Found a hen in the street "Backyard Chicken"

[BladesNBarrels]

Something else to worry about, from Craigslist in Colorado Springs:

"I have a really sweet chicken that I need to get rid of. She has been eating eggs and has to go.
She is a feather footed brahma so she is pretty big."

75789

[Irving]

I've heard of that, but I'm not sure if there is a way to break them of it. Chickens love eggs. Generally people hard boil them and crunch up the shells so they don't associate their favorite treat with the thing that they lay every day.

[BladesNBarrels]

Found chickens in the road:

75793

[Grant H.]

I've heard of that, but I'm not sure if there is a way to break them of it. Chickens love eggs. Generally people hard boil them and crunch up the shells so they don't associate their favorite treat with the thing that they lay every day.

With the chickens we had when I was younger, the way to stop them eating eggs was to increase the calcium in their diet.

Either through specific feed blends, or by getting them the appropriate vegetables that contain lots of vegetables.

Back in the day, we would ask the grocery store produce guys for their culled items, and they would often give them away for free. We fed our flock of chickens fresh produce nearly year round with free stuff from grocery stores.

[Irving]

Found chickens in the road:
]

I don't think those hens are laying anymore.


With the chickens we had when I was younger, the way to stop them eating eggs was to increase the calcium in their diet.

Either through specific feed blends, or by getting them the appropriate vegetables that contain lots of vegetables.

Back in the day, we would ask the grocery store produce guys for their culled items, and they would often give them away for free. We fed our flock of chickens fresh produce nearly year round with free stuff from grocery stores.

Mine get all my table scraps. You can buy crushed oyster shells that you put out in a separate dish for the laying hens to take as they need. I have a little dish with the oyster shells, and some have been taken. I've been buying my feed from the Big R and using Purina Flock Raiser crumbles. This is high protein (20%+, maybe 23%?), But the way I have my feeder set up, it was causing a lot of waste. The waste didn't bother me as much as the fact that the chicken water-er right next to the feeder drips and after a month the soaked through crumble dust makes a gross smelling food dust patty. Because of this I wanted to switch to a pellet. I bought the only pellet I could find and half way through realized that it is a layer feed with only 18% protein. This is a common mistake, that I made for entirely different reasons.

Generally, people get excited about a hen laying eggs and quickly switch to a laying feed that has less protein and more calcium. The problem is that the birds that haven't started laying are still growing and need that extra protein. Switching to a layer feed asap can slow down the progress of your still developing birds and cause then to start laying later then usual. I didn't read the package and got it just for the type of feed. So now I have layer feed with a side dish of oyster shells that no one needs.

I'm going to switch back to a raiser feed and supplement the oyster shells. It's been several months, but I'm going order a bag of crushed rocks for their stomachs as well.

[BladesNBarrels]

Couldn't resist:

The farmer's son was returning from the market with the crate of chickens his father had entrusted to him, when all of a sudden the box fell and broke open. Chickens scurried off in different directions, but the determined boy walked all over the neighborhood scooping up the wayward birds and returning them to the repaired crate. Hoping he had found them all, the boy reluctantly returned home, expecting the worst.

"Pa, the chickens got loose," the boy confessed sadly, "but I managed to find all twelve of them."

"Well, you did real good, son," the farmer beamed. "You left with seven."

[Irving]

Ha! ^

I just re-read my last post and it makes me look like I was drunk. I remember falling asleep while typing it and struggling to finish coherently. I'm not going to buy a bag of gravel, I already fell for that once. I can get rocks for free.

My second hen laid her first egg today. Same size and color as the other chicken's first egg. I've been getting 5-6 eggs a week from the first hen for a few weeks now. If they all lay that frequently we'll be giving eggs to the neighbors.

Here she is with her first ever egg.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/uqWgVahIeDeDzhR0rC0NJW9tzqVXKvaGkOSrHKXXVqFlr7gquJ bj9ts2xdZiPoEN-9SE3tri09aLxw4vrz2U_kmeucFxqxnNzfpjj0MB1NVez6mSFNj QbXDJuKhxF36XRB3IEnVSrICuOoM4tBVCl0jLWMs1cHNkcuXKg 8c2gS90I4MBjaWmph1LPRtpu-ctiY3jJHFiJD6IpxIlfVHBtsEYWc04R5cgX-nhOEpyLBxR8_Pm_yQoCOrUC07tIiD-rOaaXG_CUaQU6RIKFdlvK-iM2bJVYOqe8LDJpjCUyVCyM7SYw7D-OCUMMG-u_vfArQnn41Lu8MJ4MMQC592weR_qdhsAJqLZWnAbPDPX2__In AdEc-6VD4HrHRgaC53h63NLZMKve-7innbp5e2vFli9v3W7PDlkj3_Qg-rIisKsGoIcMsFHQMriK5Flf4l2WqIwFdNPrQuYjwn-LMSSpibcQv_aJiC6g6JkhkObefxtdClYn4-XR07eDK1TYdA6uxKakmsL5KcjHN2ZoFr-ooK9UIhLYZmeMz202jNhyRW1PTGgDFymhYEQp9GWybXbsTq8PS Ifx06Y5VU3NciSTSZk3RxbDYhQ9Rjarc8hbCAhW4HY1fE4iZQb 6Y4ScTst_FYaobcTiqlN0mfWQXNt8P5Pt7_ac_OQHjpp0jWueS LZ3L7QhUnwBYcoRQ=w1619-h910-no

Store bought extra large white egg, my other chicken's egg, and the new egg, still very small, on the right.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/3GhfWaiyJWilV2-IKUKu3A2qNCLJvVZlUOeNXtYwYpFvRWUEmhj6GTZ0bfwCeUW1W wcb545LXqc9FWEEXAFqwv6Y3UfTuGi5ifHRBab110muWApqUtL RvB30es1fvQrs9To-3V6xKYrKZR1DIZI2Y44N_hd4Gd6OxTp_M6f7EvhUKxKMx0MNCH Wi3Nh4-BXwsCgCsKoT6D-ArvJcZhIcrpD9B2G4ix1VhyogX6j7zjGNVlXieJ0PQMRPrHcfQ VEhXvK0R2UCH_BCJHFu-BLyNkRCS3BKkVSZ5IjClJMzcw6iswVMsFDa4QTAd-ftshcP5oToJt30o2Nt5QmHgwGJvqyR7ZMnx-frIyJkKBAX0TTHaU1ns2JP070ZZt6DwR_7eV-tuvjNmCl6P4zeADWrWvHZWdHFU0woeqt5B77UDemD7YwaVtt6q zC8ZKEtfmSre7_ixfCp5NkDEyz_Fnyhfyi6CAtCy2FZEUP9zzD KNRZhdzpqrYF2g5tk-n1eRLqCVu_8HBRI2IDewgOQsjK4wdU4y1U0068Pet6f0UiAmpP ITglohQVR_R7odak2TqS9xdegENktDgLZl2lwYvq6i10d0vaB_-_t1qdqmu6bWTvjuznpHKCbL-ubnz2G_W1CMrwZ-upytNFBI0c_d0psDDJZCb8yz_CXf--dqegiqXto3TVxLGRvZxyOGw=w1707-h910-no

[Irving]

Both hens in the nesting box this morning. Kind of a bad picture as the red one was just getting up to leave.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/HYvJFvDRzV3HMsHSShjBUWSw8vf3TOfPNf99fKPLHOFYV7b1An nZ0ZvxG63qqOjZ7d6ADzvMxXdG_Asp1Zg8GNWs2ZIeaFTQObsP 7b4iv3Gv33WWh_bcymmRs-X-YjG6isyJhXfs5HHoIaBfL_gKNB9sHHX9pIsEGkEitX9PRUCGUO-gVSRTb6a-RR2oaazSx6KXMg0dxBjb4Cf4OtAtIYGyZ1TBeQ1dg7iJC_2Ird K0TqARbHOlTpC-fGx70M3Coo5BBTXHCAvuF4NfTN1AdgqOKXm4CBrD6gIVbiARnh t6x5JuGQvGnVXZkyn_khlKDIV7hiMKTbrMmxle-kr0lw5_AKqJI3QQyUt7ieXR-8jC6XWpFoN5J5QGIDWhCY87nV6eNNQWFSe9YB-ixGVZ7VqpN1gqtxT5jnYIF38TzZfq0YiIHQ63prAbaiiCoUX89 MHcvV1-9WiSOVv5PKhFWqcHM_BE_M3AVVAf7lp9e6ZoDBJ3f_per5uF0G W5_3Qod5G7qAHakvDidJeFWTjTngOIKhbzGCNdwXWj9MYxkxjd 3t0ZQmTaZKoFflJHPGd-AeSx6ej5g-66n1rBpJIG0cTvebtBhRJOZY3Rw2pBVfRIMybGZZ4hznltcJxk JTXx49mE4VQqmnXERXFF4JYENlua4NajUVapLAP8Gnz9wm_KJ-328ymhmg-bcg=w1619-h910-no

[GilpinGuy]

Bad ass man!


If they all lay that frequently we'll be giving eggs to the neighbors.
I'm considering reducing the size of the quail flock for a few reasons. But if the new puppies like to eat the eggs I may just give them the surplus.

[th3w01f]

If anyone is looking for good laying hens we're looking to retire some of our 2-year-olds. Still, lots of good laying left but we have so many under 1 year to we want to cycle through. I think we're between 25 and 30 total now so we'd be happy to move 4 or 5 to a new home..... and lets not forget that 8 week old rooster. :)

[Irving]

I think my Easter Egger laid her first egg today. Easter Eggers can lay an egg of any color, usually blue or green, so I've been very excited to see what she's going to lay. Well, looks like she'd not very good at this, because the new egg I found today is the same shade of brown as all the others. I think it's hers because it's the smallest chicken egg I've ever seen. I figured her eggs would be smaller, but jeeze.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Nl2HE4ohg7DFpKXLuLt85oNB0872jutMM-ISg7tdb2DwZgdpgjz0DsHRexH_n8yvZ-2h-WbSVC9NGJxUsrrgfSfufXA-mH-4859v0EdKB2T3N8EpiTxyJJLGvuZFommnJ5jsCZL83OdElVqGX g58N3oY4pmHOLN5nYwEd9u1tJ4hGyfNgyEgMu0jb1psoyPIov_ bzVXg2xE8e1SLde6Ka_NpAIcGyIm11NCo8MQ1tYz8INYBpsQrh HbePBqkLAa_6PilYF9H3SLYHU3h8kQ9w_1kMJFxWr2gmLQKwua 1VTzyjRuimznsh3s2OYvu-FP_lFeqH3nZUf8bRJRk469uNwhSe7lV_lxL0IsrHY-v0xKpbijD3hUWcfnfuelL22SVmHSEQaLGdSgBWjvcvHz2iM3-Ec5vBnFneDy9Ce2egb88ak81RynChrjmwcXT6K_L7FWN2V_I28 2dAn9uF917SbSb8lUXEywM5ZiRHtkD8cdjB1APL1m53y3JLR_G tyL51CPobdZbggDhLPHvt-g4oaW62irtPxlDGoJFNJQCspbNCABh3L1xZ0AzIjBnSBrseMma GCBjBaoyD4xoIGaxK_cH7EpZbh8SL5rm14leJzES9Uyphuf6hC _6ttIqxiX4LBDn6BRSs6mXFYsEsSuJ6D9NWsPgME746M89oF9s MZpRuJJyJjbYIvz4Gg=w1113-h626-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/GVrdqNHjIs4UPE7-DXx38GlDg2B-vUOEclYvUm1Uh1U28M8FH4vC484cBZdMLM7gWS24o0wpXUPOTX-YAo2clmaSvtLqCx-cqPYmEDy6NRtrYgZmOVaBp5kOWpfblxrHY_0fz-dkyh0Wj5usq5g0NANajaE7-7efsDAwvGw4wjzN4VqzGppxUam2_EYQHn-WuI2t1lO53KynqmIYX28Fb2CWcVLnmnApqOR_f1ixjVm0GuZTI If2vq64opM4o5HvxffR8Wiht3bobcvqX6jOH8ZoZt4NJwMiTbw t4HArBCjjyNcN8h2_SvXMdarso8qx00gzSUJ4cUnsW8d50Blhq 0zhJoK7cuU8rlkDFiTm0cisTrbrjYQN2ckL604MwWHF-FAEMc4dHV0eq5_Oik7MwfevPXMFyuRH6JEoXSRosOI8Y1545Zl L8ydpvY9QkyE6TMVmLqY3ewZmQGBDYjP2QNSdfZoG915agC26e wZNndFeBiNMZbEhMOZ6Cs6NnCwhXEjg_SOtj4aq_i2ajyaBlYK QA7M2NNnFDvsfa7lsedobgNy1Hyxcd2ahXYKlfBo4AcUjTR74o evy-y7mYFB-nP6tByfaAO6wXCPxJjBeIP2NEsDFoWXA_4MRZOsjN9bxnQPOAE I45E_P8p69vz3kQXQQjNCGmIMxMf6e1Rle3LXXUVTk8Mxo9VBX 8w=w1113-h626-no

[Irving]

Small update. My easter egger still has yet to lay an egg, despite squatting and sitting in the nest box every day for at least three weeks now. That tiny egg was just my RIR messing around.

