Topic of the Week - Recycling (In) The Coop

[Molpet]

I'm from the Rio Grande Valley in NM. None of those varmints here.

Glad you have never seen them

BISON-M - Long-tailed Weasel - Mustela frenata
www.bison-m.org/booklet.aspx?id=050860
NEW MEXICO: Three subspecies have been confirmed in New Mexico: Mustela frenata arizonensis (Mearns); M. f. neomexicana (Barber and Cockerell); and M. f. nevadensis (Hall) (NMDGF, 1990)


GENERAL DISTRIBUTION The long-tailed weasel has a broad geographic and ecologic distribution, occurring from South America to Alaska and from desert to Alpine zones in western North America. NEW MEXICO In New Mexico M. frenata has been recorded from the lower Gila, Rio Grande, and Pecos valleys and from as high as 12,000 feet in the Sangre de Cristos. These weasels are often seen among rocks (where they may be hunting small rodents), in montane meadows, in irrigated farmland, in brush piles, and in woods-edge situations *31*.

New Mexican long-tailed weasels show conspicuous geographic variation. Those from Bernalillo County southward have dark facial coloration interrupted by white patches between the eyes and between the eyes and the ears, often resulting in an isolated blackish or brownish mask across the eyes and narial area, which is distinctly set off by surrounding white fur. This masked pattern characterizes the race M. f. neomexicanus, as well as other races in the arid Southwest and Mexico southward at least to Guatemala. Long-tailed weasels from the Jemez and Sangre de Cristo mountains lack this mask, as do all M. frenata from the central and northern Rocky Mountains (race M. f. nevadensis). While Hall (1951) noted intergradation between the masked and unmasked condition in a specimen from central Arizona and one from Willow Creek, Mogollon Mountains, New Mexico, his description does not convince us that intergrades were involved. Our specimen from the Jemez Mountains has a few white hairs between the eyes, but in no other way do we see any evidence of intergradation between masked and non-masked patterns. If such intergradation does indeed occur, it must be in a distance of 35 miles between the Sandias on the one hand and the Jemez and Sangre de Cristos on the other *31*.
http://www.bison-m.org/booklet.aspx?id=050860

 

[Blue Eager]

Next time you see a Long-Tailed Weasel in Albuquerque NM you be sure to let me know. It never ceases to amaze how out of stater's know more about my native town then I do.

 

[CCUK]

Ooh can you post pix of the converted playhouses? I got one that I plan to upcycle when the weather warms up & want some ideas. Thanks!

This is the front one. It is 4x4.

This is inside the run. The green coop is 6x4.

This one is half a 7x5 playhouse. Totally self contained.

 

[TomZilla43]

Great topic! I certainly have enjoyed seeing and hearing the innovative ideas others have for building and improving their coops using items that often would just wind up in landfills.

 

[peckpeckpeck]

I put together this small weather resistant hanging feeder from a chick feeder base, a plastic peanut butter jar, and an old plant saucer. I hang it in the back of the run and feed has stayed completely dry thru several windy rain storms.
View attachment 1344291

That's awesome! I'm gonna have to do that. Lots of windy rain storms here

 

[peckpeckpeck]

Here is my coop build, not a used Shed, but on sale and just about everything in it is recycled from the house, Free off CL or very little $. EXCEPT the ADOR1 auto door.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-resin-plastic-coop-construction-thread.1198632/

View attachment 1344627

Oooh, whatcha doing with that plastic playhouse in the middle?

 

[tigger19687]

@peckpeckpeck The dog house against the shed has a hole on the side and abuts the shed pop door. It was free and I WAS going to use it in the front yard for them to go in if they wanted. But it got windy and I thought this would be a great wind break and it works great ! Plus the opening faces the house so I can see them if they are just hanging in there.
The Kiddo Play house, also free, is for them to roost in during the day to 'fluff' themselves. They go in it during the day, in and out.

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

I saw I think 2 people post pictures with shredded paper in the coop.

How well does it work? Do you mix it with other bedding? Do you use any old paper, newspaper, junk mail, catalogs? What do you do with it when you need to clean up? I push pine shavings into the run...but paper?

 

[Molpet]

I saw I think 2 people post pictures with shredded paper in the coop.

How well does it work? Do you mix it with other bedding? Do you use any old paper, newspaper, junk mail, catalogs? What do you do with it when you need to clean up? I push pine shavings into the run...but paper?

if it's not mixed with other bedding it makes a mat of paper mache.
I use mainly shredded white paper with black ink... and any junk mail that has my address I shred the address...

I put it in the nest box too...

but some of them like to eat the shreds

It breaks down with the leaves and dried grass I use in the deep litter, and it all goes in the run, then in garden.

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

if it's not mixed with other bedding it makes a mat of paper mache.
I use mainly shredded white paper with black ink... and any junk mail that has my address I shred the address...

I put it in the nest box too...

but some of them like to eat the shreds

It breaks down with the leaves and dried grass I use in the deep litter, and it all goes in the run, then in garden.

Thanks! I have access to quite a bit of junk mail/catalogs that I would gladly shred and put to good use in the chicken coop.