Author Topic: Makin the Plunge & Gettin Chickens  (Read 5646 times)

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Offline Rock Home Isle

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Makin the Plunge & Gettin Chickens
« on: April 05, 2012, 11:14:50 AM »
Here is the opener of my Chick/Chicken Thread. I hope that you enjoy the thread as much as I'm sure that I'll enjoy posting to it.

As a little background to this project: My daughter's fiance has been bringing us several dozen eggs everytime he returns from his visits to his family in South Dakota and its been nice getting farm fresh eggs....we're actually quite spoiled with these fine quality eggs.
 
Last time  we went to the store, I just could not believe what prices for basic groceries have risen too. We've talked about starting a small flock for several years and finally decided to make the plunge and get a small flock of birds to provide the family with fresh eggs. My wife & I both had chickens when we were kids and the chickens do have a huge entertainment value besides the egg production aspects. I talked to a few of the neighbors, and they are actually quite excited at the prospects of fresh eggs, so we shouldn't have to much trouble disposing of any excess production should we have any.
 
Our community allows its citizens to have small flocks and with prices getting so dang high I thought that this would be a benifit to offset a few expenses.  We're going to pick up 6 Buff Orpington Chicks tomorrow (Friday). Then on or about the 25th of April we'll get a pair of Blue Runner Ducks.
 
My wife and daughter wanted the Runner Ducks. They both like to bake, and if you've ever had baked goods that were made using duck eggs in place of chicken eggs...well there is a very noticable difference. My wife also knows several ladies in the area that bake wedding cakes and such for a living, and one of their "secret ingredients" is to use duck eggs.
“Lost?? Hmmm... been fearsome confused for a month or two, but I ain't never been lost!”
Henry Frap the "Mountain Men"

“Ain't this somethin'? I told my pap and mam I was going to be a mountain man; acted like they was gut-shot. Mother Gue said to me; ‘Make your life go here, son. Here's where the people is. Them mountains is for Indians and wild men.’  "Mother Gue", I says "the Rocky Mountains is the marrow of the world," and by God, I was right. Keep your nose in the wind and your eye along the skyline.”
Del Gue in "Jeremiah Johnson"

Offline Rock Home Isle

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Re: Makin the Plunge & Gettin Chickens
« Reply #1 on: April 05, 2012, 11:37:34 AM »
While I build the Chicken Coop, the Chicks will be housed in a 40 gallon Breeder Tank. Compared to a standard tank design, a 40 Breeder Tank has a much better floor area to tank volume ratio. To begin with we'll use newspaper until they are about a week old and I can tell that everyone is feeding and drinking with no problems. The chicks should be very happy in this setup.
 

 
“Lost?? Hmmm... been fearsome confused for a month or two, but I ain't never been lost!”
Henry Frap the "Mountain Men"

“Ain't this somethin'? I told my pap and mam I was going to be a mountain man; acted like they was gut-shot. Mother Gue said to me; ‘Make your life go here, son. Here's where the people is. Them mountains is for Indians and wild men.’  "Mother Gue", I says "the Rocky Mountains is the marrow of the world," and by God, I was right. Keep your nose in the wind and your eye along the skyline.”
Del Gue in "Jeremiah Johnson"

Offline Rock Home Isle

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Re: Makin the Plunge & Gettin Chickens
« Reply #2 on: April 05, 2012, 11:42:32 AM »
On the upper back of the tank I have two dials that measure temperature & humidity inside the tank. These dials are located a little high for my liking, but the tank was previously used several years ago for my son's pet Water Dragon. The dragon's name was "Dash"...and it was a well earned name.
 
I'll keep visual track of the chicks for the next few days so that I can see what temperature ranges look to be most comfortable for the chicks. The light bulb is a 100 watt bulb.
 