I now how four of my six hens laying. Yesterday, my Barred Rock, which I though was only 14 weeks old laid her first egg. Of the four hens that are laying, two did it in the text book style that followed exactly what I read on the internet.
-Start checking out the nest boxed and sitting in there to "practice."
-Once a hen squats, she'll lay within a week.

So I have one hen that has been squatting for weeks. My last two to start laying don't squat at all and have given zero indication they were ready to lay, so I had to catch them in the act.

Here is the Barred Rock sitting in the nest box yesterday. First time I've seen her in there. She sat in there for at least an hour and popped out her first egg.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/BP2i0XU6FfwGBqjZEGulU_HB5av1_GVKIxY1DKnni8KbhkCrNi THiYkhyMk79oE39NMZqNOgDvPEHoKK2RQElNVKhZyWErUEJSRf q4VKof6DY-Qan0P4Gf6zMpk0dGR8UY5uJBwDQZ4LVMX6Bev8XWAkvDAaEQQD pgbxOrhNNs28t2UOHsgO3vOf3k-yabTybXMSbnge_TjSDa0TQR5tF8mmyxEk_SJMcaN-gRMRPJ0S4xvg6ZScx2jqE-rzrmz9fn-ZZGCeDrG87eTntcZCOTzr9gnfJfpzI8XlPWhLbgm2vxBE-7o4qPFjP7Y5jhVILvf8kA4O-V2LttY9e_FsPMVOZ3sgK-xnP7SLctvVaQ7DGijLV6aTD6f-j79MFl4Rxggd-2gx-6c5b518_NkvLxNAI_Rfmc9ehixvI_hohPXEzJr-WNvByTblAjVqM7o9WAekDKe1UUXx3U-S3tiqcmZJ7iGS94YiVJe8E5DVdk8N_4jpb42WNyWyOtqdClIeL Nq1zY0nw9Tq9z9j49nL_w74uq_aPthiN5gekbsRb2tTU7tiKGF B1GRcNv5QVB7M1xyXHLe5mwAqSR5g3zTPGpzHaWFu_tLegrCnD UbYBl9wbPjZcrhvBO9jkZG06RpYIK7DZFd7WWC75l-nVMjj4LXmM07y3VV3DRCi3nuyEDk3KbSBrt6EHihDEg=w1113-h626-no

Her particular shade of egg is a bit difficult to see in the wood chips.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ePryByjtCYTDeQke_jb-skzmLPGYA28gkwlS2_-nirbOZaX8QG4HuqrSkwEwJDJ71uTuAc_QedprYiym44OWxBfe1 nuBtfcvqELWTVfB9D5oMYTdRW7vh54PVbbzWsNytY993o_Ai0H se9pXolGPU3jEamxz0mii8VsLEbjvwCn4nrXA6y8jcEpY13nW1 QsUBQopldW5khD1qUurazyyYtf2iwEAFSr5hdPpHVWbVGeUjJ1 sMhzLdvTuMGIItTLDCVzLb-xYmV1MNBgr95GRDhMbKOWPegQ_QXyOZOTX3mzarPLOv5vE0qkS dJUjKglIgzxrLMCelIzbyPDJUhZQF1CZXMryPx9INlJV3hXfm-udJuRF-YzEel7wQghLgBeLdN_-NQcmriy1RI5F2AyQ8F0EwvLWXLknxn9YW387F2RyQrEWAd-abFHS3HHSmd3o12drStINqioMHzUyyyuyFLXDcAzyGo1wJwkjS BHz5TYNj9Opzuc8h8y4xfm6_-YAECKWzjZrzLsHMTu553RDugeFBN7LXNFamkQDCev2R3Yeme_p M3Jb7gpZH0QhrnJ83um_4b_MHRIWtID-Av0HTRZ8Wkc3hm2-4h2ToGxWDOHfEeiAqtMbBsub3O41fHf3lGr1_LpFHgybgzAiV4 6BxeQyHkYzwNXMq31c2YxicxCbRyW6ozhGqoIEYA=w1113-h626-no

Yesterday we got four eggs. Pretty excited to have full flock of layers. From left to right is:
Columbian Rock, Golden Laced Wyandotte, Barred Rock, and Rhode Island Red.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/dC26oR-Hebppn3DQYw_9ipqk-tdUfVkYgZPKK2VqmEBrmOEkT0kpD-4wFpxIZdi8-nQjJkm14vf080HRJxDxqvSL84OTJ0bs_J1_YxjSUoKI8-_anQcKL8FoVkLZnXeGoQ5544gPJ3W_fOpkt0iyLQ2KXfw7QAPO fN7qRVemPCZkj1d_j_qT3caoUodSI-3ArJyk60yQ7-l8gIFvvgqJhIJM4n-h5yHeOEbFhRAC3ejO9_Hqe2nAfZ9G7eGDGb3k296A4SjZnk0b5 Rhz6M1HcA_8pumbQ-qV94Z6cEF73IziRAP04xdT1WWD9bpXfM81GwCrLJ6OXF2uK95p fSek3PsOwFhNza8Kwz4Pxzc0jajU9gewa3mv_4hgibLqjVlP1C-OtXXrPLe_1q7jdZQQRa-t0-bZd8gNgmWi_wnNLfV7DI4XuGuBzRVJih2TMWGwfUefYCYV9uXI TPetEBHZ30NrneDu1Makk6onzO26kgkIDozpvRCtuWqs0fMwwB eYk2aehr_csmKi1Mt_1RiRUljMCciQ7KSm5yRgWqqoRUYc53YW yl-fx4r_A3jSoVdFLfIh5_KOOrMbJspmKylMQA1ZBmi_fq9FsObjP B9KDugm2U31RKG61GMHiZKSumEz0mrTujlAnbHObEBVtHnkXNE S_U-8TNnyqwnCPrMb2IQ2wvsXbc2xWPn73A=w1113-h626-no

[Fentonite]

This is probably a stupid question, but do the different species’ eggs taste different?

[Irving]

There are probably people who'd tell you yes, but I can't tell. I always eat my eggs with bacon or onions, Frank's Red Hot, etc so I'd never know.

I think realistically you can affect the taste of eggs by what they eat, but since they all eat the same stuff, I'll never be able to tell.

Now you're making me think I should do a taste test though. Once I get more eggs than I know what to do with, I'll just give you some and let you do it. :)

[Fentonite]

There are probably people who'd tell you yes, but I can't tell. I always eat my eggs with bacon or onions, Frank's Red Hot, etc so I'd never know.

I think realistically you can affect the taste of eggs by what they eat, but since they all eat the same stuff, I'll never be able to tell.

Now you're making me think I should do a taste test though. Once I get more eggs than I know what to do with, I'll just give you some and let you do it. :)

Fresh eggs? I’ll make the drive!

[Irving]

It won't be soon, but I'm sure I'll be able to hook you up.

[Fentonite]

Thanks!

[BladesNBarrels]

There are probably people who'd tell you yes, but I can't tell. I always eat my eggs with bacon or onions, Frank's Red Hot, etc so I'd never know.

I think realistically you can affect the taste of eggs by what they eat, but since they all eat the same stuff, I'll never be able to tell.

Now you're making me think I should do a taste test though. Once I get more eggs than I know what to do with, I'll just give you some and let you do it. :)

I have a mental image of an egg tasting similar to a wine tasting.
Rinse mouth, spit, eat a bland cracker, Sip Water, Spit again ......
Nibble a bit of egg yolk, breathe with sucking sound.....
Smack tongue and lips....
I taste a hint of apple, green turnips, barnyard feces....
Must be a Rhode Island Red, 19 months old, raised in Arvada, once chased by a fox at age 13 months, almost ready for the deep fat fryer.....
Applause, bow......

[Irving]

Or like the milk tasting scene in Napoleon Dynamite.

[Irving]

So now this chicken experiment is entering what I've arbitrarily have named Phase II. Phase I is the part where I don't accidentally kill them and they get old enough to actually lay eggs, Phase II is the part where they live through the winter.

I'm not going to heat their coop. The only thing I plan to heat at all is their water. I planned on having a larger solar panel and a battery bank at this point, but that hasn't happened. What I'm going to do is get some sort of stock tank de-icer that is small enough to fit down a 6" PVC pipe, and run it through the top of the water tank cap. As you've seen from the build photos, the "water tank" is a 6" PVC pipe with a 90 degree bend in the middle. I can empty the whole thing and pull a de-icer to the middle of the exposed portion of the pipe, and I think that will do the trick. The pipe only holds something like 3 gallons. I have a power outlet right next to the coop, so it won't be a huge deal. Any from other chicken or live stock owners on how much de-icer I actually need would be welcome.

Chickens in the cold. Chickens supposedly have a body temp of 108 degrees F, and their feathers are natural down coats. I've read some where that a single chicken can survive a night of some ridiculous temp like -20F, and colder if there are other birds to huddle near. Common chicken advice is to have wide, flat roosts so that when they sit down to put their feathers over their feet, their toes are flatter and the feathers can cover their whole foot. As opposed to if they had their toes curled around a branch and the feathers couldn't cover the part directly under the branch. The other part is good ventilation so all the moisture from their breath and poop can get out of the coop instead of condensing on the walls ceiling and freezing. GilpinGuy can tell you more about the moisture I'm sure. I'll update as winter goes along. So far they don't seem to be phased. I put the wall of the coop back on and it seems to be pretty pleasant in the coop (no drafts).

