waretrop
Almost Self-Reliant
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Well, I should have about 90 but when I get babies in and grow them up it fluctuates. And then get rid of the old ones... Ninety if the magic number....lol
Adding new chickens to our flock
- Thread starter MoonShadows
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #32
MoonShadows
Almost Self-Reliant
That's a lot of chickens!
waretrop
Almost Self-Reliant
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Yes it is...Selling my eggs at the moment is not important but when my hubby retires, sometime in the future, that will be part of our income to help keep the "little estate" going... The greenhouse will start selling plants again, it does not do that at the moment.
All these things will keep us active along with being in money to play with.
Right now our chickens get totally cleaned out every Saturday, even if its a holiday or not...It actually is easy. The way we have it set up, it only takes 90 minutes...Doesn't smell, for the lost part....we use allot of lime...that makes it all work.
All these things will keep us active along with being in money to play with.
Right now our chickens get totally cleaned out every Saturday, even if its a holiday or not...It actually is easy. The way we have it set up, it only takes 90 minutes...Doesn't smell, for the lost part....we use allot of lime...that makes it all work.
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- #34
MoonShadows
Almost Self-Reliant
Sounds like a plan.
I would love to expand our planting and open a farm stand out of and around that old stone garage you see in front of the small beige rental house on our property where we could sell produce and our jar products (Running Valley gets a lot of traffic), but our home business and regular chores keep me so busy and tired at the end of the day, it remains a dream. Besides, I would probably run into problems with Hamilton Township. And, switching gears like that after 60 would mean a drop in income from the home biz while we do more planting and build the farm stand up, but who knows, perhaps I might find a happy medium some day.
I would love to expand our planting and open a farm stand out of and around that old stone garage you see in front of the small beige rental house on our property where we could sell produce and our jar products (Running Valley gets a lot of traffic), but our home business and regular chores keep me so busy and tired at the end of the day, it remains a dream. Besides, I would probably run into problems with Hamilton Township. And, switching gears like that after 60 would mean a drop in income from the home biz while we do more planting and build the farm stand up, but who knows, perhaps I might find a happy medium some day.
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- #35
MoonShadows
Almost Self-Reliant
Friday was so nice I got the wire stapled to the wall I built across the middle of the run, and cut a piece of picket fence for a gate between the two runs. I made the base of the temporary coop out of an old pallet covered with a couple of pieces of 1/4" particle board I had laying around. Since I will only be using this temporary coop for a week or so, I don't want to put any money into it, and I want to be able to easily dismantle it, so I think I am going to use pallets bungied to the bottom for the walls, and a pallet for the roof and just cover the whole thing with a tarp I have.
I might work on this more this afternoon if the temps get up into the 40's. I also have to go to Lowes to pick up a few panels of Tuftex (corrugated plastic panels) and some 2x 4s. I am going to make a "roof" under our back deck so we can use the area for storage without it getting wet all the time. I should have been at Lowe's an hour ago, but I can't find the battery charger for the variable speed drill I have. I have to use that in screwing in the Tuftex screws. It's the only drill I own that has a clutch on it so I get the right torque on the screws. I been searching high and low for over an hour for the charger. I would hate to pay $74 for a new one since I bought the drill, two batteries and a charger as package on sale for $99 originally.
I might work on this more this afternoon if the temps get up into the 40's. I also have to go to Lowes to pick up a few panels of Tuftex (corrugated plastic panels) and some 2x 4s. I am going to make a "roof" under our back deck so we can use the area for storage without it getting wet all the time. I should have been at Lowe's an hour ago, but I can't find the battery charger for the variable speed drill I have. I have to use that in screwing in the Tuftex screws. It's the only drill I own that has a clutch on it so I get the right torque on the screws. I been searching high and low for over an hour for the charger. I would hate to pay $74 for a new one since I bought the drill, two batteries and a charger as package on sale for $99 originally.
- Thread starter
- #36
MoonShadows
Almost Self-Reliant
I found the battery charger!!!!!!!!!!!!!After searching the cellar and tool shed twice, I sat down and started to think.....my other half has a habit of stashing things in any drawer, cabinet, closet, etc., instead of putting things back where they belong. I decided to check "hiding spots", and found the charger in a desk drawer under a collection of old mail, paycheck stubs and Mass cards. I even found the vacuum bags I was looking for the other day stuffed in there too!...maybe, I'm finally learning!!!!!!
Mini Horses
Sustainability Master
Some days, it doesn't take much to make us happy. 
Been there...
I understand. Only, it's me doing both the stashing and finding.
Been there...
I understand. Only, it's me doing both the stashing and finding.- Thread starter
- #38
MoonShadows
Almost Self-Reliant
Well, I got the temporary coop finished yesterday...completely made from pallets, scrap wood and a tarp. I spoke with the farm that has the hens last night. He says he has 175 right now that just started laying within the past couple of weeks, but they are going fast. I might have to go up there before this weekend.
waretrop
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Why wouldn't you make a permanent chicken coop out of pallets??? It could be simple or deluxe. Either way it would be cheaper than doing it with regular product...
This is my feeder. It does have a lid on it now.
Waterer has a saucer under it with an overflo in case it leaks. It also has a pond heater in it for winter.
This whole thing was made from all used or discounted product.
This is my feeder. It does have a lid on it now.
Waterer has a saucer under it with an overflo in case it leaks. It also has a pond heater in it for winter.
This whole thing was made from all used or discounted product.
- Thread starter
- #40
MoonShadows
Almost Self-Reliant
Nice coop! Is that pallet wood siding? I have seen many permanent coops made out of pallets. I always have pallets on hand because of my business...too many sometimes.
