Category: Coop

Storm

On By CarynIn Coop

We had a big thunderstorm with 60-80 mile and hour winds and hail. I can’t verify the hail because the storm hit about 8:45 and it was too dark to see, but the weather app says we had hail, so there we go. It was loud.

Screen shot from the weather app during the storm

And wet, so much rain so quickly. Despite putting more dirt in front of the coop, the whole area was a muddy mess in the morning. I had almost a full bale of compressed straw (outdoor cat cold boxes don’t use much), so I took it down to the coop, laid it over the mud, and pressed it down with my feet. It is still pretty sloppy, but at least I no longer sink up to my ankles and come away full of mud.

Temporary mud control

Since the chicks are stuck inside, I tried hanging a romaine lettuce head in their area as enrichment. I used a screwdriver to push some plastic twine through the stem, then hung it in the chick area.

Stringing romaine lettuce

Chicks don’t seem thrilled.

Romaine lettuce hanging in the coop.

But Pooh finding a caterpillar was great fun!

Following the path

On By CarynIn Coop

I’ve worked for two days digging and laying brick edging to continue the path from the house to the coop.

I still need to fill it with decomposed granite, but at least the edges are set in. I set two layers of brick on this downhill side. I’m debating in whether to have a couple yards of material delivered, or to pick up bags like I did for the first half of the path.

The chicks are doing well and approaching two week mark. I’ve been working on picking them up with out freak out. Tigger was awesome and did a great demo for the video.

Heat lamp

On By CarynIn Coop

Yesterday I learned that the big box stores stop selling heaters in the spring. Understandable, but made me a little panicked when the forecast was for a low of 40 and the instructions on the radiant heat brooder say to keep the air temperature above 50. We’ve lived in Texas for awhile. We don’t own heaters.

The blanket around the end of the brooder area was OK during the day, but to be safe, I went and bought a brooder heat lamp (and took down the blanket, I’ve been through a fire, don’t want to again). The heat lamp worked. The air temperature in the brooder near the lamp stayed in the high 50s. The chicks were happy in the morning.

Brooder heat lamp, it looks closer than it is.

Batten down the hatches

On By CarynIn chickens, Coop, Uncategorized

or the hardware cloth, as you wish. I finished installing the hardware cloth around the base of the coop and used batten boards to secure them.

I then backfilled with dirt most of the way around. Some of the areas we are going to line with landscaping fabric and fill with rock to help divert water flow. I also filled the front area with more dirt trying to make it a little higher than the surrounding terrain so the rain runoff goes somewhere other than by the door. We’ll see soon if it works.

The chicks are still growing like little weeds. Today I tried getting them to eat out of my hand. No problem.

We are having a cold front and I am concerned about the temperature of the coop. They have two Ecoglow heaters and both the food and water are nearby. Here’s hoping it doesn’t get too cold.

Proof of life

On By CarynIn chickens, Coop
Installing hardware cloth around the coop

I spent most of the day installing hardware cloth around the base of the coop (in the trenches I dug earlier) to keep out digging predators. I checked under the coop with a flashlight to make sure I wasn’t locking anything in, and then Sophie casually sauntered in and refused to come out. Cat. I left the space under the front door open as I completed the rest of the perimeter so she could escape.

Proof of life. I did not trap the cat under the coop, hurray!

Once she did leave, I was able to quickly finish the install, then photographed her outside so the kids would believe me that I didn’t trap her underneath, as much as she wanted to be there! I used staples just to get the wire in place, and tomorrow I will install batten boards, since the staples won’t hold long term. I still need to put the wire around the steps too, but at least the cats shouldn’t be able to get underneath anymore.

The chicks are growing rapidly! We did a weight on everyone tonight, and some have over doubled their weight in less than a week. Tigger put on the most weight, gaining 39g. Schmoo only gained 13g. We have also put one bottle of water with only apple cider vinegar and the other with the electrolyte and probiotic solution (it really helps if I read the directions, sheesh). I raised both brooders to the second level and they seem to be OK with it. Here is a video: