Cable ties

On December 3, 2021November 30, 2021 By CarynIn Coop, Life Hack

I love cable ties. In my book they rank with duct tape and WD-40 in the “it needs to work now” tool box. Yes, they are great for taming and organizing cables, but they also make good chicken leg tags (my hens are color coded). Putting signage up on a wire fence is an easy task with a hole punch and some cable ties. When the rotating wall mount for the webcam no longer holds, cable ties can be used to prop up the weakened part.

Cable ties used to prop up a webcam on the coop

The webcam is still hit or miss on connectivity. Sometimes I am able to connect, sometimes I’m not. Very frustrating. I keep tinkering with it, though.

Chicken coop updates

On October 9, 2021 By CarynIn Coop

I finally installed the new thermometer and hygrometer in the coop. It took about a minute to pound the nail into the siding, but the gauge has been sitting on the counter inside for weeks. At least it is now up.

As long as I was checking things off the list, I also put up my Texas Farm Bureau warning sign. A warning sign for my chickens, to protect me if someone else makes stupid decisions on my property. The law recently changed here to include fowl with horses and cows and goats. So I put up my sign.

Warning sign that farm animal activities can be dangerous

Happy Crossvine

On September 22, 2021September 17, 2021 By CarynIn Coop, Garden

The cross vine I planted near the coop runs is happy! It has vines climbing up on two sides of the run, and has bloomed (small orange spots in the photo). The hope is that it fills in the corner to provide shade for the chicken run and since it is in full sun (one of the few places on our property that has full sun), we hope when it is established the bloom profusion will be spectacular. There are other cross vines in the area that have an amazing display of blooms multiple times per year.

Cross vine climbing the outside of the the chicken run

Molting

On September 16, 2021 By CarynIn chickens, Coop, eggs

My hens have started their molting time. The coop and run, from a distance, look like there has been a small snow flurry. The hens themselves look moth-eaten and disheveled. Egg production has slowed to a near stand still; I’m getting maybe one egg every other day. About this time last year the eggs stopped completely and they didn’t start laying again until the end of January. That was fours months without eggs. Hello powdered eggs, lets see how you do.

Clean coop

On February 26, 2021 By CarynIn chickens, Coop

I was going to clean out the coop before Winterpocolypse, but then saw the forecast and decided not to because the decaying matter produces some extra heat. I even had the new bales of pine flakes on the back porch! So when it warmed up, my eldest and I locked the chickens in the run so they didn’t freak out, then cleaned out the old shavings, put down some diatomaceous earth, and spread 5 bags of clean pine. We emptied the old straw from the nests and replaced it with new straw sprinkled with some dried lavender. In the process, I also cut out one roost bar, shortening the roost by about 16”. The chickens never used the whole roost, in fact, they only use half of the new area, but by making it a bit smaller it makes it easier for the humans to move around! In whole it took the two of us two hours to clean. Not too bad.

Critters and Craft

Category: Coop