In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

Homesteading Chicken Coop Build, Chickens, Pond, Garden & Projects

Discussion in 'Hobbies and Interests' started by Well Seasoned, Mar 25, 2018.

  1. Biddleman

    Biddleman

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2019
    Messages:
    2,668
    Likes Received:
    20,297
    Location:
    River Hills of Pennsylvania
    Losing a four legged friend is always hard. But always remember the great times when they were young and healthy. Even the times they made you mad (that will be a lot for 2 of the 3 I have now:hair:)

    I know a couple who had 1 dog and refuse to get another dog. They said its too hard. I tried to explain they're focusing on the worst part of having a dog and forgetting all the love and fun their dog brought.
     
    Chaz, Chvymn99 and wildwest like this.
  2. Woodwidow

    Woodwidow

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2013
    Messages:
    13,565
    Likes Received:
    84,874
    Location:
    Port McNeill, BC Northern Vancouver Island
    We were talking to a woman today that said the same thing. Remember the years of companionship and not the ending.
     
    Chaz, Biddleman, MikeInMa and 3 others like this.
  3. Canadian border VT

    Canadian border VT

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2015
    Messages:
    17,247
    Likes Received:
    112,031
    Location:
    Vermont
    Death is the end of life.. it’s just a part of it… it’s a circle.. enjoy time you have it’s goes by too fast.. love live laugh and only sometimes cry.. always try to leave world better by passing by..
     
    JD Guy, Chaz, Biddleman and 5 others like this.
  4. Well Seasoned

    Well Seasoned Administrator

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2013
    Messages:
    18,033
    Likes Received:
    83,739
    Location:
    N.H. WMNF
    After 6 years since I built the coop, it was time to paint it. It was still in good shape, but I wanted to add color to the landscape. Yes, having that nesting box on the outside makes it easy to grab the eggs!
     
    Dok440, Chaz, bogieb and 5 others like this.
  5. wildwest

    wildwest Moderator

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2014
    Messages:
    28,896
    Likes Received:
    132,825
    Location:
    Wyoming high plains
    suggestions? 4 big pullets delivered this morning, I have a nylon pop-up cage for them so they can acclimate with my current flock in the run. The wind is blowing up to 30 mph.

    Brainstorming, WWW has 2 heavy balls for downrigging fishing. I have a tall laundry basket ~size of a tall kitchen trash can. (my laundry baskets aren't tall enough for them).

    Edit, it calmed down despite the weather fx, did the pop up cage with downrigging weight. LOL our rooster is not happy it's in his run :rofl: :lol:
     
    Last edited: Jun 27, 2024
  6. wildwest

    wildwest Moderator

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2014
    Messages:
    28,896
    Likes Received:
    132,825
    Location:
    Wyoming high plains
    . 10866.jpeg
     
    Dok440, Biddleman, Woodwidow and 5 others like this.
  7. JD Guy

    JD Guy

    Joined:
    May 11, 2022
    Messages:
    763
    Likes Received:
    4,257
    Location:
    Upstate SC
    Oh, your rooster will be very happy when the new ladies are a part of the flock :rofl: :lol:
     
    Dok440, Well Seasoned, bogieb and 2 others like this.
  8. wildwest

    wildwest Moderator

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2014
    Messages:
    28,896
    Likes Received:
    132,825
    Location:
    Wyoming high plains
    :)
    Yes, and the other ladies are going to appreciate the break, only 4 since the dog attack and they're backs are going bald. The new ones are only 12 weeks so far.
     
    Dok440, JD Guy, Well Seasoned and 2 others like this.
  9. Biddleman

    Biddleman

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2019
    Messages:
    2,668
    Likes Received:
    20,297
    Location:
    River Hills of Pennsylvania
    Well I have a rooster from my spring group of chicks. I'll let him stick around, as long as he behaves.
    My latest problem is a group of 5 wants to roost in the trees. The other night, all but 2 roosted outside.

    Here's Milton.
    20240623_102554.jpg 20240627_174456.jpg
     
  10. DaveGunter

    DaveGunter

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2013
    Messages:
    3,894
    Likes Received:
    22,930
    Location:
    Far Away Ranch, Meadowbrook Forest
    Decided to invest in some electric poultry netting. I didn’t really understand how a 4 foot fence was going to keep them in, but for the most part it does. The netting comes with a pole every 10 feet or so, which seemed way to far so I just added an extra fiberglass pole with a fence clip every span. The escape artists just get a flight feather clip. It won’t help with hawk predators but it should keep ground predators out. And now we can reclaim the lawn and flower beds:)
    IMG_3320.jpeg
    IMG_3321.jpeg
     
  11. Biddleman

    Biddleman

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2019
    Messages:
    2,668
    Likes Received:
    20,297
    Location:
    River Hills of Pennsylvania
    Going to have to get a fence like DaveGunter has. Lost a bird 2 weeks ago and another one today to a fox.:( Middle of day too! Fox is very ballsy.
    I usually let them go when Im hunting in the woods behind the house. Well not anymore.
     
