Screen change

On April 3, 2022March 31, 2022 By CarynIn chickens, Coop

Ultimately, I hope the crossvine will grow up the sides and across the top of the chicken runs, providing shade in the summer (and a whole host of orange blooms). Several times last year I had to redirect trailing vines away from the man made shade sail I put up. Rather than have warring shade makers, this year I put the sun sail inside the run to keep the afternoon blaze off their food dispenser (which is metal and gets hot).

Shade sail fabric hung up inside the run

The hens were not happy at first; having me rustle around their enclosure with a huge scary cloth was not appreciated. To keep the cloth from flapping too much in the wind, and scaring them further, I used cable ties like a stitch to hold the fabric to the poultry wire.

The next afternoon, they were all clustered happily in the shade in front of the coop. Mission accomplished.

Squatters

On February 15, 2022 By CarynIn Cats, chickens, Coop, Fungi

I’m glad the hardware cloth on the top of the runs is sturdy since the neighborhood cats like to sit on it like fuzzy toadstools. I took the picture with the black cat up and Sophie looking on (I pretty sure she taught them all the trick). My husband took the one of the big white cat, who truly looks like a fungi. The chickens don’t seem to be concerned about fuzzy death from above, but did let out concerned noises when my husband approached. So there we go. The cats have found a place to watch chicken TV without disturbing the inmates.

Black cat on the roof, Sophie on the ground

Cat/Fuzzy toadstool on the chicken runs (photo credit to my husband)

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.

Critters and Craft

Category: Coop