Wall back on the coop. You can see that the wide overhangs are effective for keeping rain off the sides. Notice the dry patch of concrete immediately in front of the coop after raining all night long.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/COKxwNW6XBsR0dXBnTBWRgAPqEzYuTCbvzH-ycbQ1Cw67K0WrAM0c7TAU9NRIjDsfaXh3T2wFwPfZLDm3YPWmA 4j4yeTqGHirG9NrrNltLxe64JBXXzp3D2QPQjGayImhYCN_eyX HuDxbhkZVSfaKHrgWAk3NAlv3TtO1JauAvwzL5E5RF4CDup2Nm 1icTb6VxL6QO4ouUTT2OMa-0bAh2JlSGMBGuOXVTPjWPxO376S5hohVhXWwsNF2orrJySyDpL l4iIPvds7Yjt-7A_w5MYmeMjlQHJjTKajmgP-cHC9EYEVLd9PIrVVGNegSYt1jVMh4fUN19z4akqRpKnSROOl0n 4OAfUk9jOlh1ZHw6F9aHEi9KpmyiRTCcP0ATpbNiWD9Cp_4XJv yLnqaQO5mvX3NQbeXsCrgW3zkbV5UAVrc20x9TKPFnxMthUFLw X8p7L3ID0BQU719uLY54cz6UEIYlJwsKJ2REYHNvxPvXADTzrt s7WzyGvao4AW_1WZewkjD3AjYuyUvgGBY5WD7yRuFSD28QSBHa UdAXyjjSrcQ19ya6HGCv2BxIJZyEeNJirX-EBRLwYT7onG8W2qBJQCSs8eBZmVW5dXXWrx60FqUrYhn6Ut7-thjnoSMTe8g_zX2d5t6jLOE6UUc0SZ54xU2ndlGQ_t6DMs7IwD WRDM0TkxB473dXYJPA=w1113-h626-no

Chickens doing their thing and not being bothered by it being 38 F and soaking wet every where.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/YPak724sI-TKWeVwppRwIXjX9RgTDFLg0RUGRK5cX0TFs0CzUDMdxOuKkLKs vO-IGYIoryiCjQ09dEfgCel13urmxLO2UTFCoUe9C9wz5syBVqUtw qZ8gmjTWWI0u9dnS_EXA2K7SWyKZalJk3QMBBoqQubDy47xSDW c3bc3Yh5L_MqYTo4bHGMzqFJjVz1X7M3qeTFMIpV-JvpdOtR45l6I5cqTddb2b6TyE8hsvDmBgCPGUIkL-78POWsNjS-Sac62tB6UPa07Wln5y-JNVQEgxhnqFIWi8pnoyEklRnrI9vEGOYDdD2LGaBjBGMU50w1w Zkuf5fQhaUmoC3ock0XNpu9bQLxWDCkVszEl5it7q-jXTUUcL-6QjRAUSzHCpW4i7zNlF6waHQBF0mraUnQEPfZoy5YBrjtvtjXq QlM6Q8BjDAzRUJP3252aUVZbLuf5T5LIQH7w6479OpMdLP1z9Y zG8FnKqnEXduCnVGzsZbeeT4Qxwb5ln5d3ZpVust_VZwiv7jqS DGWEJKXJvAR_LiwrPrGlhMsdrTJPv-DyjC9Cs_WYbyn2RBw0-hPFdQOVv1BQ88DUitA2L9IyZ2aYcKfAck_5HLm7r8bDUgoM0IR NHV017Wp3d09ha9HzXz_wAQB4rEXVuG5itFo9VaICybjja5pJb E8dKoIxrsChTebYxz4pSoZ1Lg=w1113-h626-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/VlRfnGpN4fHw-jCosCeuf20sx-Y-5zu0Etuh3MHY2zeYo9K7EMYfnDHz0AOCoROpvbC2JRX26IJ1AO 7apQ87IVlViRzY0jAMcz0owt2SkCNI55sewZgB5JRgXG-ZGnsdztkNaURK_ZbFAj_Xtt5ydgp9WLZjwTHekcBUS0cpt85Ws Am-qvQYppr0I5qxw6Lzgl9nX2kwEc55WRdC0ZwA28WP9omu1az4tC VbAXQNU2_KC2uZL_XLl3q90kuQZPuW_AWz89V0xh6nEAEIF25i x3rvtrmuX4skPgeNI_VYBAzRT9IafPFVOqewOguuBSSiYeBaE6 jvHzfx7hxF3wtLzvVcwXLcQAhpbMeuLYr85dYgnnyswYvOdgsu ZV--QXEkATfZRFGu7inwx0fQKOfDpdNAlGv9gtNhkE6_NeEtowycLH Rl0xDoYNopzj2Yb9NfK0lISVuPsbMYg0_ipEyJ00NE5TBGdANV GAPt4U5xpAbLjngg27-3uKT_GyoIUX68DGooIKobAHAYcBfwiolK6sV2eVBFFnhtHJndj FIQwcxDxmv5duKck0lwvDcDrdekZQInC6oUJlsnucVLg2HQ88G k6LdLCKVygQiaWTgboud1CsP3J8XrrwSLjaTUYevg5jLJVppEn 39taHcLihlaVkWfAXuE6Q4-o3ERJkyIsFbT6X_tVKWWtI_g0Q=w1113-h626-no

[ChickNorris]

I really enjoy this thread. Thanks.

[Irving]

My plan was to have the entire roof of the coop covered with solar panels, have a battery bank, and an inverter in case I needed to run anything that was 120v. Then I could power a stock tank de-icer and drop that in through the cap to keep the water liquid in the winter, and it'd be run off the solar so it wouldn't cost me anything. Well, that hasn't panned out yet, and I needed to figure something out for the water before I leave town. This is what I've come up with. I took the photos before I was completely done, so be rest assured that the all cords have been stapled into place with a drip loop before the plug. This is a basic Frost King heat cable to keep the water from freezing. It's just plugged into the house power as there is an outdoor duplex next to the coop.

Again, not ideal, but I don't have time to come up with something better.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/rYA_bzEFHH67FH_bnqR66W5t2YZ-JwvGHyv7zhQ4UNhiVcoVDmr7fbrJVQEPK5yPXqdanpbxm5Rn1V uYbtBZCoqdLfRdebnPRXqEUTYoZJzkrezV7KBk5FCiAJ4b6tMc cQWCTMFXV-w0kKWTyjzcSAopk5Sw7qKYDrMCpqzSpX0QhBajSKFCuCxZ-I-0IytLpRc4Bcs_EkeZnFCS5IdbrUjB_--QWPtNdW0O8XCvUI8eKxhaTF6XaralFbohz3WsqxCgTvGDmsb8U dX-WTwX3T5T8QbKiVlJf8My08NN8PQzdw5O0kUV4o_wAnPvhnZMCE BlGWbolQoh5MENWnxGehVb-uKH0CjlKTG35j_O-KepBBQkdXxqduPsAJTrBrbdCs-J9I3QrXP1a6s43VBN9f3YJCW_pAE_LfgVuw6imtt6L51ieZu5U OhcbOaUc4GYL3-NiqpOLw6E7US6QIZxSuGURVlAjZzt0fuDRlTBKIbgUjKIoMJjK 5KH_dXIh-Tz0r-Uw0sJzytFs85qJXj0b9o1CYanjaYsmL49-EnaVOqzMbcHliuO2D4QGO_YmKiaZfHqZJDmwqfpyROoz7n_UUO 9wBlW27sQQp3iX3wNx6VYlkDkryEHK5A1jtsQisbWGObXq2n-6Mx65r-XhLkr0mNoLn9ENxgAhmjO7bvbBXrP9Ee3oWp88yr-ag=w1113-h626-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/3SvhWYFoaBXua2E_1HgZOJCtVbp7rGM1UohlAYAIna6mUhfLbt f3E_Tl4r2ZLmGQS8LZ1dikhkYdeqLXqVi0qSOfMofTYqulrduv 654Evvu5TQNMspnGgew23lPa-_g2kWxxezIFU2aXox-u1nlyzxrmyOIIGoGNzsaSZHLbimq2nl-yiOMnegEqMwUNFq6TqI25yk8-nLk16GRBFIFTW4Hfw7ndlgLDCN26NMfy6Jt8cQrv6V4rkdJTNm juIgVoBkKz58ek92jrvvEfReX9WEykCuLJwVgIU6YNttl_UKsO gScLDU4K108644ervj1Ci9yC96XSug2eQLEIwt5ErMrZgAXEtK 4fpUmW0Hy7Hby7G2wvayGu2JtMd7MwrwFcxoP6iTAL6GHuDcWk lfdG04mSxHJxpROOMV-vvlPnDcaWjoI0oSI7H8GBGy1I2EKrb26laHrTWfbc-Ar-LMQfB6Y8BGLg21T6tKTV1xo8x5Qbwy1_j4aWmNxUDrnStQpocN lah5KhN8Di8wIqcHjCVfDxAD5knrd4Vxm-EMtLXvXLUm_SaywUPTwJsAkUQ2hp3AC3q9i08Uvf0GcNJB6Kyu f57RZftM_M65bHzdhk-vH4kt5h-lG7TlYX-YxYCx88W4buraRzY9-qgc7zInA6URxhjytAVJuDXPilTsTWmFXpsLTZZUP4SjDHJQ=w1 113-h626-no

[Irving]

Here are chickens not even waiting until I'm done to use the waterer.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/DJ5vujcpoDc3e7qFipK_YfYK-tgUcOvWrXCKmdWuPw5kApNHzg_SeJScyh1Pw9QsM-c4KGIKXX41egalGJj_U_LXbI5qPwlTVME5iG-fovbTiA9puthh4yF-ozR6Xq_xNyVZ9fVFjlCOQekiDTdv0aTJtIOrb3sr1GbdE6WJvr uk7xb-pxUyh9fuWKUEC86oXvaP2m5hr2ppijoNpKM6v1odZOJ92FqA6k KNGPLmzu-Lpk6JBbVjaNen7QaihrdaDJAJyJ7Ovyk0yX8hwlF5FFBFNWxcO uwl3wyqMKOzQRJsptng3BEQ193uVNJHYrpEBaxnekvu08apUsm umY1Wu2SAi0IIz788bYzPLEsLnVXn51fhDYR5nKcBM4ahXspWD R8muhPWnmYrC-r9h0l6QcA9721U63tJ39hh7cfzk55-U2olcU7qcytRrmOeDOwILowmlfSZ_zM5irel4YQ4tTLa_OfXRL LWfDnrjeRxr2r5_1d0m4j0G5fyxG_I9LhFKB6wvNFcVUUANinV tOJKPGCWiSr9ofiHFsvqwsdlW7PXqi4aEqrSFJtnI7UOcVAZNc n7S1AyvpbtFuZU7YxZTvXjyAvJQcxE683sHNxNTsUV1w3etmRr zHKX35F-DqF6kSkjOH73mxI0IA5DrWPxC6C15XHCOr4SO6bfS0hDFAGAEW eQs2gL66W9ag=w1113-h626-no

[BladesNBarrels]

Looks like the cost of raising your own eggs is creeping up to about $20/Dozen.
Cool!

[Coffee]

[Irving]

That's a good point. A bag of feed (40-50 lbs) costs about $17 and that lasts at least one month. I refill their water about once a week. It's never empty and the system holds about 6 gallons, so let's call it 16 gallons of water a month. I've been getting about 25 eggs a week, so we can call that 100 eggs a month. As the other hens start laying, my costs should not increase.

Running some rough numbers it looks like each dozen is costing me about $3.30. Once they are all laying, I'd expect that to go down to about $1.60 per.

[sniper7]

My second batch are now starting to lay! Pretty pumped up. But with 14 birds it going to get crazy quick! Although I now figured out I have at least 1 rooster from the group of silkies. Like clockwork every morning that little bastard is out their crowing. My wife said if I don’t find him a new home she will shoot it with a BB gun! I’m tempted to see how that pans out.
In the meantime if anyone is looking for a silkie rooster let me know, I was going to put him on Craigslist and see if someone would trade me a younger laying hen of any species for him.

