has 2 units for pairs and one for a trio. The right side has 2 units for 6 or 7 birds.

I really like your set up that is very nice CC. Thanks for sharing the pics of your water barrel I just showed my DH and he likes the idea we could do that and only need two barrels. Thank you so much.

It sure looks like Christmas at your place.

 

[hennible]

I really like that water idea also... Nice set up cc

Vehve you said something about light? Nunavut won't see the sun again until the new year... Crazy

 

[Amberjem]

 

[mrballance]

Mizz Who?

It wasn't pretty. But I want Bama to get first, So i'll be routing for them!! Buy the way no one wants to see old men on a lawn tractor in speedo's

 

[bamadude]

Im not even 40 yrs old yet. Sometimes i get asked for my i.d. while buying alcohol

 

[Bunnylady]

Im not even 40 yrs old yet. Sometimes i get asked for my i.d. while buying alcohol

I wouldn't get too excited about that. A lot of stores make it policy to card everybody, just so nobody can scream "discrimination."

(Though a lot of old ladies love it!)

 

[bamadude]

Thank u for the confidence boost bunnylady

 

[Bunnylady]

Jest keepin' it real, Dude. You're approaching that dangerous age where guys start disremembering that they aren't 21 any more . . . .