Chicken – Page 5

responsibility to animals

I had a good time at the Georgia Organics annual conference – its 15th and my 7th. The Friday workshops and farm visit and the Saturday educational sessions were excellent and the two keynote speakers have national repute and lived up to expectations. At my breakfast table on Friday morning was an organic livestock farmer. I asked him a question which was triggered by the assistance I am providing to two ailing chickens: “What do you do when one of your animals get sick?” His answer was simple and to the point: “If they get sick it means they do not fit in my system and I eliminate them.”

Later that day during the farm visit the same topic came up when the farmer was asked how often he deworms his sheep. He deworms them all at the beginning of the season and then if one sheep needs deworming he will deworm it a second time and if it is still wormy (if that is the word) he eliminates it – “three strikes and you’re out” he said. I am interested in dairy goats so I attended a session on keeping goats. The presenter was from the west coast (interestingly several presenters had moved from the west coast to Georgia or Alabama) and her stance was different. She stressed the importance of good management practices and prevention but, if a sheep or goat gets ill and is non responsive to organic treatments, she will use conventional medicine. She felt she has a responsibility to the animal and cannot let it suffer. The final viewpoint was expressed by a DVM (doctor of veterinary medicine) who said he would cull the animal to avoid the problem spreading and because its genetics were wrong. His only exception was if the animal was a pet and then he would do whatever to save it. So four commercial practitioners came to a three to one vote.

Some decisions are not simple. If you hew to the organic road then conventional treatments should have no place. I also understand the “genetics” argument – it is no surprise in humid summers that the tomatoes with inbred resistance to the various blights do far better than the regular tomatoes. So to travel the organic path you must select robust partners. I would probably have done much better with hybrid chickens than some of the gorgeous looking birds we bought, a few of which are struggling, which also makes me wonder if perhaps there was some inbreeding down the road. One chicken has a persistent sour crop, which means the food she eats is not being processed properly by her body. I watch her closely – she is the only one who won’t eat the occasional greens or yogurt which I provide, which would have helped avoid her condition. After a couple visits to the vet I am now medicating her with nystatin (using a feeding tube down her throat to administer the medicine) and she may (believe it or not) have to wear a bra to help her crop regain its regular shape. This is going to extremes, I agree, but I am also interested in how it all works – what causes things to go wrong and how you can fix them.

If you have to make a living from organic farming then culling the inferior specimens seems the way to go. But then it gets back to why you are doing this anyhow – if it is to experience all the manifestations of life it is hard to let one depart when you could (presumably) have saved it, or at least made the attempt.

not always clear sailing

It is good, I suppose, to be reminded occasionally of how fallible we are.

I have, or I should say “had”, a pair of Speckled Sussex hens – acquired with the other 3 different pairs as youngsters and, at the time of writing, less than a year old. For the past few weeks the Speckled Sussex had been acting out of sorts, not running up to the fence to greet me (in the expectation of handouts) as the others did, and preferring to huddle down next to each other. I thought this was a temporary malaise, perhaps the shortened daylight hours were depressing them, perhaps they enjoyed their own privacy. After all they are shorter and more compact than the other taller birds. Pehaps they were snobs. I remembered how, when I first brought them and the other 3 pairs of chicken home, they had victimized the two Golden Comets and continuously chased the Comets away from the communal feed tray. The result was the Comets were ostracized and had to have their own feed tray and keep their own quarters. This continued until the Comets got bigger, bigger than the Speckled Sussex, and more confident, and then it was no longer a problem.