“Lost?? Hmmm... been fearsome confused for a month or two, but I ain't never been lost!”
Henry Frap the "Mountain Men"

“Ain't this somethin'? I told my pap and mam I was going to be a mountain man; acted like they was gut-shot. Mother Gue said to me; ‘Make your life go here, son. Here's where the people is. Them mountains is for Indians and wild men.’  "Mother Gue", I says "the Rocky Mountains is the marrow of the world," and by God, I was right. Keep your nose in the wind and your eye along the skyline.”
Del Gue in "Jeremiah Johnson"

Offline Rock Home Isle

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Re: Makin the Plunge & Gettin Chickens
« Reply #3 on: April 05, 2012, 11:53:39 AM »
I cleaned out the area under the deck....Okay so I mostly cleaned out the area under the deck.  This is where I will locate the Chicken Coop. The railroad ties will be set in the ground and the coop and the fencing for the chicken run will be mounted on the ties and under the deck.
 
“Lost?? Hmmm... been fearsome confused for a month or two, but I ain't never been lost!”
Henry Frap the "Mountain Men"

“Ain't this somethin'? I told my pap and mam I was going to be a mountain man; acted like they was gut-shot. Mother Gue said to me; ‘Make your life go here, son. Here's where the people is. Them mountains is for Indians and wild men.’  "Mother Gue", I says "the Rocky Mountains is the marrow of the world," and by God, I was right. Keep your nose in the wind and your eye along the skyline.”
Del Gue in "Jeremiah Johnson"

Offline Rock Home Isle

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Re: Makin the Plunge & Gettin Chickens
« Reply #4 on: April 05, 2012, 11:56:36 AM »
Here's a front veiw of the coop location.
 

 
Once the coop is completed there will be about a 3 to 4 foot walkway behind the chicken run, so that I can get between the run and the house. It should be a nice setup for a small home flock of chickens.
“Lost?? Hmmm... been fearsome confused for a month or two, but I ain't never been lost!”
Henry Frap the "Mountain Men"

“Ain't this somethin'? I told my pap and mam I was going to be a mountain man; acted like they was gut-shot. Mother Gue said to me; ‘Make your life go here, son. Here's where the people is. Them mountains is for Indians and wild men.’  "Mother Gue", I says "the Rocky Mountains is the marrow of the world," and by God, I was right. Keep your nose in the wind and your eye along the skyline.”
Del Gue in "Jeremiah Johnson"

Offline Rock Home Isle

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Re: Makin the Plunge & Gettin Chickens
« Reply #5 on: April 05, 2012, 12:00:04 PM »
I'll begin work on the coop tomorrow and I'll post pictures and explain what my plans are for a coop design as I go along and complete construction.
 
There are many of you out there that have so much more experience than I do with keeping chickens...I greatly appreciate any & all advice that you see fit to provide as I procede along with my chicken project.
 
Thank you in advance.  8)
 
“Lost?? Hmmm... been fearsome confused for a month or two, but I ain't never been lost!”
Henry Frap the "Mountain Men"

“Ain't this somethin'? I told my pap and mam I was going to be a mountain man; acted like they was gut-shot. Mother Gue said to me; ‘Make your life go here, son. Here's where the people is. Them mountains is for Indians and wild men.’  "Mother Gue", I says "the Rocky Mountains is the marrow of the world," and by God, I was right. Keep your nose in the wind and your eye along the skyline.”
Del Gue in "Jeremiah Johnson"

Offline cwlongshot

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Re: Makin the Plunge & Gettin Chickens
« Reply #6 on: April 05, 2012, 12:10:46 PM »
I did this last year! WAS going to this spring, but when I checked on the birds, I was able to get 6 Mo old polts so we had the coup and with winter setting in, the rest was easy.

Our birds are road island red/leg horn crosses. They are very harty and good layers. for six birds we get form 6-10 eggs a day.

I grew up with chickens, but haven't had any for over 30 years...

Good luck, they are fun.



