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PapaChaz said:
a quick fix if you need to get them up out of the muck is throw a couple pallets in the run, I've had to do that in the past, and I'm reading this to say you don't normally have problems, it's just because of how wet the spring/summer have been so far, correct?
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Thanks, that is a quick fix and I have some stray pallets. There were no problems until this daily deluge took over the weather.
 
brucifer said:
John, installing a gravel bed in combination with a submersible pump will fix the problem for well under $100. Once you have the necessary tools, equipment, and supplies, you can have the fix completed in two or three hours. Here's what you need:

Tools:
Shovel
Utility Knife
Channel Lock Pliers
Drill w/ 3/8" bit

Equipment & Supplies:
Submersible Pump w/ vertical float switch
Discharge Hose
5-gallon bucket w/ lid
Coarse Gravel (Lime is a good choice.)

Procedure:

1) Just outside the lowest end of your coop area that is covered in gravel, dig a hole about 3' in diameter and a couple of feet deep. (If necessary, dig a trench from the coop gravel field to the hole.)
2) Place a few inches of gravel in the bottom of the hole.
3) Drill 3/8" holes in the 5-gallon bucket: Starting at the mid-height of the bucket, drill 8-16 holes (the more, the better) around the perimeter. Make about four rows of holes working toward the bottom of the bucket. Then turn the bucket over, and in a circular pattern, drill holes in the bottom. (These holes are important because they will allow water from the gravel field to drain into the bucket and be pumped away.)
4) Place two or three inches of gravel into the bucket, and the place the bucket into the hole.
5) Fill the hole (and trench) with gravel to ground level, but do not allow any additional gravel to go into the bucket. (The top of the bucket should be at least a couple of inches above ground level; however, the bottom of the bucket should be below the lowest point of the coop drainage field.)
6) Place the sump pump into the bucket on top of the 2-3" layer of gravel. (If you don't already have a pump on hand, I recommend the Harbor Freight 1/3 hp Submersible Sump Pump with Vertical Float 3400GPH [Item#63321]. With 25' of vertical lift, it will give you more than enough power to overcome any hill or slope. The pump is $70, but you can get 25% off if you buy it on the 4th [https://www.harborfreight.com/]. [You can also get a discharge hose at HF; however, they may have an adapter that will allow you to use an inexpensive garden hose as a discharge hose.])
7) Use the utility knife (or a hole saw) to cut a 2" hole on one side of the bucket lid. (This hole will be for the discharge hose.) Then cut another 2" hole on the other side of the lid. (This hole will be for both the power cord and float-switch cord.) See page 4 of the HF pump user manual: https://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/63000-63999/63321.pdf
8) Thread one end of the discharge hose through one hole in the lid, and attach the discharge hose to the pump; thread the two power cords from the pump through the other hole in the lid; and, then snap on the lid onto the bucket.
9) Place the open end of the discharge hose to the area where you want to runoff water to drain.
10) Plug in the power cord and the float-switch cord. Note: If you have standing water in the bucket, the pump should immediately engage and begin draining your coop area. The pump will remain on until there is about 1/4" of water in the bucket. Once it reaches that level, it will automatically cut off. (If there is no standing water in the bucket, you can test it by filling the gravel bed that surrounds the bucket with water from a garden hose.)

The above sump-pump and drain-field set up should keep your coops high and dry, and the gravel bed will keep trash from getting in to the pump and damaging the impellers.

Fortunately, my property is at the top of a slight slope, so I don't have any drainage issues. Everything just naturally just runs off. However, if I did have standing water, I would definitely put in a sump pump. They're relatively cheap, and they're easy to install. Whatever you decide to do, best of luck! :)
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Thanks Brucifer for a very detailed and well thought out method for a permanent solution that would work in this and many other situations. I don't have power at the site right now but am considering it. It is served by a separate meter that served a temporary rental a while back. If I get it turned on I may use your plan but in the meantime it looks like temporary ditching, more gravel and pallets are in order.
 
Well I've played around for the last couple of days, now it's time to return to working on the coop. Repairing the rust holes today, sanding the whole trailer, to prepare for the awesome paint I got the other day! And working on the roosts and laying boxes.
Good news for my pocket book, my cousin is allowing me to get all the tin, lumber and fencing from his pens, he is divorcing and got rid of everything. We just have to take it down, which is fine as it's over $500 worth of supplies, so all I will have left to buy is hardware cloth...yay me!
So what is everyone else doing on this beautiful 4th of July weekend??
 