So all these thoughts went through my mind as I kept an eye of the lonesome pair. I only realized there was a problem when they wouldn’t move at all when I approached them. Previously they had always kept their distance from me and rebuked any attempt to pick them up. Now they wouldn’t move and I was able to easily pick them both up, one in each hand, and carry them to their coop in the evening. And then it dawned on me that one was weak and sick and the other was loyally staying by its side (I will return to the use of “loyally” later). The next morning the weak one was clearly exhausted and its one eye was closed. The farm store manager suggested it had respiratory problems and asked if I heard a “gurgling” in its breathing. He suggested I dose it with VetRx, which I (and he) thought was an antibiotic. However, when I examined the package more closely I realized it was not an antibiotic but had natural ingredients to alleviate congestion (I could also have figured this out by reading the label more closely – “based on a formula in use since 1874”). I administered almost half a cup with a syringe and the hen began breathing much, much better. However, a few hours later the gurgle returned. And later that pm it departed – I think it was too weak and I had left intervention until too late.

My initial concern was that the other 13 birds might be affected (in addition to the 8 I purchased as youngsters, I was also gifted 6 older hens by a neighbor). This does not appear to be the case. But I have another problem – the remaining Speckled Sussex. Wikepedia describes “sentience” as “the ability to feel, perceive or be conscious, or to have subjective experiences”. Are chicken sentient? Based on my ongoing travails with the remaining Speckled Sussex I answer “definitely”. As her companion suffered she stopped eating and now her companion is no longer around she has lost all interest in her surroundings and apparently in life itself. For the past few mornings I have separated her from the others and offered home made whole wheat bread and 4 to 5 worms from the compost heap. I do not like offering worms on a platter – they are great workers and it seems unfair, but I feel I let her down and am trying to make amends (and save her). The worms are irresistible to her and she also enjoys snacking on the bread. But when I return her to the others she continues to be mournful and will sit alone and make an occasional lament (or so it sounds to me). There is, of course, the possibility that she is also unwell. I have an antibiotic (Tetracycline) at the ready and I have segregated her from the flock, but since she appears alert, is eating, and is breathing clearly, I am holding off on the antibiotic for now.

I tried to find another Speckled Sussex and was going to inspect it the next day, when it was sold. Perhaps this is better since a new hen may have its own problems with the rest of the flock and may not get on all that well anyway with my Speckled Sussex, so buying another one of approximately the same age may be compounding my problems.

013112 lonesome survivor — lonesome survivor

With the above lesson, or reprimand, taken to heart I now act more quickly on possible problems. For several weeks one of the Golden Comets made a curious forward backward motion with its neck – not often, but perhaps every five minutes. Otherwise very active. On the off chance that there might be some blockage in her crop I dosed her with olive oil using a syringe. That funny motion seems to have stopped. But from now on, in addition to observing them, I will also intervene more quickly. And hopefully, sunny days will return.

it’s off to work we go

So its off to work we go
now the night long roost is done
and the fledgling sun
brings cheer and early crow

we hear the padlock click
the stay bolt undone
we gather at the coop door
and here’s our keeper Rick

he points out the way
a 50 yard jog
across a field and up a hill
its the fruit trees turn today

he is deep into organics
no sprays at all
munchies abounding
for us his soil mechanics

he wants the bad bugs gone
we’re happy to oblige
we eat them all both good and bad
and give our chicken song

012412 at work b — we eat them all both good and bad

some say its like a squawk
or shriek to pierce the ears
our cries and clucks and tuck tuck tucks
that is music and our talk

the paddock has a shelter
with water for our thirst
and egg boxes provided
to cushion the ejector

its fenced to show the playground
we could easily fly above
but grass is greener this side
and grubs to be found

we feel with out splayed feet
the bugs beyond our view
a quick back swipe with claw
finds a wriggle for the beak

012312 off to workd — a quick back swipe with claw

they visit in the night
the possum, fox and coons
and then we’re in our coop home
secure and snuggled tight

there is a local hawk
we used to duck for cover
but now we’re twice its size
and he can only gawk

as we continue at our play
or should I say its work
the scoot and scratch and eat
a day long happy treat.