CW
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Offline mannyrock

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Re: Makin the Plunge & Gettin Chickens
« Reply #7 on: April 06, 2012, 07:24:38 AM »
  Hmm,
    Please stop and re-think the idea of putting a coop under your deck.  Do you have any  idea of the absolute stench and filthiness of a chicken coop?  Do you realize the number of highly communicable waterborne diseases that chickens carry that are contracted by humans?  Do you realize that the entire area is going to be filled with runny yellow and white chicken poop?  Do you realize that chickens cluck and cackle all danged day long, until the sun goes down?  And you want this under your deck and up against your house?   
   I raised chickens on my farm for 10 years, so I know what I am talking about.
   Build that coop a good ways away from your house.   And be prepared for the most gross mess you can ever imagine.  You may find that it just ain't worth the eggs you get.  (Chickens just LOVE to poop in their water, their food, their perches and on each other!  And, they just love to peck each other to death if one of them is sick.)
   All of this, to get a couple dozen free eggs a week?
   Been there.  Never again.  Mannyrock
 
 

Offline cwlongshot

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Re: Makin the Plunge & Gettin Chickens
« Reply #8 on: April 06, 2012, 07:35:39 AM »
LOL Manny!!!

Wow you got turned off for sure!!!

Yea they poop everywhere. Auto watering cans are awesome!  They can still poop in them but it's a tiny target and don't happen often. Mine are free range. About the worst is when they get up on the deck and what they do to mom as flowers. ;). But YES I think it's worth it for the delicious eggs!!!

CW
"Pay heed to the man who carries a single shot rifle, he likely knows how to use it."

NRA LIFE Member 
Remember... Four boxes keep us free: the soap box, the ballot box, the jury box, and the cartridge box.

Offline Lost Farmboy

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Re: Makin the Plunge & Gettin Chickens
« Reply #9 on: April 06, 2012, 08:27:34 AM »
  Think about a chicken tractor. A small movable coop.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_tractor


Lot of ideas here.


http://www.google.com/search?q=chicken+tractor&hl=en&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=TS5_T8nXG8OItweJ_ty-Bg&sqi=2&ved=0CF8QsAQ&biw=1024&bih=499


To be healthy and produce healthy eggs chickens need their fresh vegetables, grass, weeds and supplemented with a few bugs. If your going to keep them in a coop and feed only commercial feed you would be better off buying eggs at the store. ( I can't believe I said that ) Mine eat half as much feed when free ranging as they do when cooped up.


Chickens that eat grass and weeds produce eggs high in Omega 3 fatty acids. You can see this by the deep orange yolks. Commercial eggs have pale yellow yolks. Hope you do not poison your lawn. I am the only one in my neighborhood that doesn't and all the squirrels, rabbits and birds hang out in my yard.
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Offline mannyrock

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Re: Makin the Plunge & Gettin Chickens
« Reply #10 on: April 06, 2012, 09:49:16 AM »
   Farmboy has given some excellent advice.  Have a rolling coop, and move it from place to place to fresh grass and fields.
   The main point I am stressing here is the insanity of having a chicken coop up against your house under a deck.  Would you go out every evening and dump a bucket of your family sewerage underneath your deck?  I'll bet not.  But, you are doing the same thing by raising chickens there.
   And did I mention the constant influx of snakes, weasals, skunks, raccoon, and other vermins (many of which carry rabies), that will be trying to get into that pen every night?  And sooner or later, especially the snakes and raccoons, will find their way in.   How wonderful to surprise a skunk one evening, have it spray down the side of your house (or the foundation dirt), and render it unliveable for weeks or months to come.
   No, if you like eggs, please raise your chickens safely, away from your family.  Some poultry borne diseases are incurable.
   And, I'm laying odds that after 6 months of fooling with these things, you will have them hanging upside down from your clothes line.
  Tell ya what.  Print out my two e-mails, let your wife read them, and then let her decide.  :-)
Best,  Mannyrock
 
 

Offline cudatruck

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Re: Makin the Plunge & Gettin Chickens
« Reply #11 on: April 06, 2012, 10:05:59 AM »
we did this 3 years ago and have been very happy with the results. but i built a coop in a fenced off part of the yard AWAY FROM THE HOUSE! could not agree more penning that many birds under you deck will be an issue. If you are the type of person who honestly will clean the pen every week you can do it, but your birds will be living in a very small mud hole. in the early spring i let ours into the garden area to scratch and do pest controll then when ready to plant they go back to their yard. still have to clean out the chicken house, put straw in the laying boxes and secure from preditors. But with 6 kids the work is not that bad and the eggs are wonderfull. Buffs are nice birds, decent layers and the most tame of the ones we have. Our best layers though have been americanas, they lay green eggs. Good luck and enjoy your new project.