[BladesNBarrels]

That's a good point. A bag of feed (40-50 lbs) costs about $17 and that lasts at least one month. I refill their water about once a week. It's never empty and the system holds about 6 gallons, so let's call it 16 gallons of water a month. I've been getting about 25 eggs a week, so we can call that 100 eggs a month. As the other hens start laying, my costs should not increase.

Running some rough numbers it looks like each dozen is costing me about $3.30. Once they are all laying, I'd expect that to go down to about $1.60 per.

Actually, that is pretty good.
I think the experience and the knowledge of where your eggs are coming from is worth the trip.
We are still a chicken-free zone with an active HOA.
Not sure if I could find someone to watch the flock while I was gone.
I am enjoying the vicarious view of your journey.

[Irving]

So according to wife, chickens aren't very happy about the snow. She was hours late letting them out today, but when she did, they didn't want to go outside. The big ones kicked the little ones out. So the younger hens ventured across the yard and roosted on the secondary roost that I built. No chickens ever go on that roost, but I guess now that they wanted to be up and out of the snow they decided they could bother to climb the ladder.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/SUl7ioqnZrDMybmJ3ZciwWKUNviEtAz7qV4CsRuaO2Efml5_8I hHSQq_myLfg5_jfCddEkdCam3Cr6CWhvwg_9ESbXuxfI--t0v7nezkTE86FIAuPRhBke5TF41sOQwL3J1JYjslalMrI9OkYw B2dJeWym_dmT6H8oD-y2jNYFlfxnfUqY4BZccslxGoMVwRJS5cSkoLZwS5BkMOgdRpYX RFkdts0mn1k7UB5BC1YMnTEtm9j6GUuBSuxvw96Tl8wBq3ExNw L39tuJrBBdEXxR7kNZEcIYIPjTlvRlklfdbzqKAb6J4ARbuGpX FsBwk-0H0mGAR-pVx_jn3HqMgiAvi5zoBX83obFTFpBi9mJ9mfFrsNLkJ1sqGTr-vApIxMmRym0gheEDfzq_M8p7w4pLLcqF9xIQLOrXNxkdlMDf6h HnXWUptyX8aW2ckDbjZdlt_g8gHVGKGhX713xy3gbpXz_7w5lB eiiHDQKB1PWWiVJ16wJfN1CDCLqRS9mZDmevtHqZ2RxlDKhmUL R0c5TsAacD5oJxUPlbFSYYE5CcnH8Co36tm7b8iUEWmpy6qLhq vmj4rFwJ2u_ikmERScMPYF1ztuQJ-cVfSFMDvfziHvBbyB7iXyXmoZ48hkt5kGy8vGWmLYiLzUb328X 6-zLuK0XZ3qSfgWRF8lNaC4o-ma5hU63q8nma9vIw=w1288-h626-no

Wife coaxed them outside with warm oatmeal and some scratch*. Daughter supplemented the coaxing by pulling them out of the coop and throwing them into the snow.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/u_iF8y7WgzyJUeDEs78FKHfFiKnbz-5hBPDCMsF_VbV4LYRjizOt6z6GfVk9892NoRe6u94CdJPZzIqQ jnnOofVNoeQzAISxBjWQddtxJV5F46sVH7iGGXt5mICIdrMiIE ND7b97qFK6v2fgyxp2XekdeVlhsJf805C82IkT4PcoiBwO5eL3 iokHnLJ-RuT7jxnIKZzyiaETxUDKP3591O5qeVwr-QEB0PpSFpnSgOY4dp8Re5JvpNA3jIdjv8TwC_vNnRmVeCWqVel mMrq7qqkRNfCPTd-tyZ2u2Gh7HJYWKipu5G3Ynv6UxPOQKqh4YXORaCuaDFXReJEqL NTX-Z_jMXBMCYLqCL0fJx7SG-Lm0OyiWQv1ruzQHjiSjhAHP4jwox8gR-5Go43WAGQiqzNJG07U_8zYvi7wMtrav2_BOqvWn7RKwzoERgPB a4BkCmaa2BMntWTPIc07z_zeZg8lAtzEDpWavBP_L2leGiJNt6 alAGFEGBa0VAsGNENucsCLZ0ux2DHbailVUv5DZnrjgMTGshTp vCSU6MMzbEP82H1upPzJivTv26sQvS7mHh_riXGjmTavnlgKEJ NmsbWbf2WOzsxUfjv7nHIKe165vyDHH0A9DziT6KYWkTbcvYEv E5c9BcflkE3Iej7btTZ4TKyUsXFSWHN_030wcPWsd75p1hRCXi ceKQ=w1290-h626-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/uWV5_44_x4ALYeYmGLfwiF-z_oFF_3fpJaMMP-uLXcnPR6ddMuLI_46u9blLx8-3Hd1zsJ_qz2yfr8DOIDb2xActz1d2p6Z4n7RFuSd8OzVSkz5tB vY0uYoL-Qb7oBsHfgIle2-BQ7CuD97OIRB9qR1V0ToxG0SWYucRMicSPsRPMFgc06nCvwGcW 1x1fAPIwI7B3fu6MM8QLbyKeQLhrmJ4qqGRyele2QS0y4an9EJ gpDwHnsMCmIY1LnsyJD61zeXvlkzf53Od0BzE6IIOPO4kzfvEX LFWxd0zCIOlUbPs_JICvuxYVbVlMsjsFUOdLIiaHiuao5Z15gp kMhpVtFjKlFYrG3r1ki_9bNSEMl27ilTUBBxXqNLqNv2NuRv4r EjOZx7fuz3MEOKSDUZwRk4P_49ZqOFZ845SdyGVkJUfw8cHI_I 5NPKIMWTBRBKBd5Ta-GzxSzT5I46WYxccgu4ijbAn-qe2g_lLowpr-WEsRjIRb0pgry51LEIRiss7yXEJ2_Tbt1uvDjNRV41m7h8-uJUHvWb-Z7sRNiB4ItbWtlwnDLZFh8FDE9tgxwl7wkVOQt_yqYAF82ImDl 37r_P6RK76oa7-btVR8F7BlbJVkSsT3BdMeAb_kKO-YF3pI8p7VGhY71Q9bPN2epTWOQKl4gAT1hPh5WwSWYyxGDFbwD-vmii0e_zZIw=w1288-h626-no

This one didn't want to go outside at all. She is the biggest, and apparently the biggest baby.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/FE2KFMvcIJQNpVHIMmJa8lucK5oLGOt11F01jX_o5NbXQei7tF aPHbiseo7iKleuoYIzJa71yR2YZ15EeTknlXU7mcj9uq-uUnpOOXgMrB_yFT1i2J_Efy9z6Mq6aFfVmxYXzeFSCPlz2fgxz k1-piNwp3N6uF89y4kAZmWJ6RsmKwg7i5Iqg2b8QvYjNA60yPfMjc qhMccVf6XS9qM1E3Tokw5iijvao5Htyl5gB-9XO60YWyK3xE0oUaB0aC7yX6TEcIMLR_uch_Am_sNNM49259I3 OBk2JnnGZVPEEx66zuJhAObVTQ1Z20_tKLWwVJI_RnL3tIEkQt 8yreoRuVI_ca6XlGO20WOBO9tD4MmeS4womj5mGen8U3onodPa C1c72_1VMJW3wJowK5FcL8d0MWNrQjkTc1Yulp5Lwx6OHVbg26 BN2b3hVbYGFSyReIZZLeB-TehOsEK0Fn_kkOvHIzkE5QsCaymfD8ZeRZuVyami0DfnyHyuAe k9evT4r8xplsewqJLF9WLL0ffvt1WEJOw7v4HKVfKxW1CJoiQI oi1RfxwSFVIgxmmIvnd07dQJadkBayXZWgqVT4bdLJjwBaymim uM0ArR15a-AaJ6UlIC8Jr6zudxq_KTvGox9eKtRMdkuFLkPYE0zj6yqOzw6R RHXP24qx3ugMKNjhpbxSPupF3doSBRKg=w1288-h626-no

*Scratch is just corn. It has little to zero nutritional value and is essentially like junk food for chickens and other animals. However, it is high in calories and helps animals put on quick fat (corn fed anyone?) so I've read it isn't bad to give to them in the winter for a little extra warmth.

Three eggs today.

[Irving]

Well, one of the hens died. It was my barred rock, she was the younger hen that was laying. I'm not home so I have no idea what happened and never will. She was found laying stiff on the coop floor.

[ChickNorris]

That wholly sucks. I'm sorry.

[sniper7]

Sorry to hear that Irving, we had 2 like that over the last couple years.

[sniper7]

If anyone is interested in a silkie rooster, I have one that needs to go. About 6 months old and starts crowing around 6:30 every morning which drives my wife nuts so she said he has to go. PM me with a number I can text pictures if you want to see him.

If you want him he is all yours. I would also trade for a laying hen of any breed if you need to keep your numbers down. And I can take more hens for that matter if needed.

[sniper7]

Well well well. As I suspected, we have one more silkie rooster that looks exactly the same who is now starting to find his voice since Joe Dirt is gone.

I’m on a trip but come Wednesday I want to either trade this one for a hen or I’ll be helping a buddy process his elk at my house and I think it would be appropriate to also document processing a chicken. If there are any specials requests let me know.

[Irving]

Since I know that every single member is worried about the comfort of my chickens during this cold snap, I thought I'd take a few pictures. Chickens have an internal temperature of around 108 degrees Fahrenheit. No matter how many times I try to explain this to my wife, these pictures have just reinforced her belief that the chickens are cold.

I'm getting various readings outside right now with the coldest being -5F. Here the coop wall is showing -3F.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Q8BPJU6GouptzF-aBB5CrfA1kwmev_IX37V8LC3iiXQ310dDLivhjbZsw9qef4VAl x9vXNCXf6G-9JiX5e6Xs25cEMyMByLU6rWqg8yxT1M2-kUIhReBYurE6_WwuHBzml2yPqixMsZwp_1HyBg3Pn_XH6EdMiM hmLJoGc91jxZbpz6BMTtp9AnER-E7m4LBilo6iMRT9iUEbx93eRZDu613fr-ev89myDWhZEtLZAM0C5scxqKv8fJbD2URDSV-gJ0KGRhHqlCZNkXK62rcz6H0vDELef51JPNusqv2uSGxQBYUFv 3CbKc0EDtu07INen7Fhx-j6rmniykZz7ZtIR61mq7lO8NH_JcoKJFBAgF-jfX_LgtQpJscPe_KrmHZFEU3-uckSB8k9uzGefoBBz996QnGyKRaTfLn4TQ5PfUPpEEoG318-qVgroAwZDh4NbTnLklpRwEunGsROOQSPWEVk4_zMP1f4tWQRKr 7K5qdrDp6LOVOPxOfb43UrfjBg_sYPrGLnhLBnuoC0uFa15dpO r_ii3mo1AUWmvMQhZiXAcoPXJ0A1WzlIZ4dge4aqw87Bllr6Rj lMD6-HfSwih1Tju6G9UP0MfLrnd8DCNyOfhW2hyriBcuEzjn4xXktzd rnUv88qZzBhe8X3f2zXOUr1VsXvMxhsfo_OcA732thEfBIj9UH D7lhmlvx2qphfvqhxs5bDkbJ6w2FYvE=w1113-h626-no