chicken synergies

The chicken are still doing well. Six hens from my former neighbor (4 hybrids, 1 Ameraucana, 1 ISA brown) and 8 youngsters ( 2 Buff Orpingtons (1 of which is a rooster called “Buffy”), 2 Golden Comets, 2 New Jersey Giants and 2 Speckled Sussex). No casualties, though one of the hybrids walks with a noticeable limp and is now called “Gimpy”. The two dominant hens are the Ameraucana and the ISA brown, which curiously are also among the smallest. The two largest hens, the New Jersey Giants, are the most timid and the 2 Speckled Sussex are the most antisocial. Whenever there is a commotion amongst the hens, Buffy rushes in to settle the dispute. He also charges out when there is a disturbance or security risk and crows throughout the day. Notwithstanding shortened daylight hours I am getting 5 to 6 eggs a day. I have decided against supplementing daylight with artificial lighting on a timer. The coop I constructed is working well for them – no moisture from outside and inside temperatures have not fallen below 30 F (when the outside has fallen to mid teens). They seem healthy enough though occasionally there is a soft shelled egg (to my dog’s delight) , so I supplement with yogurt and oyster shells.

I grow organically and my small orchard of 12 apple and assorted fruit trees began bearing fruit last year (actually I also have a 2nd orchard of first year fruit trees some years away from fruit bearing). With the appearance of fruit there also appeared a variety of bugs, especially on my apple trees. I know sanitation is important – removing the fallen fruit and wood cuttings because the pests overwinter in the fruit and cuttings. But how to remove the soil slumberers?

I installed a fence and 2 gates around the orchard and built a chicken day shelter and constructed a passage way to span the 120 ft from the main chicken enclosure to the orchard. And now my flock are hard at work in the orchard, removing debris and mulch with vigorous back swipes of their feet and voraciously eating the grubs and other soil dwellers.

011512 chicken paddock a — a 6 ft galvanized mesh gate installed to the orchard chicken paddock

Fencing is a fairly costly business. I used welded rather than the more expensive woven wire fences which are necessary for horses and goats, so there is a saving there. However, the gates cost from $65 to $100 and, if I had welding skills and access to surplus metal, I would make them myself – but I don’t, so I pay – and they should last indefinitely.

The passage way is temporary and I bought the red plastic material and stakes for about $9 per 100 ft from Lowes – marked down from $30.

011512 chicken paddock b — passage way from main chicken enclosure to orchard paddock

I remedied the problem of the fence slipping down the posts by drilling a hole through each post near the top and tying string through the hole and the top of the fence.

Finally, the day shelter. I dug 2 ft holes for each of the 4 posts, bolted on 6″ wide planks to the 2 long sides and then 2′ by 4″ purlins and then screwed down galvanized roof sheeting. The roof sheeting was $20 for a 12ft long 2 ft wide sheet, which I cut in half to fit in my truck and to produce a 6ft by 4ft roof. I will board up the south and west sides to make them feel more secure and sheltered from the sun. In the shelter I have horizontally placed a 5 gal bucket with straw in the hope the hens will use it for egg laying, and a water container. To alert the flock to the advantages of the shelter I threw in a few handfuls of scratch corn, which immediately got their attention.

011512 chicken paddock c — chicken day shelter 6 ft by 4 ft, with 5 gal bucket for egg laying

The roof slopes to the west to ensure the rain will run to the west and not over the east entrance. In addition to reducing orchard pests I expect the flock will enjoy a more varied diet, get more exercise, and consume less of the purchased food I provide.

preparing for winter

Yesterday morning I did not need a weather forecast to know cold was incoming and that it was time to protect some of the plantings. Of the 12 fruit trees installed earlier this year, the Gold Nugget loquat was the most vulnerable. The loquat is suited for sub-tropical to mild temperate zones and freezing temperatures will kill the buds if not the tree. My loquat did not do very well this summer, probably too hot for it, but I will do what I can to help it and first steps was to winterwrap it. Since it is only a few feet tall, it fitted easily into one of my tomato cages, which I had made from welded steel wire re-mesh. I then wrapped the cage and the space above the tree with agripon AG-30 row cover, as shown below.