Offline burntmuch

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Re: Makin the Plunge & Gettin Chickens
« Reply #12 on: April 06, 2012, 10:25:59 AM »
Get some nipples for their water. Save alot of headaches.  Plus get that coop away from the house. You ll enjoy them alot more if you dont have to smell them all the time. If they cant free range, mix some flax seed in with their feed.
I dont care what gun Im using as long as Im hunting

Offline Couger

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Re: Makin the Plunge & Gettin Chickens
« Reply #13 on: April 06, 2012, 02:51:17 PM »
Quote from: Lost Farmboy
Hope you do not poison your lawn. I am the only one in my neighborhood that doesn't and all the squirrels, rabbits and birds hang out in my yard.

Interesting and very good point!

Offline Couger

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Re: Makin the Plunge & Gettin Chickens
« Reply #14 on: April 06, 2012, 02:53:05 PM »
Quote from: Lost Farmboy
Hope you do not poison your lawn. I am the only one in my neighborhood that doesn't and all the squirrels, rabbits and birds hang out in my yard.

Interesting and very good point!  Got a good pelletgun, FB?   ::)   ;D
 
Also the suggestion to model a coop after a chicken tractor is a good one.  There's actually a book by that title that also talks about "how" and "what" a chicken tractor is.
 
Plus not only do the chickens benefit by weeding and feeding on the lawns/grasses/insects, their poop also benefits the lawn.

Offline Rock Home Isle

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Re: Makin the Plunge & Gettin Chickens
« Reply #15 on: April 07, 2012, 07:24:11 AM »
  Hmm,
    Please stop and re-think the idea of putting a coop under your deck.  Do you have any  idea of the absolute stench and filthiness of a chicken coop?  Do you realize the number of highly communicable waterborne diseases that chickens carry that are contracted by humans?  Do you realize that the entire area is going to be filled with runny yellow and white chicken poop?  Do you realize that chickens cluck and cackle all danged day long, until the sun goes down?  And you want this under your deck and up against your house?   
   I raised chickens on my farm for 10 years, so I know what I am talking about.
   Build that coop a good ways away from your house.   And be prepared for the most gross mess you can ever imagine.  You may find that it just ain't worth the eggs you get.  (Chickens just LOVE to poop in their water, their food, their perches and on each other!  And, they just love to peck each other to death if one of them is sick.)
   All of this, to get a couple dozen free eggs a week?
   Been there.  Never again.  Mannyrock

Sobering thoughts there mannyrock....thank you for the post.
“Lost?? Hmmm... been fearsome confused for a month or two, but I ain't never been lost!”
Henry Frap the "Mountain Men"

“Ain't this somethin'? I told my pap and mam I was going to be a mountain man; acted like they was gut-shot. Mother Gue said to me; ‘Make your life go here, son. Here's where the people is. Them mountains is for Indians and wild men.’  "Mother Gue", I says "the Rocky Mountains is the marrow of the world," and by God, I was right. Keep your nose in the wind and your eye along the skyline.”
Del Gue in "Jeremiah Johnson"

Offline Rock Home Isle

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Re: Makin the Plunge & Gettin Chickens
« Reply #16 on: April 07, 2012, 07:40:03 AM »
We explored the Chicken Tractor as our 1st option and I had a friend that has one come over and talk to me about his setup and how it might work in my backyard...But for my yard and work schedule, just not a viable solution. But it is not lost, the tractor could be used seasonally on my property. I may just yet build a small tractor for use during the summer and fall.
 