Inside on the poop hammock is reading -5F.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ouelAbxqVJGvcr-DT4KQNJLYAhGFoOESOJpmsBDGs6SyZkxNHnc3tz4bm8EIDZTFU KJdOP0GC-vyJmtUm7DQ4jdvyay6I4DS9uItvMyBTgjfjEK-z4zyEQCLVmpXT55eXeGb9hGJ3QXInrHeaaeMEqGVBF-AxBGOTDxIG_VfcfE9VP--a-zAEiNlhA5C02vHYz4N4I-NSivWwhDUVS809p5nNEwyupHwQJxQRx_CBGsoz40rKrrsa-0-1Nq_8zu7FrLQsowGtxHOzTtuf1z-5SYijAVj98QXbPm3g2UbouZEZPm5ZA229aF4QLy5bM914uHqrq aEjdw4YA1Ucc_mVplGA-l5IS8KaNn9EhOih64twjLB8e8PHiNOkfsSUkreDE3ZSau1FkIY NMKe9FOOAVxQ8N0UeGiJh88NYsFXJxtXSeIXJVhOVxVvt5-UdAvl6cr-MCPP2037NAeod8XlFs1s4Bre0_tJ6a03p1Uwg7R_hrkCg9K09F RfeIWsdZHuXRgQk7GhZLr3JZ_Yt_KIy74XD-F83yYTLikPdi6sNnoKTqwPRR36ckYD3cnGX6sfEqvOJfspJjnb zZzd8Qq2WXhy93CAy6XoVNzcN03IRggUj2h5_i8Da8Kzuzsgyn hi3AVEsHhSk8gkwQZ6yS7G9T-angSLBXWUy0IcqXrRvvYtRW-dasJIImIgwPTzMjHe39uiEsnregkWll2mWYc=w1113-h626-no

Here are all the different readings I was able to get. The further from their face, the colder the reading. I was able to get a reading of about 56F putting the laser directly on a waddle. Here are the results.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/AwvqRyGDiV4_NAByj95ZQsk_yQJ7TBl-fAR6zprhjU3AIGFszait-_B4HvNaiqmGIeUlVloG4TUkoGMY0gKTS1EE-IfnkZI90oyXaQIuAenQ1bRfcfoSiOZqy8yyfPZgyriVblk6Ng-0qHbAfSdUTQGkpMcOcrR9M_XoJIA28Dyku8zUMqOYFpBZ54klA NohRGtC0XoQ86lXBcmvHqvxcbahRn6yHX2N6mAnfU4toSv99-VN09INkjtl4L4kUcHIKZoV9Jr8jnDy9rQZcznx0gia3F8l3bcx YVv65-KjblxGaIitIt02NlnCspPdcPdIjwaGNz673ktTeMIszBltEqJh BRwL771K3Y3Z9fI9wR4NGbel8ergRPdJIYwtmLMADqVqsJCdPN noO8yFdAovL3iJg3iNmmmlfmgdHE0T3WOEWnjYraqHOD3Hhssg Nv7Squ46mIJfeQTtBBtoGfEZ7x2ka52M0xlbzxlhkCrh0GbQR-GwAujT62UP1y1Pb-xgGEvUbX5UDJpLDXfJC1ZsXJCb7hIY3Ztr7NyGq3YSw66FAOVg LI2TE2-PlHXFKgBFWOM_HNWIHoPmZBW6-tbJ4xR_QozllFFH_6rZoxwNVgiXu7Okl3i4rGwvd1LDalkLm6J Mb816AlCJIQaf3uW-ANs9LvT8ayg6qXZN76jOOPirpLOq1xr0b8_nLJL-Uu2W1RMxj4a8hJzVp9OKKRk=w1113-h626-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ntALEE6pvGFRHjLvAfLtTrcVy29h3MJrV6svT59_34IDfc24Ym PF2gNIV12WRKwelpczmKWA8aMCY36r4jSUPhSrWWemX-fSE3RaqCcskfbAOHBnYnib-obOP9Gp7E1XYy-civFfyvwdRmgO7HggwOWJDESCrHuP1kFdTFBVZprqO2gBuizCl j-2WCw04dbGvi_nQWRRSvCtBDE1zCDKiGDDlWOmbDrcBek9QDtmr 2lCEHaBrwuoSJe5hpDrudtK6jHGErM5st-P8uFWyuErLjtNU3QyW-dG_0V5rGzy8GPnzRkavaOXyVnMvg65bZ7vWTwn6vkh4JNuBKq2 Z9cTBEDt3VF9xsf3zPtK1fm_ljwwtpFQalPoUHiAUv5C0Ggm-ZrzDn9qOwpWmrySpeAtc9MjyJdMNpIu0UbvIs8FQtct0tbxPos h_fsbqPHU4_K5elGeeF2Iz5-nwLXgeblCr4zQ2_Y72OUqp9KITZAvvECa685hxKm2z1Cagj3od 0GYnxm0k_zoSFi4Fc6BODxOnxpXYgf5_dRn6qA_L1tk1PgAiVr fQomZuJECaGVii2yLDxiViFvn4jKIZ_TZGXieFwLamtEr8rZ9q MzujlgfDYC91Y5jiqcaHr59UHv3Vb9kybk3msHVUeBSjuaKnW0 iCUxUHv46kZ2TEt6fguRis8cRHJdFV1tXTlC63Ixbhsx3QFQ1M dUoN9qEGCsL7yU=w1113-h626-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/1K4PwXmvdtEaupCo2wKRHscBrKADIOkyo-GSCoxYrzzF8tQiiY0JCapC4wFkP6rcGD8aLCYDayAgFpFnx7Ri 3QUZEk4DABlqgb9fkra1k-xJxuF_SjI1P2zmw7PhqBI4swrrSENh6RQjnYVkd3g7dp8AezZK W1rew9reCiUKPLRAau6PgtTtmeJQqLPMuCt66Q0hy10l6iWx9o N5EyblWHUqwYUqGQsetArMPLAz96maVy01t82uInfruMDJjXu1 4TgUk1SgEv8JTyYTKiZF1GOBr810kYZcY8b_SqIZfbqdUuuFwy THjOw26eWDM9Vic0gqlwJ_WI-Awtps4eb7QwwlsMskCY-jBRO1wsxKuwc0s50bV_f3R0DE08wToE3WYuqrLfRJ0RApBtjYE ni471QjxFnHzKCgwA3Td9DgxVqHefVrY5ShC3xoBMY-w9YmHNdK0SuZ2k4gRuNa-Hp1SSoudsrCQXeOVPlddE3at0hO_a6vx2G6kGSZY3oocZ1DRT2 1BeUz2h443At0bDrPmBC_WImO4YJC-sypAQdBZVcqRpo2ZIxCPmUi7yXWBk3VcjBu19sEEMJapDxPdwM 6SqB-f66aMmUz7UP5vsfzpuFSFNn2x2Ff6VsUSFHL9fxaCde_sjbVbq 90I1ZrCcMax1NrkOhx5rxKlE8dJjhx9Lg_bn53DOf8ZNnYCpX2 yVNRcemUKRN55ox51mOWjWY=w1113-h626-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/FOrquZvS4CVehOXnyFpBAL19bwjOm6OVS_wI-HRkHW9OPG335rv2ZwgNEr6qNAfX5hilZyR0kBZ9erp2AUcsDG3 smc4oWQqtUfAZptYscxhpzYrjjol6d0_0DbWBAYh0VipalQ5Af DUp9NvBEgPxhldozqMFifZQry3kCc_B2WYsAH48GzIpazqlANP cOSHEgmL3kkT52lTMh2oZEPOxi2dPns8L0amQX5PY-1A8wrM7y5EDuAd8X6tGwZVq7XNhCwdeMr8ewoeNXToTU-Kwpsnc7YbUBrX9ge8CZxzqTG7xYOs1sg4C8BOrLTXDMr5sWeIM yucfK0bOW2AqHkjgvmoMTUYCpa-MeqdyUGvT7eagQogemWzaeK-eRKGi7eqcVeAnN5KAUd3Iv2VegJ2FQ36pf2yPmUL4B6b95fKJ0 qgtfYUfS66qqzraIG5UICgxR9ts3OmxaR5qZuheZLUAkmqRoys 24gFLqaBswwIjG9TcIK7Y_PQck32o0Q_WN1MoxKAe8aKK2cNXp jogsQqtpd9gVOKZ9aDr-JeUgQ8HSDONtFw_MpTD0jgcvsOXG6FOazZGvC5fDHigMFdDgoh FJdgDjnsktWYcp1NqcpO4q2inN3uhLxDuy2RNvGctKPh5NSrAY Utx-HLhDW6aKebzcCuorHge7lxGeK0KQKL43NOsGEkS9F-RkFH6l1EWTQvFGOg_OFIY6U9U-Rd8y1k=w1113-h626-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Rgjpq7v8sltJw5HQgAl9G7IEQCrkNboZUMvKWO9KUEDMkVfXvE IJRKY7_Yhw1Dex12XmzLvWpBGsbVA5JgyZdHUTosYxtItAmabA luqeqZglQOWveFSRLDpwndBi5xELVys-OlD60yq90TgfZvPDadWGYprxiZPp5sU8r7mxx0CgmzcGX8Pm_j 9jqruVDBR9xrwN4x-VDVUu0rwwTGCY3LUIXiN4JEtMs2o66QwURcZLvzNX5rF6lULCs WfXtxH4xBSEtP1RIkCglnShkewi8kzyMxqr_HQwhHatjSma6J9 U0S14jR26d8MhMSmoen_ms5EX3NDxz-TftvLMrCazImsx2Nn-yUiarWF-9Zqk9suwpPUZks7nQorl6DgPPkTT0cdp7hO3fGlYa5-Fd0J2LPbHpMO_nX4M609rXxWQi2A7pX6kBk0pyyCykKTapWJ2Y Wudbdmpq9O_KG-JRdEHvc_RpImSWLn3nU46sdLwxg_o6zBdfY2z8wurx3dfDfhja it2YptGIVzwbusjNVwEqo3Sy17RZqqze0Ukj4PBQeT3IWhhapj 8V28qQTGGmgOfcTU5T5PKCdjPiRZ25flnS4uoQGOBa5mVddF_C UG81Iz6L6lH0hshUHjYfyA6-ZHvyq03xoRUhm9cTgwA6DwnNok1euVzRATYeKJgGJpoPt9VnXM wxaYrS8GZ5LPVwV3VwuonHKyo8d0a-MKVcUs=w1113-h626-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ucUeOGiSrc8Iu4YiC3P5xZ8RieBQminsX6R6ijnAIkPUhOOZyC YHDF6iqrj_Xc0DzGaoQDym_fmvYyl2e2B0qbSAT1Ajf7fKonUg jVnukqo3nBKmCi2Mj6d2qCbQ7BSc7iVT2EJr4_sdvvSrighS7I 11fYgfIluhg7aGq1ONQIEQXRe7ygU7qW2afDv07e59AIB33fSZ 8S8bxssHH9N1cn3xcCEe7M6TJ9ZvgiDiX7V_tNZ1FL8CeGmeni xD_L25nWh6rfG9Xq9lImFN4uBoj65uX_Rp1HAKb6lilonqgaKE t2ENnwuJdJr3bPNzAlOwE8wSpMMkWO4ZUBlU2ZBRlzoZnC7jAB ri4Jdp5Q0olrYsxv6xB4A7NQZdZLv5qeY_ZlBSVQGZUOSvuLQ8 RQwk25aZ20wvHcVrlfrBSeQ-r82xamFYtBKY7KtUpCK4v2SFL7-E1Acl81dnF29ll5eR8hgzQw5oD82kGj1bzUuuP1qMNIux91xEl HEtTkFsCTpVAxXzq4je3C0q22NVibgWTZQrtcy3O5FUPNBNDxX HVJ3gRDo4l4SHH6sh0qMCS4-9jtMbhsBvKeCNKK_u6C317qa-EQKNhpa2cknPLJUkknQjOMzp816Bi3hK3YpD9q5sjUZ3Fv4sH7 etd5NEeUI5jsXYRZzwJqgrq0gU1Nx9DDmL2EDQuc4Ial1ZCvvC-duOFh17f_hnxIfjxHKH-Sc=w891-h501-no

So what's going on here is that if the chickens have an internal body temp of roughly 108F, it's -5F outside, and they are showing between 0F-5F, then they are losing very little heat through their feathers. Hard to see in the photo, but they fluff themselves up and lay down over their feet so their feathers cover their toes. Their roost is a 2"x3" turned wide side up so they can have their feet flat and cover all of their foot with their feathers.