1118b loquat — loquat in tomato cage wrapped with row cover

Next to the vegetables. I have two raised beds where I am growing several varieties of lettuce as well as spinach, kale etc. Rather than using a hoop system my thought is to drape row covers over the beds just above the vegetables. This should be less vulnerable to strong winds and may offer better protection. For my first bed I bridged the long sides of the bed with two cedar posts and then strapped a 4″ pvc drain pipe to the posts and draped the row crop over this. Below is the finished product as it appeared this morning (you can see the frost on the adjacent strawberries):

1118c veg bed — raised vegetable bed covered with row cover

If the description was difficult to follow, here is a shot with the row cover removed:

1118d veg bed — raised vegetable bed with fixtures for row cover

Only half of this bed is being used for vegetables. I have extensively planted the other half and also the spaces between the vegetables with garlic. For my second bed I simply placed the row cover over the vegetables and secured with 3 2×4 untreated planks, as shown below:

1118e veg bed — vegetable bed covered against frost

The temperature fell to 22 degrees and the vegetables did fine, though it was not a heavy frost. Since temperatures are predicted to stay above freezing for the next five days, I removed the covers this morning, a simple task which took just a few minutes.

1118f veg bed — long raised vegetable bed with lettuce interplanted with garlic

My new chicken coop is working out great. Air can flow freely out the rafters at the top and I leave two of the windows slightly ajar. I was curious to learn how cold it really gets. I transplanted my two min max thermometers from my greenhouse to the coop and sited one outside at the door and the other on the partition which divides the coop into the old flock and new flock areas. This morning the outside temperature was 22 degrees and the inside temperature was 36 degrees, higher mostly I would think because of the heat of the birds. My greenhouse, which is fully enclosed, only provides a differential of about 10 degrees between outside cold and inside temperatures.

1118g thermo — thermometer reading 22 degrees

1118h thermo — min max thermometer on coop door

Since power outages may be expected, I checked my flashlights and found that my large 4 cell mag-lite was not functioning. Two of the 4 batteries had leaked and corroded the inside. Removing the batteries proved near impossible. I decided to drill a hole into the bottom of the battery and screw a large lag eye bolt into the battery and, with the assistance of a helper, pull them apart. After much tugging the bolt separated from the battery and the battery remained, unmoved, in the flashlight body. I then located a larger diameter hanger bolt and screwed this into the battery.

1118h flashlight repair — hanger bolt on left shown inserted in a battery, and lag eye bolt on right

I no longer had my helper but additional help was unnecessary since, with a assortment of 2×4’s I established a platform for the nut on the hanger bolt to leverage against. It was then a simple matter to tighten the hanger bolt nut with a wrench and slowly extricate the two damaged batteries. After rinsing out and scrubbing the flashlight interior with a liquid mix of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and installing new, and a better brand of, batteries, the flashlight is good to go.

1118i flashlight repair — tighten the nut and the bad battery comes out (slowly)

November tasks

No pics for this post since my camera informed me the battery pack had to be replaced and refused further negotiation.

A pleasurable task, this time of year, is collecting the flower seeds. I did my first Cosmos seeding early 2010 and, from the seeds gathered last November and spread this past spring, I enjoyed a whole new expanse of Cosmos. By November 8, as was the case last year, most of the seeds have dried and spread and are easy to grasp in one’s hand and release into a shopping bag. Lots of Cosmos and every few days I gather more. Also collecting Marigold and Zinnia seeds for new plantings next year.