The flock is going to limited to 4 birds...its a very small flock. I have had chickens before, as a kid growing up. I have been concerned about smell and mess as several of you have pointed out. So I'm making the coop a bit bigger than needed and the chickens will be spending quite a bit of time ranging in the yard during the spring, summer and fall. The only time that they will be confined to the coop and run will be during the weeks of mid winter.
 
The coop is designed so that there will be about 10 inches of wood shavings as the flooring of the coop to absorb moisture. I'm hoping that this will help to reduce smell. With an oversized coop and deep litter I should be able to clean out the coop each spring and each fall. Cleaning out twice a year should make smells and mess be greatly reduced. But on a 100 degree day...we'll have to wait and see...
 
I do care about the maintenance and appearance of my property. If locating the coop under the deck proves to be a disaster, all is not lost. I can easily move the coop to a location in the backyard. I just wanted to make use of the space under th deck.
“Lost?? Hmmm... been fearsome confused for a month or two, but I ain't never been lost!”
Henry Frap the "Mountain Men"

“Ain't this somethin'? I told my pap and mam I was going to be a mountain man; acted like they was gut-shot. Mother Gue said to me; ‘Make your life go here, son. Here's where the people is. Them mountains is for Indians and wild men.’  "Mother Gue", I says "the Rocky Mountains is the marrow of the world," and by God, I was right. Keep your nose in the wind and your eye along the skyline.”
Del Gue in "Jeremiah Johnson"

Offline Rock Home Isle

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Re: Makin the Plunge & Gettin Chickens
« Reply #17 on: April 07, 2012, 07:49:21 AM »
I have never poisoned my yard, I just don't agree with the use of poisons and herbicides around the home. I do put down a little fertilizer and some Revive each spring. The use of Revive has noticably cut down on my water bill. I'm complimented often in the way that I take care of my yard, And I do seem to have many more critters in my yard than my neighbors; things like rabbits, birds, & garter snakes are frequnt visitors to my yard.
 
I do have a neighbor that is a frequent user of poisons and herbicides. You can smell it when he has applied his concoctions. In my opinion his yard resembles a green desert to me; other than grass and a few plants  and trees it is dead. Thank goodness his property is not directly adjacent to mine. It would drive me nuts.
“Lost?? Hmmm... been fearsome confused for a month or two, but I ain't never been lost!”
Henry Frap the "Mountain Men"

“Ain't this somethin'? I told my pap and mam I was going to be a mountain man; acted like they was gut-shot. Mother Gue said to me; ‘Make your life go here, son. Here's where the people is. Them mountains is for Indians and wild men.’  "Mother Gue", I says "the Rocky Mountains is the marrow of the world," and by God, I was right. Keep your nose in the wind and your eye along the skyline.”
Del Gue in "Jeremiah Johnson"

Offline Rock Home Isle

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Re: Makin the Plunge & Gettin Chickens
« Reply #18 on: April 07, 2012, 08:22:20 AM »
We have CHICKS


 
Here is one of the Buff Orpington Chicks in the aquarium. They had been in here for about an hour when this photo was taken.
“Lost?? Hmmm... been fearsome confused for a month or two, but I ain't never been lost!”
Henry Frap the "Mountain Men"

“Ain't this somethin'? I told my pap and mam I was going to be a mountain man; acted like they was gut-shot. Mother Gue said to me; ‘Make your life go here, son. Here's where the people is. Them mountains is for Indians and wild men.’  "Mother Gue", I says "the Rocky Mountains is the marrow of the world," and by God, I was right. Keep your nose in the wind and your eye along the skyline.”
Del Gue in "Jeremiah Johnson"

Offline Rock Home Isle

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Re: Makin the Plunge & Gettin Chickens
« Reply #19 on: April 07, 2012, 08:24:39 AM »
Both my wife and I have raised poultry in various forms. I have raised chickens & ducks. My wife and her family have raised chickens for both meat and eggs. When we were first married my wife and I raised a small flock of Bronze Turkeys. I have never had Chicks without losses, so I'll be purchasing a few extra...just in case.
 

