General Update-090919

I worked on the chicken coop today. I purchased some more chicken wire and poultry staples. I placed chicken wire on the sides and end. I also ran some wire from the chicken house to the end post, I then took some wire-cage clamps that I was given to build wire cages, and clamped the top of the fence to the wire.

I layed two bowed 2"x4"s across the middle and end poles of the chicken yard, then ran three strands of wire from the chicken house, across the top of the center board and anchored it to the end board. This is intended to help support the chicken wire roof pieces of chicken yard. Since I widened the yard the chicken wire can't sit on the top evenly... so disturbing for a perfectionist! They should be flat and stretched tight but alas, they're wavy!

I will add a board screwed to the poles that runs along the ground between poles the length of the yard. The chicken wire is lose at the bottom and animals would be able to climb underneath. I think a board will add some strength and allow me to tack the chicken wire on to the board.

I also noted that one of my rabbit pellet trays was cracked and sagging so I bought a 1" steel brace and screwed it in. I hope it will hold so I don't have to take it all apart and replace the broken board.

I also bought two 2"x4"s to use to brace the bowing rabbitry roof. I will jack up the roof to remove the dip then screw in the new boards to brace it.

I priced rabbit feeders and waterers online from BASS. I think I will need to spend around $50+, and about the same for the waterers so not looking forward to spending that money however I think It will save me some grief in the end. The waterers are adapters for 2 liter soda bottles that also come with a bracket to hold it to the cage. I will start with 10 bottles but will probably end up putting two bottles in each fryer cage.

The feeders are the self-filtering type that allow the feed dust to fall through. They will range from 11" for the fryer cages to to 6" for the breeder cages. I will also make hay racks out of wire caging.

I researched nest boxes and will begin to build them soon. I found a great site that showed how to make ten nest boxes with one 4'x8' sheet of plywood, however the boxes were too small. The basic design is easy though and should be no problem to build. I will try to finish up the chicken coop this or next week then move on to the nest boxes.

Tony
Cantonment

General Update-090907

Today I finished the poop trays for the rabbitry.. what pain, and nasty since I used tar to glue the tar paper to the OSB. I used OSB because it was cheap but knew it would not last in the elements so I have used left over tar paper and tar to weather proof it. I will build a thin scraper to scrape the trays regularly. I also bought handles for the breeder cage doors but didn't put them on. I power screwed my ring finger bruising one side and putting a blood blister under the other side.

I must now build the nest boxes for the breeder cages and maybe a open sided box to offer the fryer rabbits more comfort during harsh weather. Then I will bu the bottles and feeders and the rabbitry will be ready.

The chicken coop is almost ready. I need to add caging to the yard and some shelter, maybe another nest box beneath the first, larger I think. I may also build a small shelter area at the other end of the yard, and including a perch.

I managed to break off two branches off of two blueberry bushes. Maybe I can root them, maybe not.

Tony
Cantonment

General Update-090903

Today I was able to place one row of chicken wire down the back side of the chicken yard. It amazes me how difficult poultry nails can be to hammer in. Its never about a flat board on a hard surface. I had to bend over and hammer in the nail while stretching and placing the chicken. I think I may only need one more role of chicken wire, maybe two with the roof. I think I will use the turnbuckle and wire support for the roof.

I also bought 6 tomato plants, three Celebrity's and three... Sundowners, something like that, and four Acorn squash plants. I also have a packet of squash seeds I will put out too. I think I'll put the tomatoes in the front raised beds, and the squash in the raised bed on the side of the house. These will be easy to clean and plant, though I'll need to use some fertilizer. I hope the tomatoes will produce outside the normal bug life cycle.

This weekend I will try to get all the chicken wire I have up, and build the rabbit pellet trays. Maybe even jack-up and fix the roof. I need will need a couple straight 2"x4"x8' boards and some 3" exterior screws, and my jack. For the rabbit trays I will need to buy another gallon of tar though I think I have the needed wood.

A thing I learned recently is not to store boards standing up. I think it makes them warp. Store the flat; horizontal.

I was also thinking recently, after the success of my new gate made from 1"x2" s that I might make 8' sections of fence the same way... basically a 2"x4" on each end, a 2"x2" on the top and bottom and 1"x2" boards spaced out at around 4" running in between. I could eventually replace the interior wire fences and ugly green metal poles. Its something to think about, after I fix the things wrong on the house this Fall/Winter.

Tony
Cantonment

General Update- 090901

I went out this afternoon and dug two post holes for the last two posts for the chicken yard. I mis-measured on the first post and had to pull it and re-dig the hole. So, all four poles are in and I used the old dog kennel gate for the entrance to the chicken yard. I need to change out the second to the tol rung of the ladder/perch in the chicken house and add a longer last rung.

I need to add the chicken wire to the chicken yard and figure out the configuration; where to hang the waterers and feeders. I also need to think about creating further shelter. I will either add something to the chicken house, or add a little nook somewhere in the chicken yard.

Maybe add a slightly bigger nest box below the first box. If I did this the wood-row would protect the house from the East and the box from the other three directions.

I also want to run some conduit and wire to the coop area and the rabbitry; lighting for the coop and rabbitry, and a fan(s) for the rabbitry to help combat Summer heat. I could also run a line to the aquaponics area. I will also need to run a water line to the chiken and rabbit areas. I will also develop a rain catchment system to compensate for the "city water".

Tony
Cantonment