I am heavily studying permaculture and a recommended plant is the Gumi/Goumi (Elaeagnus multiflora), native to China, Korea and Japan, which provides edible fruit, fixes nitrogen and apparently has medicinal uses. Rather than buy a plant, I bought 12 seeds which arrived after a 2 week trip from NS, Canada accompanied with a note “Has a long germination requirement, often taking 2 full winters before germination.” This will surely test my propagating abilities. For starters, I moistened some seed starting mix and placed, with 6 seeds, in a zip loc bag in the refrigerator. To mimic two years I may remove from the refrigerator in a month’s time and allow to warm for a while and then back into the refrigerator to trick the seeds into thinking this is their second winter. I suspect I will find these seeds are not easily tricked – that’s why I kept 6 seeds in storage for a second go round.

I am also trying, for the first time, to propagate cuttings. I have had success with layering where you pin a low branch of a shrub on the ground, maybe roughen the underside, cover with compost and soil and leave for a few months and, when you return the pinned branch has developed roots and can now be cut from the mother plant and transplanted. Works very well with azaleas and forsythias. But cuttings is something new and, when I have definitive progress, I shall include some pics. I am aware that the best time to be doing this is in spring when the plant is in growth mode, not at the end of fall when systems are shutting down. And spring next year I shall also be trying grafting on my fruit trees.

Next week I should receive some root cuttings of Comfrey, Goldenseal and Jerusalem Artichoke, and also two varieties of mulberry, black bamboo and everbearing strawberries. Just in time to plant before the real cold settles the ground. I have been growing early season strawberries for several years and they were very sweet and spread prolifically. However, their fruiting season is too short, and so I hope to be similarly lucky with the everbearing variety.

With the cooling temperatures I have been progressively winterizing the bee hive. A couple months ago I removed the big sun umbrella which protected them from overhead sun, then I removed the board fence on the west side which protected them from afternoon sun, now I have stapled the plastic sheeting to the frame which encompasses the hive, and I slid in the bottom board, so only the entrance side and the top are open to the elements. I also have left them with a lot of their honey (my last harvesting was August 5) so I hope they will have enough to get through the winter without my having to give them sugared water. Since I do not use any chemicals, I want them as healthy and strong as possible to survive the challenges of winter and their own honey will be infinitely better than a sugared substitute.

And the chicken? The 6 older hens are delivering 3 eggs a day which is ok for now, given the shortening daylight hours. The flock of eight (7 hens and 1 rooster) are now about 6 months old and only one of them (one of the Golden Comets) is egg producing. They love their new coop and seem to be having a great time so I have had a few chats with them about the importance of delivering more eggs – “eggs or the pot” I say to them. In December, if egg production is down, I may use artificial lighting on a timer to get them 14 hours of light and more into an egg laying frame of mind.

new chicken coop – completed

I completed the chicken coop project over the past weekend. I did all the work myself except for the assistance of a friend who helped me hoist 5 of the 6 windows into place and fit the entrance door. In previous posts I mentioned my progress on its construction. It is built on sloping ground so I started by using my bobcat to build a level pad, half of which was cut into the slope and the other half was infill from soil removed from the slope. Then with my trencher/stump remover attached to the bobcat I dug drainage trenches on the two sides of the pad which cut into the slope. The building is 18 ft by 10 ft and secured by posts concreted into the ground. Digging the post holes took a lot more time than anticipated since there were a number of largish stones (boulders) which had to be removed and this resulted in some cases in very wide holes. With the posts finally in place, construction went quickly. A time consuming task was digging the trenches between the posts for the cement blocks which I lined up 8″ deep to form my barrier against predator tunnels. I am concerned that predators can dig deeper than 8″ tunnels and will keep a lookout for perimeter activity.

The first photo is the entrance. The only 6ft wide gate available at the time of purchase is for larger animals rather than chicken, so I used some of my fence wire to cover the gaps between the horizontal bars.

I screened all openings which remained after construction with hardware cloth. I also added the hardware cloth to two of the windows (lower half which opens) so that I can leave the windows ajar during the nights. To attach the cloth to the timber I used a pneumatic stapler (and safety glasses) and this sped up the work considerably.

There are a total of 6 windows, four in the front and one on each side. This photo shows the entrance, with my $8 front door purchased from the thrift store and my rainwater storage tank. I will use the rainwater to irrigate the tree and shrub plantings I am installing in the chicken range areas.