    DaveGunter, MikeInMa and wildwest like this.
  12. DaveGunter

    DaveGunter

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2013
    Messages:
    3,894
    Likes Received:
    22,930
    Location:
    Far Away Ranch, Meadowbrook Forest
    Works well for the ground predators, I’ve watched a fox get hit by the fence and smelled the effects of a skunk getting hit by it. It’s a little bit of work once it’s installed to keep the vegetation from grounding the fence out. Definitely recommend fiberglass poles as opposed to plastic, too much bend in the plastic ones.
     
  13. wildwest

    wildwest Moderator

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2014
    Messages:
    28,896
    Likes Received:
    132,825
    Location:
    Wyoming high plains
    Last night I went to lock coop door, one of the blk/wht ones couldn't find the door and roosted inbetween the coop and chicken wire that encloses the run. She panicked and ran blind in the dark when my flashlight to lock the door spooked her. We couldn't find her in the dark with a thunderstorm coming through. Not this morning either, WWW took our bird dog but she just kept going in the same pattern as the pullet did last night.

    This afternoon he's out working on the boat, dog running around with him and rooster gets really loud. Looks down from boat and there's the pullet!! Some of her feathers were oddly ruffled out of place, pretty sure our little doggie found her, and "retrieved" it for WWW :)
     
  14. wildwest

    wildwest Moderator

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2014
    Messages:
    28,896
    Likes Received:
    132,825
    Location:
    Wyoming high plains
    So that lil pullet is now a bit crooked. Healthy and doing chicken things but her tail is bent slightly left.

    3 of 4 of my adult hens have stopped laying. I mentioned we've had tons of sparrows in the chicken run this fall, suggestion was check for mites and deworm them. Has anyone had mites before? Mine got mites in fall 2022, looked like some of the darker ones had powdered sugar on their throats. I grabbed a hen off the roost tonight and kiddo held the flashlight. I didn't see anything, nothing, this hen has some longer rear end feathers that are splayed but I didn't see any mite trailings or white things crawling around her vent not her back (she has a bald spot since the dog killed the others, thus the new pullets in previous post).

    On another note rooster molted and got some (not all) long feathers on his tail back from the dog massacre :)
     
    Chvymn99, ReelFaster and MikeInMa like this.
  15. ReelFaster

    ReelFaster

    Joined:
    Dec 1, 2016
    Messages:
    2,530
    Likes Received:
    17,277
    Location:
    S.Jersey
    Its been a few week since your post are they back laying?
     
    wildwest and Chvymn99 like this.
  16. wildwest

    wildwest Moderator

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2014
    Messages:
    28,896
    Likes Received:
    132,825
    Location:
    Wyoming high plains
    Not really, just a few a week, but since that last post everyone, including the pullets is molting, I'm hoping that's all it is.
     
    ReelFaster and Chvymn99 like this.
  17. Well Seasoned

    Well Seasoned Administrator

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2013
    Messages:
    18,033
    Likes Received:
    83,739
    Location:
    N.H. WMNF
    There was an attack on many chicken feed brands around this time last year. Try switching food if your getting nó eggs at all.

    The sun's light is much less than 12 hours now so chickens will start to back off laying too
     
  18. wildwest

    wildwest Moderator

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2014
    Messages:
    28,896
    Likes Received:
    132,825
    Location:
    Wyoming high plains
    Thanks, I'll see what I can order, 3 places here that sell chicken food and only one has feed that is all flock (non layer) for the rooster.
    :rofl: :lol: You have the Spanish accent this time lol
     
    Well Seasoned, Chvymn99 and Erik B like this.
  19. jrider

    jrider

    Joined:
    Feb 12, 2018
    Messages:
    5,245
    Likes Received:
    35,740
    Location:
    NJ
    The fall equinox hasn't come yet so it's still more than 12 hours between sunrise and sunset but not for long.
     
    bogieb, Well Seasoned and wildwest like this.
  20. ReelFaster

    ReelFaster

    Joined:
    Dec 1, 2016
    Messages:
    2,530
    Likes Received:
    17,277
    Location:
    S.Jersey
    That was going to be my next question because I know from my experience with having chickens for about4- 5yrs is mine seemed to molt late Aug/Sept (which I always thought was early) and they stopped laying cold.

    Wasn't sure how that would translate to Wyoming but looks to be on par and that will def do it. Molt lasted a while and rolled close to winter and less sunlight so the egg production grinded to a halt.

    I miss the eggs for sure and can't bring myself to get rid of the coop & run I built, lord knows I could use the space for firewood but part of me thinks we'll have them again!

    Troubleshooting sickness and illness makes me hesitant that was frustrating and a lot of work for me, but at the time I was starting a new position so I think all of it combined was stressing me out. I hate not knowing what's wrong and what to do, typical guy just wanting to solve the problem....:whistle::whistle:
     
    Well Seasoned and wildwest like this.