Even though the water is wrapped with heat tape, and the tape is on, the nipples have frozen solid. I didn't notice until the end of today so I gave them some fresh water just before bed. So far the heater has been working well enough, but today was just too cold. You can see in these photos from the other day that everything was staying liquid since a leaking nipple was creating quite the stalagmite. Egg Producing Domestic Fowl #3 wasn't interested in moving out of the photos.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/jjAhoB_NbjGCfkeJuzC0VFCo0DNX8PhW8n11bJSyQVYgQjFG-yviHzSpBlHicRCXI9TE9DWHSPXqyx9CH3n8OvgLxwp9uGdMGD4 WjVR3PNXCSr92u9T1Vm5QwyKW2QGQZLY4hHoVlluf81VTJ4Ju2 za43crnOpLGLpahpVcV0le8U68JzZD5osIA0yaOTguG7UAUqs0 DpM7NFFdlet1O8jprUHYOk7Er8WtZ5TJTSla-2u3vzVadUDyJPf-Xj1xUHlxUaiJCDtfCWFBJgXWpPrx4VfoZsmGccjc0ACurKEwJ1 bJLzFjVdxv65KKTP1H4kACag8BjAgWgVzNjvpj0v3vcg3aqVND MNotX35ZkFzSW5F9KVVgtI41VIOOS2aM2yQMd8EbdDfHoBNP7G y34WHPMq0LXGePdz5RSMXlXczjUdD9cIVAfNFYZknOHR-8CrZuqSE2BrsABqLfcAlE6fGAo-wT1-AWZUj4CLq72C_SHoe-oGKIUgkWpKk4HlKIEBDyBd1PgDDFG2Kwjv15V_gtVycLGMlVFN m7PBxvGUY7Bw2Eyzt5MIcK-I0eTVcUEU96_5MsOhA4sTp9CKMhOhR8_Z0Ak3OP6Q_YUWFoM11 5kSzJn197r6aGM2MVgsw4tMR3MULrccdcFtByEODlhOoXYigOo Nptgghl_BB3p8SUNz-Vw56fKamBT4xgqJl0KIvIoXzzPfhembdsVj2s=w1113-h626-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/QBR-gIid71TEML0abN_BVJwtAw6Cl4qyZZ820MZiojMr3mV_-YNMz4DXqJgxoGVHvmm7Mnw8fQQfQGTL9_VpuHbTJTKpLHg2Z0Q akgP9Y6BLfPjIlSfIILTvgEVnyFwF_0LBTtljTWKYxFHYaHzDj zMCNP4LTLqykgEQeD3XAagyaj5ZJUk1xSzbSC-bglrsn_itUA2fhFat2TexCp9s9oj0LLfLbJTAvL_XgVjhshm6d fKktOGiNz2KcENnCgbUERMkR36Xt7VgeyXsy4oxudPz15V7o_s nS1PZc8lqrBAbNeCHdqyvHjBoxXydfAS4Ypj4McVuWXFak0mCE JzBtjgv06LGS9cmIbjhKB-qTZc_tMOrSO46iDtxXylgEbdPDHEQtXm4JYcdESjutqo_5g8h9 ui0sl6XIuyZY2euMcjS6b2Mg1c1xehr4tBbBkHMXwVFNnK-VCcCy658m37KkoqmfL_v7VSO9SfC8d-EVfcFWSuSiK-b8u8TtvOLlsNZxqY72ikf-wkp--iWc1A5UChVrbNT61cgZabOy0kBNHb7w-ElG5bAw8s-fKXTiN4-FIDm4yoJob2GUK_2yYpyGWLKyttAA5GX2SZorNggACKXDs2ZGp JZ-795bvzniE8LVCVy2xk_0R93VRlDmSaTeyoAFi8nfBkMtUiX3Lo pW6s9Pjl52E9HhK7owVmcsQ-ijzudSJmkBX8cjjgjHF8=w1113-h626-no

[SideShow Bob]

Just glad that you are looking after them and not letting them turn into chickensicles.

[Grant H.]

In all the years that we had chickens at my moms, we didn't have to do much to deal with chickens and cold.

The horses and cows were actually more of a PITA than the chickens.

[buffalobo]

Heat lamp in coop and check water more was all we needed.

[DFBrews]

My ladies are a week into their new digs and finally stopped sleeping in the nest boxes and on the roost 2 have ventured into the run from the coop even as chickens go these aren’t the smartest birds I have ever had

[Irving]

Did you lock them up in the coop for a week first to teach them where "home" is like the internet often tells you to do?

[DFBrews]

Did you lock them up in the coop for a week first to teach them where "home" is like the internet often tells you to do? I did 4 days I brought they home Christmas Day and let them out the Saturday after. Queen bee was the first to come out coaxed with strawberries the other three took about a week to come out. No eggs yet and one started molting in the last couple days

[Irving]

Did you just get some pullets?

I read about leaving them in the coop to teach them where home was, but never went that route, even though during raising them I kept them in a few different places and would have been justified in doing so. If you're free ranging them you can just toss them outside and they'll figure it out. Sounds like you're past that part though. Have you picked them up and measured (with your fingers) the space between their ass bones? That is generally an indication of them getting ready to lay. I've also read that when they start squatting when you put your hand above them, that they will lay within a week. That was true for my first two chickens, but then I had other ones that started laying and still don't squat. I think they stop laying during molting, but I'm not sure because none of mine have molted yet.

Why don't you get some pictures in here when you have some time.

[DFBrews]

They are 8 ish months old my mother got a 25 pack from McMurray this spring. She is averaging 1 egg a day right now with 16 hens but she is in the San Luis valley so a balmy -30 on Tuesday. I have 3 black australorps and one Wyandot The eggs will come. There are some major coop design flaws that I did not realize until there where birds in. They will eventually be able to run in the backyard when we are home. Came home to a bunch of dove feathers on the porch today we are 1/4 mile from a creek and I have witnessed a hawk nail a dove in the back yard. That and we have a healthy stray cat population. The GF and I actually rescued and fostered a 6 pack of urban kittens this fall.

[Irving]

I have had hawks dive bomb my chickens and land on the fence, or on the coop, or even on the ground with the chickens. So far I've been lucky and none have been harmed. It's important that they have something to seek shelter under when they are outside.

[sniper7]

My silkies are finally laying. About 2 months later than the other birds. About 2/3 the size of normal eggs but they are tasty. Been getting about 8 eggs a day, giving a ton away to family and friends. I know our neighborhood Facebook page people are always asking to buy eggs so it may be time for the kids to explore that route and make a little $$

[DFBrews]

https://i.imgur.com/pLuotyi.jpg

Here are my ladies all fat and floofy

[ChickNorris]

Floofy....


Naarrrrf

[iego]

I think that fence/coop would stop gun store break ins :) Well engineered!

-John

[DFBrews]

I think that fence/coop would stop gun store break ins :) Well engineered!

-John


Thanks it is designed to keep grabbing paws from being able to reach the ladies. we have a healthy stray cat population and raccoons. Came home to a hawk with a dove in its talons this week as well. Have to keep the predators at bay

[Irving]

Saw a turkey and some geese today. Check out the size of the eggs the geese are laying!

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/QLqwRy0JydD0RJ49bSqFDm1w7_9Jae5drVTuwuTQ2eF67U52o4 R6oKfGNCtAXU86C3RsATVzwfh_QlTAeA35we5UMaJ3-NZLBg_A05cIx3-KGC4tV-KlQUqf23mubSemj_dKt8Z0Z6NWk0PgFklH7BXQ_L_QLelR9uJs rXtzQLTVTJUw8f9h3OxUznfDQXQEjqMmNZT-waEA4TjeTmLF89GnOlSgvCvS6VcThy-dCbQdFGjeS7KIkNomXLlythdBfLtKaAqV0fZrl0oBTFwhLc8Ca 8cKN8AkURiq6e1ukOVqk7qAwtQOZRGxnsVBbTgZiNzWJF2dsca 4Q6YpeXKaKG28z3oS1Lf1O2Og6-5RyEntv_YYEmg7-6_Srfbu6Viq-zYF-cmvQ7BkzYH2qZjAvPhdsH7KiUBRJkiipln5niH4lR4ZW5Ean3P 4M9tYLUhd8yKg285ZBMG1qMvtFh40OCHI2QDJXmm9J4YCCLKeg w2uGPrhPa3yayTDdOMIWmzEqU7dIV3Xb70Wgrr6-B9vP_cE-QICgPLSQJU_GG-uSyn4N0nisa6HQSH1jggb8b0EiP6R98NJvkbo1iu4PwB2Y3X_6 Zs6KjXuG9eCG4Xu15Vpj18hk0BRgGd8EOYVWFVk5362WebZlaW-YsFIJMhGy_luFaA8hoQBxdgDG-sAyQK50jebSF84Vpg4TXKBWa-k8056xhqu_xp0R0JCbCs=w891-h501-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/C90JIMGxchZRCJZC1DC4pngfOT9Ph1lKDqtWMfKXGnvT73d3yZ sVYZoOCc2kypGbbC6puxesIrlNQVkvj7a6rIubks6xDHp5wlaP AtuKBNIltXUdYju43jrXFYLatgXuSHz13fN05uw1_Qr7EduYYa leUrufh3zduwKQ9I0n0aVUXwS1YbtIQZLCgUIKi-SnBkNnEWjuYDknec7B7Gl5-99-Z92NfRaHqzAHOQpz9BH4Q7aPdbHcRY5IMoW_LI-A0xtVHO5OnRR6YaNzy9wyIU-flPGCGG6One86I8H9cwdb8IeoQ8aUVCxb-QFT5RcioC6BjY25yJiFyPQ1VcfCicVNrzOXyp5d1ehhJGni32F Qt_NPDxqvwgDMgMj8fGchiqPauPrkQPDIShoP4t_-TJiR7TIS_PvrHDqknbmfgIBfHO7KdpZ72hUKvZKCmaxS2zRKLu vINId4R7Cr5pqCIaWwcOg9972SdXXW_-3WnxtLEmzGGDYbTVu8j9rZtdD2FZqsHYcwmSSdKNZaBsT01wUP EnT0FUREspDDEad_q8MhahjZJZtBacaDOH0tnTVZfSEwrdkwds pLxN5gXPp-i52ca5vzbVCzXiQWDz0voMaPjzUV9c6lpdSaFjP6CAFeRZWpup uCY1kvp7UUfFR7gs7wxINH2c86DDPiJqu1Kc46MYsUyLnzytFL qSYc01EN_sJioZ6nAQFcEpM6KEA=w891-h501-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/E091XX8b22JkH_33YL2cGwD9KIWUeRTMIIIEZlL3Gb59iD2bZx q0ZLbLLwYMm8FIklP3fp7C2cJs8UP4TgFcV0w58Vz991nalYng 9k32V5F6OgSfjTdZQxFIUe2rRNVMfDdQjBhER2PSlTZmB3bO3N yfUgzq_2wQePJTUIZiXluFz_i4OvroYEDSfoj4gEpnDclcQYrS 5Bshm_4fTyaHbXFKbKv8AoD1DxKArG4bnoInoI3ZYGO46--uu6GaygaokBuhiqNzLcTv5iPGCLnpDoAMLulgXwn-y9ZegI7ntkDyUWQqI5RZbTPBn6S_HuorUm-evp9QqoMn6AVGlw6IxPDaHd7jQevx5GvRwtIOuTNL1ApdD0cdy b7TSuExSgNReLOzJmMZSi5v9X6Vj-ChAae4RMK3gyTiEKyoHhgrsBmt5Vc4FrwRgwnmCXPCHUdxdQsk 4yykm8pNaVaYU0epZ4xjJuT5LZzgDsD03n1N1kX70ZfoLH_5xU xkRkNA7oB5yUAHfZ3dSh-0mAQQmOOhdaXp5B2CUtZyiVNkTOnSZKUSFmoUar9rpvo2XAZIk 38c31Oh1dMlOWsJ-nUt8QS-Kvp68S5zVK789S4K6yoKfD42F3hami4CIMKqtPouBfWIpC51rd yG7pDab0WrL_uThlVJ4TwOJF0mU_fVz-XmX1w0HTBFTyKvZqSjRz6Tqy2sRsbltoGcLAAxQIz6fBw=w111 3-h626-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/iQmRTU4wrjQztA7qcNgNRb9_OKulY30cxCrueRJrLQASJhQUFn JFLCvEvzBkVNka3TY1AxH0jF1kQflyCiNfNXqpswS-uovaFIV880q9NZ5Uzizc_awKekZdnGce1QYkY-rLXGsPW0CI9z1tzz__7FCswx1PQTKLEsSsB6OkmdTz2AGwqwoz ngSe5XDOwFi0lvIAIQjPrgs2jMkry8M4E5gakNBlXdFWN6EoW3 3gX7h2CUlvcXaxdVLlxNowaLVC-wDza_upvrTLEmeFzWdSsfwoqI8sXHPBejefU-8gzd1FfZfOejKGwuym8EXpCDWQsOjZSZDIQAX31bQ1MUeUp_LO Nc0X53zJZ-5Z4aH3sHwrrBSwVoW2eRtNat-aMkpbPHGKuClKyLjvtdee1106bBQlsbeq1yGLL3Kw5dWlUfNSn IlSfhV1sawIJh_DWIwRtBzC37YpmmOlGU_C8x0Pf7oOGuO5DpA TcLwhi0N8f0fHaRR3itIT03aKEef0gPI1Ls1z0g3PgxNZlkql7 wW9F8I8c9vi60-_4pN6_GBAyGS-1NR7ZRcTwxcSGu4IFvKMWO3JyjGmyZHYgtSPzS2A-TCwLL6i8-XFUlCO8leEgNQkS5O-YR99wkZxi5Xw5KLiD-Ai_OKzvsDtDj1hxlo-J1TopEs5yFhASuleUGP4rsOBAdZ4OqKTMmY8cuBQmxUxkBEe_K D12QAXDWWpQ80=w891-h501-no