So I've had the two new chickens in there for a week. It was okay at first. They were irritated but the two Easter eggers were too fast for them to get to them.

Today, I did notice feather picking has started. I saw a little dot of bare skin. Its really only one hen that they are picking on at this point. I don't know If I should do something or not? Thinking of locking the two culprits up in a cage for a week. I would put the cage right in the pen. I read that could help. I don't want anything bad to happen to the new chickens. They don't bother them constantly. Its like a few times or so through out the day. You'll randomly see a short chase or hear a squawk. Otherwise they are just walking around scratching the ground. Or dust bathing. They all sleep on the same roost even though I created another roost. They dust bath together sometimes, eat together and use the same nesting box fine.

Thoughts?
 
AfroChickens said:
So I've had the two new chickens in there for a week. It was okay at first. They were irritated but the two Easter eggers were too fast for them to get to them.

Today, I did notice feather picking has started. I saw a little dot of bare skin. Its really only one hen that they are picking on at this point. I don't know If I should do something or not? Thinking of locking the two culprits up in a cage for a week. I would put the cage right in the pen. I read that could help. I don't want anything bad to happen to the new chickens. They don't bother them constantly. Its like a few times or so through out the day. You'll randomly see a short chase or hear a squawk. Otherwise they are just walking around scratching the ground. Or dust bathing. They all sleep on the same roost even though I created another roost. They dust bath together sometimes, eat together and use the same nesting box fine.

Thoughts?
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Sounds like normal chicken behavior to me. I'd leave them be unless the new ones are constantly prevented from eating or drinking.
 
AfroChickens said:
So I've had the two new chickens in there for a week. It was okay at first. They were irritated but the two Easter eggers were too fast for them to get to them.

Today, I did notice feather picking has started. I saw a little dot of bare skin. Its really only one hen that they are picking on at this point. I don't know If I should do something or not? Thinking of locking the two culprits up in a cage for a week. I would put the cage right in the pen. I read that could help. I don't want anything bad to happen to the new chickens. They don't bother them constantly. Its like a few times or so through out the day. You'll randomly see a short chase or hear a squawk. Otherwise they are just walking around scratching the ground. Or dust bathing. They all sleep on the same roost even though I created another roost. They dust bath together sometimes, eat together and use the same nesting box fine.

Thoughts?
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Unless I see dripping blood, I usually take the easy course of action and just let them work it out amongst themselves. The hard part is not intervening on behalf of underdog.
 
missy1971 said:
Well I've played around for the last couple of days, now it's time to return to working on the coop. Repairing the rust holes today, sanding the whole trailer, to prepare for the awesome paint I got the other day! And working on the roosts and laying boxes.
Good news for my pocket book, my cousin is allowing me to get all the tin, lumber and fencing from his pens, he is divorcing and got rid of everything. We just have to take it down, which is fine as it's over $500 worth of supplies, so all I will have left to buy is hardware cloth...yay me!
So what is everyone else doing on this beautiful 4th of July weekend??
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Sounds like a nice plan!
I had planned to cook today, but woke up feeling exhausted, so I'll just do it tomorrow. I have more than enough to do around here to keep me busy.

AfroChickens said:
So I've had the two new chickens in there for a week. It was okay at first. They were irritated but the two Easter eggers were too fast for them to get to them.

Today, I did notice feather picking has started. I saw a little dot of bare skin. Its really only one hen that they are picking on at this point. I don't know If I should do something or not? Thinking of locking the two culprits up in a cage for a week. I would put the cage right in the pen. I read that could help. I don't want anything bad to happen to the new chickens. They don't bother them constantly. Its like a few times or so through out the day. You'll randomly see a short chase or hear a squawk. Otherwise they are just walking around scratching the ground. Or dust bathing. They all sleep on the same roost even though I created another roost. They dust bath together sometimes, eat together and use the same nesting box fine.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...
When I have to move new birds into a pen with existing birds, I will put a mesh divider between the two groups for a few days. Once the divider is removed, the birds usually get along, but not always. Hens/pullets will usually work things out without seriously maiming or killing each other.

Flowerbh said:
FYI. Tractor Supply will have chicks again in August.
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Actually you can go to TSC online and order many different varieties of chicks year around now. They have a great selection and good prices. The hatcheries that TSC works through ship the chicks directly to your local post office for pick up.
 

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