The coop is divided into two halves – one for the 8 younger chicken and the other for the 6 older hens. I intended to keep them all in the one half and use the other for growing and other activities. However, it appeared too cramped and there is still some friction between the two flocks. Each half has its own water container, food container, perches and nesting box. This photo shows the half closest to the entrance in which the 6 older girls now live, and the large nesting box inherited from my neighbor as well as the steps (4.5″ spacing) on the inclined plank to facilitate accessing the perch (horizontal, non pressure treated 2×4 at top left).

The two areas are separated by fencing material and a gate I salvaged.

The other half is outfitted much as the first. Incidentally, in one of the nest boxes is a Golden Comet and, I discovered later, she is in the process of laying her first egg. Maybe living in close quarters with the older egg laying hens accelerated the process. The step spacing in this coop is 6″ which I think is a bit too far apart – you can see Lady Macbeth on her way up to the perch.

I spray painted the exterior with a block stain. This photo of the rear of the coop shows the slanting gutter leading to the storage tank and the drainage ditch on the north, slope side, of the coop.

And, finally, this photo shows the west side with the drainage ditch between the slope and the pad on which the coop is built. I have used 4 ft fencing which a number of the birds can easily fly over, but as longer as there is habitat and things to scrounge for they appear content to stay within the fenced areas.

Finally, I must plant up the soil which surrounds the coop before it is eroded by the rains. I may transplant sod from the hill or try seeding it. With temperatures beginning to fall, it may be too late for seeding.

progress on the coop and a simple replacement fix

Chicken coop

The future chicken coop is progressing. I installed the windows and door with the help of a friend. Just outside of Atlanta there is a large employee owned window manufacturer and they custom manufacture windows which are occasionally returned because of wrong specs, finish, customer couldn’t pay etc. Nothing actually wrong with the windows. These returned windows are stored separately and are advertised on Craig’s list. I bought 6 of these windows (dimensions 4 ft by 4 ft) for about $50 to $60 each, and now I am putting them to use.

Incidentally, the coop building will be used for more than just the chickens. I intend this year to propagate cuttings of various fruit trees and berries and a ledge along the south facing windows will be a good spot for the cuttings, once they have rooted. I read in a permaculture book that CO2 from the chickens will also help plants stored in this area. However, no vegetables for concern of contamination – they will be grown under cover or in the greenhouse.

I found the exterior door for the coop at the local thrift store for $8. It really didn’t make sense buying an exterior door for >$100 from one of the big box DIY stores.

Click to see details of the finished coop.

A simple fix
I have a Sears industrial circular saw purchased in the 80’s which has provided excellent service. Recently it would fail to start and I overcame this by turning the saw blade a few inches. Eventually it wouldn’t start at all and I figured it was time to replace the brushes. This usually is the problem when a motor won’t start initially but then starts after you slightly turn the part driven by the motor (or at least in my experience this has been the case). I downloaded the parts diagram, found the part #, found the cheapest supplier (you have to combine part price with shipping cost since the latter can vary greatly) and ordered the part. Except, a few days later the supplier fessed up they didn’t have the part and credited me (they shouldn’t have charged me until they had shipped, but I got the credit). So I paid more, got the part, opened up the saw and replaced the brushes – the whole procedure took less than 10 minutes. There are two brushes and when I removed the first it looked fine and I had real misgivings about my diagnosis. However, as you can see from the photo the second brush was completely worn. And – the saw now works fine and just in time, since I needed it to cut the 4 ft by 8 ft sheathing.

1016 saw b — shows brush in holder pressing on commutator

1016 saw c — there are 2 brushes, the first looks ok

1016 saw d — however, the 2nd brush is completely worn down

Mushrooms

I am seeing more and more mushrooms in the woods following the recent rains. The young mushrooms are rounded at the top and then, when they release their spores they open up and become flat at the top.