[ChickNorris]

Wow.

Nope, not little.

[sniper7]

Small hands there Irving!








Lol, j/k

[th3w01f]

That is a huge egg.��

If anyone is interested in 1-5 laying hens we have several healthy 2 year olds that we’d like to re-home. The kids love raising new chicks and we’re near 30 total now.

[Irving]

DFBrews, here is a video of the door I'm trying to replicate.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwh00JaCztk

[DFBrews]

DFBrews, here is a video of the door I'm trying to replicate.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwh00JaCztk


I have a 8 pin picaxe or a baby Andruino you can use

[Irving]

I have a similar offer from a robot programmer I was talking to this weekend as well. I'm going to try and put it together without and smart stuff first. I appreciate the offer and may hit you up in the future.

[DFBrews]

Well you will need a 12volt reversible lift gate motor for the up and down motion in the video I have that too

[Irving]

I've got an auto power antenna, in fact, I think the same one that he has.

[DFBrews]

I've got an auto power antenna, in fact, I think the same one that he has. damn it! I want my hoarding to be useful.

[Irving]

I'm surprised you haven't already installed on your coup.

ETA: Never mind, you've got a nice enclosed run.

[DFBrews]

I'm surprised you haven't already installed on your coup.

ETA: Never mind, you've got a nice enclosed run.

We are less than 48 hours from the first coat of paint and a shingled roof the frills are in que.
hopefully this weekend we will finish the trim.

[Irving]

Have you seen GilpinGuy's set-up with his auto sensing fan to get rid of moisture? Something you may consider with your coop being insulated.

[ChickNorris]

damn it! I want my hoarding to be useful.

So true. Poit

[SideShow Bob]

Have you seen GilpinGuy's set-up with his auto sensing fan to get rid of moisture? Something you may consider with your coop being insulated.

All you need is power, a cheap mechanical humidistat & a bathroom exhaust fan ducted to the open air and you are there.

Or you could go all fancy and uppity with an expensive digital low voltage unit and matching low voltage ducted fan.

[Fentonite]

Lucky enough to score some of Irving’s henfruit, so wife and I had eggs for dinner. Fresh eggs are so much better than store bought. Delicious. Thanks again!

http://i841.photobucket.com/albums/zz339/fentonite/4023C2B0-8EA0-4346-83D0-E21D8493E0F7.jpg (http://s841.photobucket.com/user/fentonite/media/4023C2B0-8EA0-4346-83D0-E21D8493E0F7.jpg.html)

[Irving]

No problem! I'd say any time, but with only four laying, it takes me like a week to build up enough to give away a dozen.

[Fentonite]

It’s amazing how much darker/richer the yolk is, and when cracked into a hot skillet, the white stays pretty tight around the yolk, whereas storebought, the white spreads out, much more watery or something, and much less flavor.

[Irving]

If you feed chickens only store bought food, the yolks turn less yellow. So for people that don't free range their chickens, they actually buy a product that "oranges" up the yolks.

Duck eggs are even more crazy, wish I had some to let you try.

[ChickNorris]

Duck egg french toast.

[Fentonite]

Duck egg french toast.

I could OD on that.
Stu- remember how I said that I wouldn’t remember the type of hen that laid those pale eggs? Well, I don’t. But neither the wife nor I could tell a difference between a pale egg and the others. Both were delicious, but indistinguishable from one another. At least to our rudimentary palates.

[ChickNorris]

Laced Wyandotte.. white or silver maybe?

[Fentonite]

Show off.

[Irving]

Golden laced Wyandotte, I think.

[Irving]

These are the eggs from the previously posted white turkey. Hard to see in photos, but they are more pointy than chicken eggs.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/oDGvthn8fPLMMk70Vphpj-Sb0o0dxLrOohBfufGr_n0MQj7r-jfiIuBSwygoWJ0DF78ICcdhAL21lIG416ZfZzVTLmJOSzAa32m 16V73BNAWmEJCdIW3YCBncwdtiLA3lAjZdUaW6eefMXoKO19f_ QezuIrywvSHcEimFrg1GITVnzQjao8qVcfaVhZNVuQmZ6y617n BrRmQw7therFy2qhuQSUhjEfjl_bVnTZ2MeTASNI7AlhfYLvOI S0rZnmkZs3ntzO48OnIlMh-mh-B_Cle5WqqUd425sirMrv66hHOBTjrFy2mc4j2ZUd_-1JgkxLIGWwtexJR8_XGktnesl_Ztu9cC4-cTvgCW65of-Hnyaupy1GAz6_XlP5tFCwuGb9joRlWhc_UZq74Q5X2-2uS9Ydh9fDQSdu00JwHnz3cFO74b4xJbVs4hxjeg3HgW1ZiPqe Y0J60R1r2HVnXrOe1W9DIDPaYeN3FaYcNDTUkgnG2cRZEzNQ1O DPsA__UZsR3327M8q6uUOogBtKwZc1OetB2CqJ8NGRffvXQtk7 owUyUohBl6KJZf641bRlgGbSD69AfjcUcQ9iaShHvjynLho8eh w8EIKpAOH98IWogIpqLOjAm8BHi99nzpTQ4lggH9vPiCbZ9aPK GncjshdaEupjITnjikEicid8uoAAnpiQfBpz97b9pLRu_MEXQS JfZEoHdsXFJ1j179tg=w891-h501-no

[BladesNBarrels]

Chickens at play

https://i.imgur.com/2zHZySV.jpg

[Irving]

Leave the backdoor open for an hour, and all the sudden you have chickens in your kitchen crapping all over the floor! Damn chickens, can't trust them for a minute!

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/KywGES3uR1HkJioeyo8Zr78sPZlGU7wqy7v6hdjF-tM5qVTu7SNRuJPnOXZoY73OrQjY4v6QLIkDta5s8Weu2zIKuG7 ITaIdIguFCfc4VNZR14Kkl0pXwzFwyhpDDdz9iUNoJENdfxRAn scfXS0nx0uo1RDgRZH_Bq7xhjK_K4vH9Zbve1ykA_yYB24d2Iu qr9bX7L7c5Eju-0iuyMINH7SwymhW-G02FGKwZNrObMcevpmSIu5enyWOobJveb4y1XVLYUD17qQpAxT wzAAbp3rdoPUnNv5ciU30tY3fGbgDj6n51WwvRszcH0NpWJpVO pDzmEUPQbmZ3iPyxM3ZluL4lkaB5GxuTI1hZMght20aQhTND3r sYl8MHkC7QhuprfIHhIM8vStIPCfvnpJVKaks4TxdFwZL2PhEA X3ffMZpScPbviH0hiCfZ1MUZUWimQNrniNUQLooLe1Nc4ZSZK8 rFlrT5sbhM_LoNDet--hvsS0SSqI-6f5KMsZLt0EBmtq4Z6u5AaX3kmdxGlApHcAEHUfKJlXJ8vTQ3t LAEeDit7sk18gieek9u3BDBCn7JbuZ9NpgPNdDrsJUGz2m6LQo h2EX0_DdZUl4CIT33SFCIlKzMYK591PEPJ_ZZjIlSyniC76ADa mW1P9Osud1pvJ1Han-D91W7R3plkpHhP-DbE8s_I0yCSxZBe8X-18gVQijF618Chg59BZ1jjFRVizNfA=w1026-h577-no

[BladesNBarrels]

Looks like they are looking for a frying pan to jump into!

Over the Super Bowl weekend, according to the National Chicken Council's annual report, Americans are set to eat 1.33 billion chicken wings, which is up two percent (or 30 million chicken wings) from last year.

[Irving]

For people who think we eat a lot of beef, I'm pretty sure we eat a lot more chicken. I thought I heard there are more chickens than people here.

[DFBrews]

Finally got my first egg 6 weeks since the hens came up here

Did the proper millennial thing and had avocado toast

https://i.imgur.com/Oz3HY0P.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/kcLSs6Q.jpg

[Irving]

That's a good sized egg for the first one.

[BladesNBarrels]

Did the proper millennial thing and had avocado toast


And BACON!

Lived in California in the 50's and Mom made the best avocado and bacon sandwiches. Dad cooked the bacon in an iron skillet over a slit trench fire.
Back when a picnic was an adventure.


https://i.imgur.com/seXUPMV.jpg

[Great-Kazoo]

And BACON!