 
I bought 6 Buff Orpington Pullets with the thought that we may very well loose one or 2 of them. My flock will be limited to 4 chickens, and I have a friend that also got chickens this spring. He'll take any that we don't want or need.
“Lost?? Hmmm... been fearsome confused for a month or two, but I ain't never been lost!”
Henry Frap the "Mountain Men"

“Ain't this somethin'? I told my pap and mam I was going to be a mountain man; acted like they was gut-shot. Mother Gue said to me; ‘Make your life go here, son. Here's where the people is. Them mountains is for Indians and wild men.’  "Mother Gue", I says "the Rocky Mountains is the marrow of the world," and by God, I was right. Keep your nose in the wind and your eye along the skyline.”
Del Gue in "Jeremiah Johnson"

Offline Rock Home Isle

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Re: Makin the Plunge & Gettin Chickens
« Reply #20 on: April 07, 2012, 08:38:26 AM »
At the moment the ducks are stealing the show.
 

 
My kids have named the dark duckling "Gertrude" or "Gerty" and the remaining duck is "Other Duck" until a better name comes to mind. From what I recall growing up, Chickens can be fun, but ducks make great pets.
 
 
“Lost?? Hmmm... been fearsome confused for a month or two, but I ain't never been lost!”
Henry Frap the "Mountain Men"

“Ain't this somethin'? I told my pap and mam I was going to be a mountain man; acted like they was gut-shot. Mother Gue said to me; ‘Make your life go here, son. Here's where the people is. Them mountains is for Indians and wild men.’  "Mother Gue", I says "the Rocky Mountains is the marrow of the world," and by God, I was right. Keep your nose in the wind and your eye along the skyline.”
Del Gue in "Jeremiah Johnson"

Offline Rock Home Isle

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Re: Makin the Plunge & Gettin Chickens
« Reply #21 on: April 07, 2012, 08:40:40 AM »
Here's a closeup of Other Duck. I'm thinking that by the time that these guys feather out and are in the pen, they will be tame, tame, tame, like little puppies comin when you call them.
 
“Lost?? Hmmm... been fearsome confused for a month or two, but I ain't never been lost!”
Henry Frap the "Mountain Men"

“Ain't this somethin'? I told my pap and mam I was going to be a mountain man; acted like they was gut-shot. Mother Gue said to me; ‘Make your life go here, son. Here's where the people is. Them mountains is for Indians and wild men.’  "Mother Gue", I says "the Rocky Mountains is the marrow of the world," and by God, I was right. Keep your nose in the wind and your eye along the skyline.”
Del Gue in "Jeremiah Johnson"

Offline Rock Home Isle

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Re: Makin the Plunge & Gettin Chickens
« Reply #22 on: April 07, 2012, 08:57:00 AM »
Its been years since I've kept poultry. I've raised chickens and ducks. While my wife grew up raising chickens for meat & banties for layers. The last poultry that I had was 12 turkey's, a few years back, when I was a 4-H Shooting Sports Instructor. My kids on my shooting team wanted to do a Turkey Shoot as a Fund Raiser in the fall. So I got a dozen Bronze Turkeys. We made some money at the shoot and I got to raise a flock of turkeys.  I've collected and read several books on chickens in the last year or so....I'll have to post my Poultry Book Title List & Review in a future post to this thread.
 
But I researched the various breeds and narrowed my selections down to Orpingtons or Wyandottes. We finally settled on Buff Orpingtons for our small flock and purchased 6 pullets.
 
When we went to pick up the chicks they came from JAX in Loveland and the Ducklings came from a farm supply store called Bomgaars. Seems everyone wants Buff Orpingtons. I had to preorder them to make sure that we got them when they came in. They kept selling out before we could get to th store. When we picked up our chicks, there was another family that came in to get Buffs and they were all spoken for and none were available again. You would think that the store would think a little bit ahead and order a few dozen extra. They have to know that they are a hot item would sell.
 
