Utah!

[RJSorensen]

This is my sad

bath house… just a couple of days away from being ready to provision with dirt, ash, DE and sand. I did not want to show nor share it prior to being finished, but I ended up one work day and two paint days short. So, it will most likely reside here, drug haphazardly out of the way for the rest of the winter season. But I know she will rock in the spring! The front is unfinished, needs the right and left pieces, then an insert with a opening for the guests. The windows do work, and made of cedar and some redwood. The shingles will need wait until it warms up in the spring. I will paint her white of course. The inside is about four feet square and is designed to hold dust bath materials up to about twelve inches deep, I suppose it could be a little more. Deep enough the birds can get lost in it, and I had hoped it to be an all weather, dry place for their grooming pleasure, year around.



There is a chain fixed to the front skids with eye bolts, so that I can move it around with the lawn John Deere. I do so enjoy the photographs you folks share, especially of buildings and birds and I learn and glean a great deal from what I see. Now I have never seen a portable chicken dust bath prior, but if there is a need, well there must be a way. That is how this structure came into being. The DW likes it enough that she wishes me to construct a larger one for the granddaughters to play in. The front roof juts outward so as the DW can have a place to hang a flower thing from. Kind of the old farm meets Better Homes & Gardens…

So during this slow season, lets see some of your structures, inventions, improvements and etc.

Best to all and your birds,

RJ

 

[eggsbert]

Those are some nice looking coops RJ. Our birds have a small coop but they don't spend hardly any time in there so I don't worry myself about it. I think our girls would love a bath house though, but we just don't have the room for it. They'll have to settle for their dirt corner (also if we put anything else in there yard, I'm pretty sure they'd be hopping the fence just to see what's on the other side).

Got our first squatting girl today. Jessie never squatted for me, even when she was laying (still nothing), but one of our Ameraucanas has started to squat when I go to pick her up. She doesn't do it all the time but when she goes down, she stays down. It's my favorite one (they don't have names yet, I'm terrible), she likes to fly up and perch on my shoulder when I'm loitering around out there with them.

I guess Jessie is less than impressed with my roostering capabilities even though I have rescued her pal Jamie twice from the dogs.

 

[RJSorensen]

I am Sam.



This is Sam, my prize winning rooster. We got him this past fall from the Box Elder county fair, he is a cock bird with a wicked set of spurs. He is the lead rooster in a pen of three. He wears the bell of shame due to his numerous attempts to kill the other two. I don't like to pen single birds, so I figured out a method to let him be the cock of the walk, yet keep the minions living and out of constant fear for their lives. This tether with a weight (bell) slows him down enough that the others can flee, that and everyone knows where Sam is, at all times. I don't recommend doing this, this might not be for the kids at home, but I thought I would share one method i've come up with to keep multiple roos together, that were not raised together.

He can fly, and roosts three feet up with little problem, but in that moment he moves to strike the offending bird, he is foiled. As far as the chase, it is over before it can start, even old toothless hens can out distance Sam. I wish it were not needed, but he wants to kill the DW's Modern Game rooster, and I can not have that. Sam is my personal pride and joy, the main integrant to my SDW project. The Modern Game rooster in a cage/pen alone does not help anyone, this way perhaps over time I will be able to set Sam free. But if not I have a method to bring holiday cheer to the brood, plus it sounds like the Salvation Army bell ringers down to the coop.

A festive touch for the season.



From Sam's flock to yours, Merry Christmas and all that!

RJ/Sam

 

[sideWing]

yep, mine have been varying degrees of those spots... started out with the real splotchy stuff, but now have mellowed out to the middle ones. But mine are more of the dark one in the top left.

okay, terrible pic... but I just took it today because one of my hatchlings from may laid her first egg, and it was a pretty green/blue

Very nice!

I am Sam.

Just gorgeous! I can see why he is the pride of the flock.

 

[sundancenbare]

I am Sam.



This is Sam, my prize winning rooster. We got him this past fall from the Box Elder county fair, he is a cock bird with a wicked set of spurs. He is the lead rooster in a pen of three. He wears the bell of shame due to his numerous attempts to kill the other two. I don't like to pen single birds, so I figured out a method to let him be the cock of the walk, yet keep the minions living and out of constant fear for their lives. This tether with a weight (bell) slows him down enough that the others can flee, that and everyone knows where Sam is, at all times. I don't recommend doing this, this might not be for the kids at home, but I thought I would share one method i've come up with to keep multiple roos together, that were not raised together.

He can fly, and roosts three feet up with little problem, but in that moment he moves to strike the offending bird, he is foiled. As far as the chase, it is over before it can start, even old toothless hens can out distance Sam. I wish it were not needed, but he wants to kill the DW's Modern Game rooster, and I can not have that. Sam is my personal pride and joy, the main integrant to my SDW project. The Modern Game rooster in a cage/pen alone does not help anyone, this way perhaps over time I will be able to set Sam free. But if not I have a method to bring holiday cheer to the brood, plus it sounds like the Salvation Army bell ringers down to the coop.

A festive touch for the season.



From Sam's flock to yours, Merry Christmas and all that!

RJ/Sam

RJ what kind of bird is he? he is really pretty. I know his color is duckwing but curious about breed

 

[RJSorensen]

Sundance he is a Banty Silver Duckwing, thank you. SideWing, thank you as well. Lisa, just trying to keep up.

RJ

 

[sundancenbare]

Sundance he is a Banty Silver Duckwing, thank you. SideWing, thank you as well. Lisa, just trying to keep up.

RJ

Sorry RJ, he is and old english game and silver duckwing is his color. He is so pretty Your coops are so beautiful wish you were closer Id come over and sit with you

 

[RJSorensen]

No need to be sorry Sundance, it is ok.

RJ

 

[rcstanley]

I cleaned out my coop and run yesterday and dumped everything in my garden since I figured it was my last chance before winter set in. Today I went out to let my chickens out for some yard time and saw a pheasant in my garden. First time I've ever seen one in the yard.

 

[Spinning Carrie]

Hi Everyone,
I live in Davis County, with my husband, two children, two dogs and two hives of bees. My daughter has been wanting to get chickens for a few years and I stumbled across this forum. I have been reading all I can in preparation. I am very interested in the Cream Legbar as it seems to possess many of the attributes we are looking for (friendly, forager, good sized eggs and easy to make sure you don't end up with a roo). Is there anyone in the group with them? Any other breeds that I should consider that really do well here?

Thanks!
Carrie