Farming, Gardening & Homesteading

Discussion in 'Survival and Wilderness Skills' started by Delkancott, Dec 1, 2016.

  1. Delkancott

    Delkancott Member

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    I can understand that. It's not shaping up to be a fun winter, but these birds aren't even mine so I couldn't get rid of them unless they were all dead.
     
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  2. Strigidae

    Strigidae Administrator Staff Member

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    We had to go to an enclosure at night to keep from losing chickens. Raccoons foxes etc would snack on them even with a rooster.
     
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  3. Delkancott

    Delkancott Member

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    These have an enclosure, but not all of them go in. Their coop is 8'x18'x6' built on a twin axle hay wagon so we can move it around. Most of them go in/out automatically with the automatic coop door, but there have always been some that roost on the frame overnight. So far it doesn't seem a predator has made it in the coop, but definitely inside the exterior fencing.
     
  4. Strigidae

    Strigidae Administrator Staff Member

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    Yeah that happens. We use to keep the door open until the critters would go in the coop and grab a snack off a perch. No we put them up at dusk and lock the door till the morning.
     
  5. Strigidae

    Strigidae Administrator Staff Member

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    Losing an egg layer sucks as it take so long to raise a replacement.
     
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  6. Delkancott

    Delkancott Member

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    We buy them at 17 weeks so it's not too bad, but at this point we won't buy any until spring.

    The other trouble is this isn't a personal farm, I manage it for work and they don't pay me enough to be here for sunrise sunset. My family comes first.
     
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  7. FortyTwoBlades

    FortyTwoBlades Moderator Staff Member

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    Live trap with cat food.

    Then shoot the bastid.
     
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  8. SEMO

    SEMO Member

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    I have a great arrangement with my Neighbor. I buy feed in exchange for eggs. She loves the chickens, I love the eggs. It's a good arrangement.
     
  9. DYSPHORIC JOY

    DYSPHORIC JOY Administrator Staff Member

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    Do you care to post a pick of the hay wagon set-up? Was thinking about doing a project like this over the winter
     
  10. Delkancott

    Delkancott Member

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    Absolutely. I'm in a stupid meeting all morning but I'll post someuo this afternoon.
     
  11. DYSPHORIC JOY

    DYSPHORIC JOY Administrator Staff Member

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    Thank you.
     
  12. Delkancott

    Delkancott Member

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  13. Delkancott

    Delkancott Member

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    I will post some more thoughts later, but a couple of things are that it needs to be cleaned. We typically clean it once a month and there are some things missing, specifically the water catchment and and chicken nipples (??????)
     
  14. FortyTwoBlades

    FortyTwoBlades Moderator Staff Member

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  15. Delkancott

    Delkancott Member

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    Thanks. It was funded through a grant for our non-profit farm. Estimated cost was about $6000 not including my time. I figured I could scrap it together on my actual farm for less than $1,000, but where I work does not have any "supplies" laying around. Biggest expenses were the trailer frame, the oak beams/subframe, the nest boxes and the metal roofing. I also have all watering supplies (included in that figure), but just haven't had the time to put it together and won't now before spring. The price also included two 50lb. feeders and two five gallon standalone waterers.

    Biggest thing I'd change is to remove the unintended roosts on the trailer frame. You'll notice the gray curtains (pool liner) which are to prevent the hens from roosting on the frame which what ultimately keeps them out of the safe coop all night. I will also make the coop narrower and lower. It is too much like a sail now and our fields are quite windy at this farm. I would also put a second auto door because there can be roadblocks due to the high intelligence of the chickens. Last thing for right now is I bought those two Kuhl Rear Roll Out nest boxes hoping they would accommodate the nesting needs of 100 layers. Now, I know that is plenty. In fact, I think they could support 200 hens. When I build a new coop I will start with just one as they are about $500 each. They do make them in smaller sizes also.
     
  16. DYSPHORIC JOY

    DYSPHORIC JOY Administrator Staff Member

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    Thank you. This is the coolest thing I have seen on the forum so far. Will look more closely later.
     
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  17. Delkancott

    Delkancott Member

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    Thank you. I generally try not to be proud, but I'm relatively happy with this. That said, there's a lot of cool stuff on this forum. I mean have you seen @Expat 's face tats?
     
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  18. Strigidae

    Strigidae Administrator Staff Member

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    Thats the best coop ive ever seen. Hands down.
     
  19. Delkancott

    Delkancott Member

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    Used my Izula II to chip away the ice from the chicken founts. Nothing like frozen water in a heated waterer....
     
  20. Ravenous12

    Ravenous12 Member

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    I'm using the freezeX system from bass equipment. Basically an aquarium pump that circulates the water through the system with a trough heater inside a five gallon bucket to heat it. Works well in this cold weather so far. Only thing I wish I did was use a larger reservoir. I don't have water out there so I can't use a float valve to fill it. Three rabbits go through 5 gallons in a week.
     
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