At any rate...When we got home the ducks were feeding and watering right away. The chicks were a little slow on the uptake, they had no clue. But the chicks mimic well, so they kinda learned where the food was by following the ducks around and doing what they did...So here we are in the 2nd day of chicks and all is looking well.
“Lost?? Hmmm... been fearsome confused for a month or two, but I ain't never been lost!”
Henry Frap the "Mountain Men"

“Ain't this somethin'? I told my pap and mam I was going to be a mountain man; acted like they was gut-shot. Mother Gue said to me; ‘Make your life go here, son. Here's where the people is. Them mountains is for Indians and wild men.’  "Mother Gue", I says "the Rocky Mountains is the marrow of the world," and by God, I was right. Keep your nose in the wind and your eye along the skyline.”
Del Gue in "Jeremiah Johnson"

Offline Rock Home Isle

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Re: Makin the Plunge & Gettin Chickens
« Reply #23 on: April 07, 2012, 09:10:41 AM »
The Polaski Axe
 

 
Let me just take a few moments to extole the virtues of the Polaski Axe. If you have any hand digging that needs to be done, get yourself a Polaski Axe. I was helping my Dad put in a patio a few years back and I was digging the foundation footing using a garden adze...I was digging through compacted clay soil and it was hard larborous work. Then my Dad hands me a Polaski Axe and says "Here try this instead".
 
It was Night & (censored word) Day between the two tools. I was so impressed with the Polaski Axe that I went out and ordered one from Harbor Freight (Axe featured in Photo) for myself. The handle on the Harbor Freight axe lasted maybe two swings and snapped off at the head. I replaced that garbage handle with a hand selected hickory handle and WOW what a tool. I use the Polaski all the time, and if I need to do any chopping, digging...whatever, I grab a Polaski Axe first.
 
I now have two Polaski Axes. The second arrived shortly after the Harbor Freight model...The second axe is an Official Forest Service Polaski. The Forest Service Model is a definate cut above any axe that that I have ever used. The head of the Forest Service Axe is nothing short of  amazing workmanship. The tempered steel blade holds an edge that is so crisp and sharp even after heavy use and chopping. I've used the Adze edge to chop out notches and grooves in logs on a few large wood projects and for clearing brush by hand (without a machine), there is simply nothing better.
 
If you have digging projects, chopping, or clearing brush in your future, get yourself a Polaski Axe. If quality is a concern for you and you like to own top of the line equipment...get a Forest Service Polaski Axe.
“Lost?? Hmmm... been fearsome confused for a month or two, but I ain't never been lost!”
Henry Frap the "Mountain Men"

“Ain't this somethin'? I told my pap and mam I was going to be a mountain man; acted like they was gut-shot. Mother Gue said to me; ‘Make your life go here, son. Here's where the people is. Them mountains is for Indians and wild men.’  "Mother Gue", I says "the Rocky Mountains is the marrow of the world," and by God, I was right. Keep your nose in the wind and your eye along the skyline.”
Del Gue in "Jeremiah Johnson"

Offline blind ear

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Re: Makin the Plunge & Gettin Chickens
« Reply #24 on: April 07, 2012, 12:35:57 PM »
Get Pete and keep the mess away from the house. ear
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E4MAqttvgM
Oath Keepers: start local
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“It is no coincidence that the century of total war coincided with the century of central banking.” – Ron Paul, End the Fed
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An economic crash like the one of the 1920s is the only thing that will get the US off of the road to Socialism that we are on and give our children a chance at a future with freedom and possibility of economic success.
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everyone hears but very few see. (I can't see either, I'm not on the corporate board making rules that sound exactly the opposite of what they mean, plus loopholes) ear
"I have seen the enemy and I think it's us." POGO
St Judes Childrens Research Hospital

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Re: Makin the Plunge & Gettin Chickens
« Reply #25 on: April 07, 2012, 05:37:34 PM »
Sic 'em on a chicken and watch those feathers fly.
 
hehehehe  8)
“Lost?? Hmmm... been fearsome confused for a month or two, but I ain't never been lost!”
Henry Frap the "Mountain Men"

“Ain't this somethin'? I told my pap and mam I was going to be a mountain man; acted like they was gut-shot. Mother Gue said to me; ‘Make your life go here, son. Here's where the people is. Them mountains is for Indians and wild men.’  "Mother Gue", I says "the Rocky Mountains is the marrow of the world," and by God, I was right. Keep your nose in the wind and your eye along the skyline.”
Del Gue in "Jeremiah Johnson"

Offline Rock Home Isle

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Re: Makin the Plunge & Gettin Chickens
« Reply #26 on: April 08, 2012, 03:52:57 AM »
I did this last year! WAS going to this spring, but when I checked on the birds, I was able to get 6 Mo old polts so we had the coup and with winter setting in, the rest was easy.