1016 mushroom b — an older mushroom which has released its spores

Permaculture

I am becoming increasing interested in permaculture. A few years ago I read the book by Bill Mollison but, though I understood the concepts, they did not resonate with me. Last year I read The One Straw Revolution by Fukuoka and I just finished the permaculture book by Sepp Holzer and am working my way through Gaia’s Garden by Hemenway, which is excellently written. Since I acquired the property I have been doing more than just organic gardening – my contour ditches, my allowing natural growth to overtake the mown areas, my working in the woods – these various projects are neatly encompassed by the permaculture approach. Next step is for me to go on a PDC (permaculture design course). Below is a photo showing fall colors in the opening I cleared in the woods (the “edge” in permaculture):

1016 opening in woods — sourwood fall colors and opening in woods

support the little guy!

coop a — the roof is on the future coop - underside view showing rafters and purlins

Today I finished installing the roof of the future coop. For the rafters I used 2″x6″x12 ft kiln dried wood, not pressure treated; for the purlins I used 2″x4″ pressure treated, and for the roofing 2ft x12ft galvanized steel crimp roof panels. I painted with exterior enamel paint those parts of the rafters which would be exposed to either rain or carpenter bees.

I deliberated long on how to transport the 12 ft lengths of wood and roof panels. My pickup has a 6 ft bed so either I would have had 6 ft hanging out the back of the truck, or I could have slanted it over the cab, but I was concerned I would further scratch and dent the cab roof (not the first time I have transported 12 ft lengths of material) and that the roof panels could buckle from wind pressure as I was driving. So I thought I might rent a truck from one of the two big box DIY chains.

I priced the materials at both chains and they were identical and, to my mind, expensive. So I thought I would visit a local family owned builder supply store. There used to be two such stores within 15 miles of my property and both were dependent on building contractors for their business. And then one, which have been operating for over 80 years, closed down in 2009. So I visited the remaining store. They were very friendly and said they would ship the lumber and roof panels to my property for a $20 delivery charge. An even bigger surprise was their prices – the lumber was about 3% less than the price at the big chains and the roof panels were 20% less. And they were so knowledgeable and helpful! I decided to make additional purchases at their store and all the prices were competitive.

Which brings me back to my heading – where possible we should support the little guys, not because we want to be nice or considerate but because it is in our own self interest to do so. We benefit from the price competition which whittles out the independents but, once they are gone through either liquidation or consolidation, and there are just a few big operators left, as is happening with the airlines, the telecom industry, the banks, the consumer retail stores etc. etc. then we become the victims as the few remaining competitors abandon price competition and gradually price up. So, support the little guy when you can.

new chicken coop

I am making slow progress with construction of the new chicken coop. The present coops are well located for summer weather since they are at the bottom of the hill with large trees to the east and west and well screened from the sun, except when it is overhead. The coops are enclosed by walls on two sides and netting/fencing on two sides, so cold winter winds will easily find the residents. I considered closing in the remaining sides, but decided an extra coop will be handy in the future and, since it will have many windows, a portion may be hived off and pressed into service as a greenhouse. My new location is on slightly higher ground and has much better sun exposure. Since it is on a slope my first task was to level the ground with my bobcat and create a level pad. I dug a perimeter trench between the pad and the two higher sides of the slope so the rain water coming down the hill will be diverted around the pad.

I determined the width by examining roofing materials and noting that most are either 8ft or 12 ft long. Since I would like an overhang of approximately 1 ft on each side, I decided to use 12 ft long roofing over a 10 ft wide coop. The coop is on an east-west axis and the higher side faces south. The most difficult part was digging some of the post holes since there were large rocks in the ground, some bigger than a foot wide, which had to be removed. Below is a photo of the framing which I installed. The horizontal braces between the high side and the lower side are to hold them in place until I can install the roof rafters at which time they will be removed.

Click on these links to follow progress: roof installation and final completion.