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Post by azlonerider on Jul 3, 2011 22:48:12 GMT -4
Julie in our little flock of 8 chickens we have 2 barred rocks. Of the 8 I like them the best. I would throw my hat in the ring for them.
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Post by capecmom on Jul 4, 2011 6:36:07 GMT -4
Thanks for all of the input guys!
Mike, that's funny-James only wants to get 6 for now so the three hens per box would work. I posted new pics here yesterday and now the entire post is gone....hmmmmm. Will try that again in a little while.
All he has left to do today is shingle the roof-tar paper is already on. He made the roosting perches yesterday, made a floor, and made a ramp for the girls to get into the chicken door. Then we can clean up and put the yard together.
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Post by nhlivefreeordie on Jul 4, 2011 8:38:54 GMT -4
I posted new pics here yesterday and now the entire post is gone....hmmmmm. Will try that again in a little while. I saw them, now they are not there. That is strange, I will check security logs.
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Post by ☼ ЯÏĊk ☺ on Jul 4, 2011 9:17:23 GMT -4
Yeah, I seen them, too. Wee- yahd.
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Post by nhlivefreeordie on Jul 4, 2011 9:39:20 GMT -4
Nothing in the security logs showing them being removed.
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Post by capecmom on Jul 5, 2011 6:05:10 GMT -4
OK-now for those lost photos for those of you not on Facebook Nest box pics Ok-that's done- Now for the new ones. Here's the chicken stairs, lol. Here is the yard set up-James wants to put some timbers in the ground then attach the bottom of the cage with clamps. He's worried about our high winds/critters- Then we need to modify the cage itself with hardware cloth/chicken wire to get rid of the gaps, and to put a roof on.
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Post by nhlivefreeordie on Jul 5, 2011 7:15:33 GMT -4
Julie, They make vinyl coated poultry netting, it is a little more pricy but might last longer and no be as conspicuous in later years when un-coated netting starts rusting.
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Post by leatherneckpa on Jul 5, 2011 10:20:26 GMT -4
Absolutely beautiful! James does nice work.
I see there's no grass inside the fence. You're going to have to put down some sort of bedding in there. I'd go with just plain old field hay. The birds will enjoy looking for the seed heads and it's cheap. I use one bale every two weeks in an area of 96 sq ft. And I clean it all out twice a year, once in April and once in October. Naturally it goes straight to the compost bins.
Each night I throw about a cup of scratch grains per bird into the hay and they happily seek it all the next day. This is important for those of us who keep our birds in yards because if there isn't enough grass and insects then they get bored. And when they get bored they start pecking on each other and eating feathers. If they draw blood they will start to peck more often and it can turn into cannibalism. (I think I need to address that in the next column)
You also want to give them some kind of "green treat" every now and then. My girls get the grass clippings when I mow the lawn. And my neighbor on the west side dumps his bag over the fence too. Then he'll sit there and watch them go bonkers over it for 20 minutes or so. My girls also LOVE peppermint clippings (It was a weed-wacker accident0 and since ours is HUGE they now get some every now and then.
One thing I did notice that James will want to remember for next time. I learned this the hard way too. He's going to want to keep the floor and about a foot up the walls free of obstructions, like framing. That stuff really gets in the way come cleaning time.
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Post by Martin on Jul 5, 2011 11:22:39 GMT -4
Very cool!!!! ~Martin
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Post by capecmom on Jul 5, 2011 12:05:22 GMT -4
I'll look for the vinyl coated stuff Wayne-The kennel fencing is actually aluminum, very light. Another reason he wants to sink timbers into the ground to clamp the fencing to-besides the critter dig guard that is.
Mike, that's what I was thinking-Hay/straw for the outside-the bagged shavings for inside the coop.
I've been doing some reading on feeding the birds, so your advice backs up what I've been reading. I like the idea of the varied diet for sure! Happy birds make yummy eggs-I've been thinking of giving them things to keep them busy-as well I was also thinking of making a yard roost out of a saw horse as well.
The coop isn't up against the shed-there is about 2 feet of space back there-enough to get around. It's kind of hard to tell from the pics.
James is going to look for a little window at the lumber yard for the front- he is concerned about them getting enough light when they are in the coop.
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Post by ☼ ЯÏĊk ☺ on Jul 6, 2011 4:33:35 GMT -4
I grow grass in flats for my birds, in the off season. I give them some grass clippings all summer. And, because I'm cheep, I use hay inside instead of shavings, nesting boxes and all. They make it a nest, and it looks like a Foghorn Leghorn cartoonie. Minus the midget Chicken Hawk, of course.
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Post by capecmom on Jul 6, 2011 7:27:44 GMT -4
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Post by leatherneckpa on Jul 6, 2011 9:28:02 GMT -4
that's what I was thinking-Hay/straw for the outside-the bagged shavings for inside the coop. Jules, I'm not a big fan of the shavings for inside the coop In larger coops that would get expensive fast. In your coop, heck just spread out the last flake off a bale of hay when you freshen the yard and they'll be happy. I was thinking of something similar, but you know me. It would have wound up being more like a jungle gym or chicken playground. And of course, that would have complicated cleaning out the patio. Then a friend of mine changed my mind. We were talking and we both believe we now know why stupid people are called "bird-brains". His girls started preferring to sleep outside on their "play roost" and wouldn't go inside. Lost one to freezing one night and took out the sawhorse. It took him almost a week to convince those stupid birds to go back into the shed at night instead of sleeping on the ground under where the roost used to be. Your results may vary. I just decided not to bother trying it. My shed has one of those silver-hooded brooder lights hanging from a rafter. It's on a timer, set to give the girls 15 hours of light every day. Right now it's kind of a waste, but that's only for a month or two in the summer. The rest of the time I have to supplement their light to keep production up. That solar light Rick showed you is kind of an eat idea. I had my light on a remote control that I could click from clear up at the house (100' away) but timing was inconsistent as I would forget to turn it on in the morning or off at night. Bought one of those "vacation lamp timers" and never have to worry about it now.
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Post by capecmom on Jul 6, 2011 9:46:34 GMT -4
Thanks you for your words of wisdom!
I'll forgo the saw horse idea-didn't think that they might actually come to prefer it.
Straw/hay it is!
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Post by leatherneckpa on Jul 6, 2011 16:12:50 GMT -4
Thanks you for your words of wisdom! Words of Wisdom? Me? Hey y'all ,,,did you read that!? She said I had words of wisdom?Thanks Jules, you made my day!
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