My Little Hoop Coop

[fuzzi]

I moved chicks in the hoop coop yesterday. I had to turn off all but one heat lamp during the day. Turned all 4 on yesterday at 4:30. Went out at 9PM to check on them, and first thing this morning. Temperature this morning is right above 70. They are fine.

Yesterday morning I got up to find a pile of dead chicks. They mobbed up in a pile and the ones on the bottom were dead. So, correct temperature or not, they were going to the coop. I always lose some, but yesterday morning was a massacre. Now they have plenty of room, plenty of heat lamps, feed and water. I’ll just have to watch temperatures during the day. I think from here on out, night temperature will be ok. I had lost a few here and there, lost 12 yesterday, I have 62 left. Plus I have 24 four week olds a friend gave me, in the small coop. Do still have plenty of chickens, probably more than I want to clean. LOL

I'm sorry to hear about the dead chicks, I would be crying. I have only lost one in the two hatchings last year, 11 out of 12 hatched survived. They're tough, yet so fragile.

 

[Baymule]

I always expect to lose some, but yesterday morning was hard. Sometimes losses make me wonder why I’m even doing this. But then something goes right, something wonderful happens and I know why I am a farmer and proud to be a farm-Her!

 

[fuzzi]

Farm-Her. I like that.

Did I share about the time my rooster attacked his own chicks?

Spoiler: Injured chick

I found this little guy cold and limp under the roost. I put him under my shirt, on my chest, so he could be comforted as he died.

Ten minutes later he peeped.

I put him and his siblings and broody in a brooder, protected from attacks.

A week or so later I observed the rooster attacking the chicks, with murderous intent. Samuel was removed from the equation, and this world.

The little chick survived, was a little slow but eventually caught up with his hatchmates.

See size difference?

When I had to choose which one to keep, I kept Little Chick (back right in the photo)

Meet Little Chick today, aka Zacchaeus.

I'm glad I comforted that little dying chick!

 

[fuzzi]

Thank you Chuck! He came by with his flatbed trailer and brought my panels home, and then took the older washer and dryer set that I was replacing. HE can fix stuff that I have no clue about. His wife is my coworker who has metastisized cancer, and who will be retiring soon. We help out each other as we are able.

T1-11 panels (I bought 3):

Taking home the washer and dryer set:

My retirement set, may they last another 15 years!

 

[Baymule]

Love the story of Zacchaeus the rooster! What a handsome boy!

3 sheets of T-111. Wise purchase. What a wonderful friend to have.
Beautiful new washer and dryer, I know you will enjoy them,

 

[fuzzi]

Love the story of Zacchaeus the rooster! What a handsome boy!

3 sheets of T-111. Wise purchase. What a wonderful friend to have.
Beautiful new washer and dryer, I know you will enjoy them,

Thank you.

I know this may sound silly, but, wow...the dryer has a light! Woo!

 

[fuzzi]

Back to hoop coop...

By the time we got the panels home and the old washer/dryer set secured on the trailer there was not enough daylight left to accomplish much on the coop, so I picked up almost three "bushels" of sweet gum balls from the immediate area. I hate those things.

I laid one of the panels against the hoop coop to get a visual, and suddenly realized that it will need to go vertical due to the siding "grooves". Glad I picked up a third panel, will need to piece two together for the back. They are designed to be overlapped, so piecing them together shouldn't be an issue.

I learn something new every step of the project.

Wisp checking it out. She's one of my friendly ferals.

It's a lot colder this morning, but I plan to do something on the coop after church and lunch.

 

[fuzzi]

Hey @Baymule and other hoop coop builders, did you have any issues with a "lean", and if so, how did you straighten it?

Before I start marking and cutting wood I was thinking about trying to get a more uniform arch.

 

[Mini Horses]

Question -- does the new washer have a center post? When I was shopping several yrs back, I found they were leaving those out some had fins on side, some not. That's not unusual for front load but these were top loads. Curious.

Obviously a bend. I'd grab it and hang, hoping body weight would rebend.

 

[farmerjan]

Make sure you put the painted grooved side out to the weather... it is designed to be "out" ... the back is not treated to withstand the elements and will come apart in the rain etc...