silarajc's "Starting a Farm" Journal

[silarajc]

We moved them to the "carriage house" last night, about a 10X20 building, that was originally used as a greenhouse, then transitioned to a horse shelter. Has a half wall of cinderblock on 3 sides, then steel for the remainder of the wall and the roof, and open at one end. Gravel flooring. Even has a small window at the end. We nailed up some welded wire fencing to close it entirely off, with a 2X4 screwed in to divide it vertically so we can open the wire partway for a door. Even has a cement threshold, so deters digging critters. I gave it some good pushes and I think we got it fairly tight.

Unfortunately, all that work meant we put them in around dusk, so they were put in a new place at night when they couldn't see. They were piling in the corners. When we checked on them and saw that we put the chick feeders in the corners to try to limit that, and turned a bin on its side against the wall and put the littles in that, so they could hide from the bigs when they needed to (they were the ones getting squished in the corners). This morning they were all up and seemed happy. Love my chickens but they sure are silly!

Going to have to remember to bring a lantern when we visit in the evenings so I can see what I'm doing and don't step on anyone. We have been feeding and watering at bedtime enough to last through the next day. Daylight's getting longer, and my summer break starts next week, so most days probably won't need it.

Any tricks anyone has for transporting water about 300 feet?? We have a utility wagon and filled a 5 gallon bucket. I want to make a 5 gallon nipple waterer with the bucket - probably should make two so I can switch them out and will make less traveling. Put the feed in a metal trash can inside the temporary coop, so that part at least is easy.

 

[CntryBoy777]

PVC is really cheap for a 10' stick, and ya can get a female end that will match up with a hose....use the primer and blue glue to put them together, with the connectors, and a spigot on the other end. Ya can run it across the top of the ground until ya have time to bury it about a foot deep. It will easily be moved to mow or relocate and will be much cheaper than 3 100' pieces of hose. I would use schedule 40 PVC because it is just a little more cost, but lasts much longer than the thinner stuff. When winter comes, it will only freeze if water is left under pressure in it, so it can be used even during freezing temps, as long as the pressure is released after each use. There won't be any need to haul water, just connect and turn the spigot on.

 

[silarajc]

We were debating that thicker PVC or hose intended for burying to go to the permanent coop. Only problem is both buildings are across the drive, so we will need to rent a trencher and create a tunnel in either case. Might as well run electric at the same time!

 

[CntryBoy777]

If you are crossing a drive then ya sure want to use schedule 40 or ya will be replacing it regularly. If ya are delayed at renting the trencher, then just lay the pipe on the long side of the drive and use hose to reach it there. That way it is an easy disconnect and when ya trench ya already have most of the pipe already put together.

 

[silarajc]

Sorry, this is a bit long and graphic. I went to let the chickens out this morning and found an owl in the coop. He was big! Inch long talons and a wingspan of probably more than three feet. Big yellow eyes. After I finally shooed him out, I looked for carnage. The chickens were all huddled behind the feeder stand and the feed bin. First thing I saw was a wing in the corner the owl came from. Then I looked around and finally saw the victim - she was dead by the trashcan. But I saw a lot of white feathers, and she was a red and white bird. So after I saw that, I scattered the birds some. Sure enough. Mr. Fluffy Pants, the White Wyandotte rooster, was holding a wing low. I picked him up, after a struggle with him, saw that the entire breast on that side had been ravaged. Still not sure if the skin was torn off, or some muscle too, but there was no skin at all. There was a slice where an air-filled bubble was coming through. I took him home to doctor up, since he was still alert and moving otherwise normally, but as I looked at the extent of the injury and at the topical wound spray I had, I knew I couldn't successfully treat him. I didn't even know how to cover such a large open wound. So I let the girls say goodbye and took him out to put down. It took me 4 horrific tries before I finally put him on the ground and put my foot on his head and pulled his head off. First time I've killed something that wasn't a bug. I'm a little upset right now. He wasn't quite a pet, but it was hard to lose him, and in that way. At least now I know what works for the next time. We are guessing the owl landed on the wire we nailed around the open side of the building and pushed in, making a gap, but couldn't get back out.

 

[Mike CHS]

That is never a pleasant thing to have to do.

 

[silarajc]

thank you. knowing I CAN do it is sorta a relief. and there is always the doubt that it was the right thing to do.

 

[Hillaire]

ugh never fun... sorry you had to go through that... I have always found the easiest is a quick hatchet blow. Again never ever easy and it won't be but alas it's part of what we signed up for I guess

 

[Baymule]

I just read your journal. Many of us here are doing or have done exactly what you are, so you have come to the right place if you have questions and need help. Really sorry about the hen you lost to the owl and you having to put down your rooster. It is hard to deal with loss but it is harder when you have to do it yourself. I butcher chickens, but having chickens killed by predators is tough. I built a hoop coop and in my haste, I left an opening at the top. An owl found it and got 6 of my 12 pullets. I felt terrible about it. I had a lot hit me all at once and I neglected to properly finish it up. Here is a link to how I built my hoop coop. You can also add a hoop run to your present coop, then it gives your chickens more room on those days you don't let them out to free range. Just cover the hoops with hardware cloth to make it predator proof.

https://www.theeasygarden.com/threads/hoop-coop.18291/

And fencing!!! We bought a place with 8 acres and there was no fence, barn, animal anything, so we had a lot to do. I will steer you away from welded wire as it is easily broken. You think welded means strong, but believe me, it is weak crap. A dog can easily bite through it. I think it falls apart all by itself. We used 2"x4" woven non climb horse wire, because I wanted wire that even our chickens couldn't go through. Another good wire is sheep and goat wire, it is also a woven wire. Some people say that goats can get their head through the goat wire and get their horns stuck, but not having goats, I cannot vouch either for or against the goat wire. There is also a field fence, we fenced 16 acres we used to own, with it-I would never use it again!

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/non-climb-horse-fence-48-in-x-200-ft

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/goat-fence-48-in-x-330-ft

Here is my fencing thread. It is a good discussion of what we did right and what we did wrong. I think this might help you. There are things we could have done better or different, but at the end of the day, we have a fairly good fence that holds in our sheep, horses, chickens and dogs, and we are happy with it.

https://www.backyardherds.com/threads/non-climb-2-x4-horse-wire-fence.32922/

This is your farm. You have to weigh up what will work or not work for you. All of us make mistakes and all of us do the most brilliant things-hopefully more brilliant than dumb boo-boos. We are here for you to help, advise or just listen when you've had a bad day. We will celebrate with you or commiserate your loss. There isn't a better forum on the net than BYH!

 

[silarajc]

@Baymule - thanks for all the links! I too had planned to have a nice, secure coop built before the chicks even arrived, but also had a lot of things come at me and keep it being pushed to the back burner. I added some nails and stakes to fortify the wire wall, but I am seeing what you mean about the welded wire. It is starting to break apart where it is nailed.

We have the foundation for the coop, at least. Just need to get the floor, roof, and walls in, and that really shouldn't be that hard. Just finding a few days in a row to do it...

@Hillaire - I knew it would be something to be done eventually. I wanted free range chickens, knew I would lose some, but it sure would have been easier if the rooster was already dead. But something about living in the country and maintaining livestock really brings out strengths I didn't know I had. And I love it.