Our birds are road island red/leg horn crosses. They are very harty and good layers. for six birds we get form 6-10 eggs a day.

I grew up with chickens, but haven't had any for over 30 years...

Good luck, they are fun.



CW

That is such a cool photo.  8)
“Lost?? Hmmm... been fearsome confused for a month or two, but I ain't never been lost!”
Henry Frap the "Mountain Men"

“Ain't this somethin'? I told my pap and mam I was going to be a mountain man; acted like they was gut-shot. Mother Gue said to me; ‘Make your life go here, son. Here's where the people is. Them mountains is for Indians and wild men.’  "Mother Gue", I says "the Rocky Mountains is the marrow of the world," and by God, I was right. Keep your nose in the wind and your eye along the skyline.”
Del Gue in "Jeremiah Johnson"

Offline Rock Home Isle

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Re: Makin the Plunge & Gettin Chickens
« Reply #27 on: April 14, 2012, 12:48:46 PM »
I set railroad ties as a base to support the Chicken Coop. Here is the trench that I dug out for one of the ties.

“Lost?? Hmmm... been fearsome confused for a month or two, but I ain't never been lost!”
Henry Frap the "Mountain Men"

“Ain't this somethin'? I told my pap and mam I was going to be a mountain man; acted like they was gut-shot. Mother Gue said to me; ‘Make your life go here, son. Here's where the people is. Them mountains is for Indians and wild men.’  "Mother Gue", I says "the Rocky Mountains is the marrow of the world," and by God, I was right. Keep your nose in the wind and your eye along the skyline.”
Del Gue in "Jeremiah Johnson"

Offline Rock Home Isle

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Re: Makin the Plunge & Gettin Chickens
« Reply #28 on: April 14, 2012, 12:51:07 PM »
Here the Tie is set and leveled into the ground.
 

 
I have a Cement Block set in the Run that will support one of the Legs of the Coop. All the other legs will rest on Railraod Ties.
“Lost?? Hmmm... been fearsome confused for a month or two, but I ain't never been lost!”
Henry Frap the "Mountain Men"

“Ain't this somethin'? I told my pap and mam I was going to be a mountain man; acted like they was gut-shot. Mother Gue said to me; ‘Make your life go here, son. Here's where the people is. Them mountains is for Indians and wild men.’  "Mother Gue", I says "the Rocky Mountains is the marrow of the world," and by God, I was right. Keep your nose in the wind and your eye along the skyline.”
Del Gue in "Jeremiah Johnson"

Offline Rock Home Isle

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Re: Makin the Plunge & Gettin Chickens
« Reply #29 on: April 14, 2012, 12:54:13 PM »
The Coop is 4 feet by 6 feet. Here is the initial construction. The base of the Coop is 3/4 inch Marine Plywood. My father finished a major addition to his house, so a lot of the materials for this project were donated by him. I kinda think that is a better use of the materials than burning it in the fire pit.  8)
 
“Lost?? Hmmm... been fearsome confused for a month or two, but I ain't never been lost!”
Henry Frap the "Mountain Men"

“Ain't this somethin'? I told my pap and mam I was going to be a mountain man; acted like they was gut-shot. Mother Gue said to me; ‘Make your life go here, son. Here's where the people is. Them mountains is for Indians and wild men.’  "Mother Gue", I says "the Rocky Mountains is the marrow of the world," and by God, I was right. Keep your nose in the wind and your eye along the skyline.”
Del Gue in "Jeremiah Johnson"