The Old Folks Home

[Sally PB]

clear or color?

Clear. I had tarps over the roof, and it kept it dry and mostly snow free all winter. But it was dark and gloomy. I have Australorps, and they often lay through their first winter, but these gals took two months off.

Hey, maybe they'll lay through their second winter! Yeah, right.

Where they are has a fair amount of tree cover and therefore shade, but I can easily add a tarp over the top if I need to block out some of the sun. I plan to have a ridge vent at the peak too.

 

[Alaskan]

Clear. I had tarps over the roof, and it kept it dry and mostly snow free all winter. But it was dark and gloomy. I have Australorps, and they often lay through their first winter, but these gals took two months off.

Hey, maybe they'll lay through their second winter! Yeah, right.

Where they are has a fair amount of tree cover and therefore shade, but I can easily add a tarp over the top if I need to block out some of the sun. I plan to have a ridge vent at the peak too.

Sounds excellent

 

[pennyJo1960]

Hey old Folks ventured out for food tell ya idiots on the roads Fridays. Was noty bad driving up to Coscto 9 am but coming back out traffic came a dead stop at Centralia
We jumped off drove old airport road to harbor frieght bought a 3 ton jack that done went to Arby's for lunch before heading home

 

[silverhair67]

Truck has been setting for close to 3 days, my shopping list is growing as we speak, I know the feelings of going out in real world but must be done.

 

[bruceha2000]

It's true, though, at least it's sandy soil and not GA red clay, or rock

Lucky you!!! I have clay and plenty of rocks. And EVERYWHERE I want to put a post there is a rock waiting for me.

Hey, maybe they'll lay through their second winter! Yeah, right.

Sadly, no. Not without ~14 hours of light. Sorry they bailed on you their first winter!

When I've had that happen it was with chicks I've gotten end of April, early May. Hoping they would start when the older girls started moulting and stopped laying. That actually worked but the young ones quit in December!!!!!!

All the early June chicks I've gotten have laid through their first winter (Aurora, Meyer Austra White) hasn't stopped since she started in Nov 2019. She's 2 now, never had that happen before. I'll see if the "get them in June for first winter laying" plan works again this year.

 

[Sally PB]

It would be really nice if my June 5 chicks (2 Blue Australorps and 1 Jubilee Orpington) laid this winter and didn't wait until spring to start. The other three will be busy molting, most likely. I don't plan to do artificial light.

 

[bruceha2000]

If my birds' history is any indication they will start mid Novemberish and lay until next August or September when they moult.

 

[CSolis]

Hi Guys and Gals!

Up to 90 degrees here today. Wanted summer but not so fast, sigh.

@CSolis are you Scottish? My DH is with a little Irish thrown in for good measure.

My maiden name is Sterling, traced back as far as England, but there's a lot of redheads in the family. And typical names for men (Ralph, George, Henry, James, John) Plus my paternal grandmother was a daughter of the McFadden clan in PA. Reid was her grandfather, fought in the Civil War. Guess that at least makes me part Scottish, Eh?

 

[CSolis]

Pouring rain right now. I just got in from giving the chickens a snack. Really looking forward to the polycarbonate roofing we plan to install sometime before winter...

I'd settle for a nice long pole barn right about now.. No sides needed, but a roof would be nice.. My pens are flooded again from heavy rain today. Think I should get water wings for the 'kids'?

 

[pennyJo1960]

We have not had rain in 49 days now will not be the Evergreen state anymore