Lived in California in the 50's and Mom made the best avocado and bacon sandwiches. Dad cooked the bacon in an iron skillet over a slit trench fire.
Back when a picnic was an adventure.


https://i.imgur.com/seXUPMV.jpg

Haven't done a trench fire since scouts.

[BladesNBarrels]

Haven't done a trench fire since scouts.

We had it down to an art. We could stop, build a fire, cook bacon, eat, bury the fire by replacing the dirt removed in about an hour.
There would be almost no sign that we had been there when we moved on. And no danger of a fire getting out of hand.
We each had our own chore and there was no guess work of what needed to be done.

[fly boy]

TTT!

I remembered this thread and came back to it for some info. We will be building a coop/run this weekend in hopes to have about 10 birds by spring. Building a nice 8x8 shed, and will then incorporate a feeder, water with a heater, possible light on a timer, and roosting spots, and nesting boxes. The run will be a modified dog run.

Don't know yet how/if we will cover the Run, and don't know if we will be doing a door to keep them safe at night. Just subscribing so I can see any updates as they come through.

[Irving]

You'll need a roof on the run, especially if you don't do a door.

None of my hens seems to have molted, and egg production barely dropped off, maybe for a month, so I never bothered with a light. This is only my first year though, so I don't feel like that is necessarily indicative of how most chickens behave.

[sniper7]

I?m in the same boat Irving, I don?t think mine molted hardly at all, and egg production had been very consistent. We have 12 hens and getting 7-10 eggs a day. Even the silkies are keeping up production quite well. I read they lay only a little over 100 eggs a year and all three are laying almost daily

[Irving]

Of my five, one of them has still never laid an egg and she is a year old now. She tries every day though, and her hip bones seem like she's getting there. One of the hens looks like she lost some feathers just on her crop, so I'm not sure if that was a conflict on some day they stayed in the coop too long, or if it was some mild molting. I have a lot of four egg days, but not every day, especially since about December to now.

[meatman]

The newest upgrade to our chicken run is a motorized door. I used a 12 volt, 12 inch linear actuator, a DC converter, and a controller with remote. The door itself is made from Hardiebacker. It'll eventually get hooked up to Smartthings so that it's automatic at sunrise and after sunset, but the current remote works from inside the house. It takes about a minute for it to open or close fully.

We had two chickens get killed in the past month from either a racoon or cat (both have shown up in the middle of the night on the game camera).


https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/crcDf94IKIHYXa_4IFyvCBhJAe6dzJ2c8D1uds31KQj2p951YS EjrNheSgDlLRbBvK6ftRW2JQaXBjxcjqhoj86yaWSybzsTidIG k7R3T2IFoeY5Jc9sAhNHAONa22i5ifCWxYJ1vPZghL8LXMROzz 3J76eKoW6RVyxFq0AoSc5U3sTzRxirCWUUos7J6ytGthYeXWBW 5dmBQVP2Who6A3n0Q2ioRkZGTuwvEAWYolvZGMXfTpHBM51pIL Bb1hw87MNoN85OixZNiMJT2oZbQ7tsZMBq9iLF-0dAxRthlVBaeX8egrjPDNsJGa0qbxts3lyvZrwJdwwgsDwEJzi G4dOw3e4KaKT200kVuvxu9ojiMfDB5m1_Mxllz-BtGOoFsduaJEUZW3uaX2n0neINyENecor4YbfHX12d5bMWScOy ZR8Qe3_BZqqyqiUVW9hEUqeOfqj5s-I4zKiaUv4nqMGeV_bG-Ia1bBR1DYDVLQXhWK61_QNJtOGB0dpYQVZNWzUiFUOswOWf9Jw 8F4TpBNyHnVXcWOesKwGfJxrCe1aJTCNBfWN_Hwuk931pACfcA jB-FEAmDQ48k0yiHW6ljpkvwwNcSi6WarqZTiSqfKkVyA64iCkAPt zmbwSGrcU0G9RjJynmTDSqn_h1WSKwhSI_oosmhxiDkev-Wm_sZ5YeoZidpmRnKW6t70CM9bOU5hX0W3TH1uZPAzcehJkDjs yDLg=w568-h757-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/VToVESuIkU9VV7kCcks-2WSvFQbmWXfXGhqxIzWTzzSxB-At_3Pjmso0SJucKzd8OLt1RM9ZDzzZPrNvjGzJyKhWgZyDOG1s U4NeflmZVh_CxkTwthSu0W-GB1Gk5JG8DOK_pkpUoYsSdhslitH3OozduxgLU5EtAZhEcbfQM lrZrzoucnp5Bp84pT0ZCX6f9rHX5DbcLaqY6EXm-ZMkgpcjOVwPuyqQWwJ38fWdK144mTSMeJyB2NSM4TWTQeBfOJA iiByaW41sxxtvHhH2eH6z6py_niuGjYywqfJgrSKWujfsLDfUn i1P8b0JPQrveJ0i-toc-FGzQJiPPGvY40I3eYnZRK1PLUeTWSVKxXP-QZxiQUR1JPCuCrP9OslxzDGNfaeUT9e8vbYv0Pt96SmfGIeXn_ b1fg7xMfBQVoqE_Cmti9riiQYEwynf6sME0FtpbNnRSay7KJol b-uceB_vWj9MjVxEyd6uM6c1W9sbQagIBMGvtTdb-5XxGILlR6d0Jbbx3Qscq2bXmdzBA_8wKHrsal8Gj0jD_zFINJA LDPcCFZ9Fwy01ugDTMLTaPZyfmL2jA_6Ihxpt09nBlfYgY6BNz uLCcKRx1n24zHVFNTUrtuH_v7QQSz0cmauHM7b5YovZjqSUrhQ Yiv3bUSEhFFSRB_Fw=w568-h757-no

[kwando]

After the blizzard last week, while digging out in the chicken coop, we found a hen buried a little snow cave sunday. She prob had 2' drifts on top of her, she was fine just a little hungry.

https://photos.smugmug.com/2019-Colorado-Blizzard-/i-khPssJH/0/b6c61630/X2/IMG_5293-X2.jpg

[Irving]

That's crazy!

[ChickNorris]

This thread is doing that weird secret page you can't get to thing...

[ChickNorris]

& why I'm the first & second post on it is even stranger than before...

[BladesNBarrels]

It's the chickens.
They're taking over.

[DFBrews]

My hens are going gang busters 3-4 a day with 4 hens we have one that pecks the air sac side of her egg. I know which one it is and she is very low on the totem pole
though she has never broken the membrane but every couple days it’s cracked, they have a dedicated oyster shell feeder and I sprinkle some on the ground. We put up curtains over the nest boxes last week and it reduced the cracked egg. She is also the hen that lolly gags in the box I bet she goes broody

[Irving]

My lowest totem pole hen lays under one of the poop chutes opposite of the nesting boxes. She was laying in the furthest corner of the coop that I can't reach, so I had to block it off so she can't get there. She lays right next to one of the removable walls. I'm interested to see if she goes into the nesting box once I take the walls off again in about a month.

[DFBrews]

Why do you have nesting boxes blocked off?

[Irving]

Sorry, I wasn't clear. Let me get some pictures to illustrate.

[Irving]

Okay, next boxes are on the left where everyone else lays (even the chicken that only pretends every day), and the bottom hen lays her eggs all the way on the right under that ramp. The part I now have blocked off is under the long ramp, behind that gutter. She was laying back there and I couldn't reach the eggs without going prone in shit.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/VAejk8UxdaDF_cU97j9WLROWMDOkzImgN3ZqRpdW6dVzTYzSpW laVBvIY9k6aR3ohu8LGF3cWsoiQIfupbyqfl5sCTSCmM149twJ r4KdZYwVrgRtabLZD-TcDZnFsRfCm5JMJhqcPznaLAeGDf2q9OjTer40b_1UOoFuc0PX SDv0qwRyo0C9YJeVcanYzI6-WymDOiC9dYQlSkRqAKxGQUNb1L13_ethQ3EEPyRVAhmgnIWj-1eIiZSXjKWUDHj6i7uHYdT3HdqWq5HQW0shIlil3zsQEns4YvA e0yzDh1fdhciQtDjsc8mxyX5zksFQtVo8IysGmol21hAwshZ86 C9vq5gbpknTlClMqxU1xyP0ih-xth8BvA9vb-8GAkXCRM5TpFVEFom0FL7MedpJQ4LAXReKjyMA_BBTI9Twa4UK kZUhLweGcRx7u_8nToBS-UhbjW4miXbt26GtotzYv4IkQJe7GjBqJUbpnjZvvSk8GqSl-spMMk5fSoXyhaWtBsMJDM50XsfIWegW5TA5CJr84YfvjtaK-2Oe7ARXdi2ydcb5QazSROy_kSHLD_qnGafFibOrCSvmFoSQ54t pgXIu5TLznB6gDED6cSSR4551sqDua3KyJD5TA8cuGnBFfs6My wNEllOBEmbgPJEO-2LBscLbGAYFAg=w1632-h918-no

[brutal]

The newest upgrade to our chicken run is a motorized door. I used a 12 volt, 12 inch linear actuator, a DC converter, and a controller with remote. The door itself is made from Hardiebacker. It'll eventually get hooked up to Smartthings so that it's automatic at sunrise and after sunset, but the current remote works from inside the house. It takes about a minute for it to open or close fully.

We had two chickens get killed in the past month from either a racoon or cat (both have shown up in the middle of the night on the game camera).


https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/crcDf94IKIHYXa_4IFyvCBhJAe6dzJ2c8D1uds31KQj2p951YS EjrNheSgDlLRbBvK6ftRW2JQaXBjxcjqhoj86yaWSybzsTidIG k7R3T2IFoeY5Jc9sAhNHAONa22i5ifCWxYJ1vPZghL8LXMROzz 3J76eKoW6RVyxFq0AoSc5U3sTzRxirCWUUos7J6ytGthYeXWBW 5dmBQVP2Who6A3n0Q2ioRkZGTuwvEAWYolvZGMXfTpHBM51pIL Bb1hw87MNoN85OixZNiMJT2oZbQ7tsZMBq9iLF-0dAxRthlVBaeX8egrjPDNsJGa0qbxts3lyvZrwJdwwgsDwEJzi G4dOw3e4KaKT200kVuvxu9ojiMfDB5m1_Mxllz-BtGOoFsduaJEUZW3uaX2n0neINyENecor4YbfHX12d5bMWScOy ZR8Qe3_BZqqyqiUVW9hEUqeOfqj5s-I4zKiaUv4nqMGeV_bG-Ia1bBR1DYDVLQXhWK61_QNJtOGB0dpYQVZNWzUiFUOswOWf9Jw 8F4TpBNyHnVXcWOesKwGfJxrCe1aJTCNBfWN_Hwuk931pACfcA jB-FEAmDQ48k0yiHW6ljpkvwwNcSi6WarqZTiSqfKkVyA64iCkAPt zmbwSGrcU0G9RjJynmTDSqn_h1WSKwhSI_oosmhxiDkev-Wm_sZ5YeoZidpmRnKW6t70CM9bOU5hX0W3TH1uZPAzcehJkDjs yDLg=w568-h757-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/VToVESuIkU9VV7kCcks-2WSvFQbmWXfXGhqxIzWTzzSxB-At_3Pjmso0SJucKzd8OLt1RM9ZDzzZPrNvjGzJyKhWgZyDOG1s U4NeflmZVh_CxkTwthSu0W-GB1Gk5JG8DOK_pkpUoYsSdhslitH3OozduxgLU5EtAZhEcbfQM lrZrzoucnp5Bp84pT0ZCX6f9rHX5DbcLaqY6EXm-ZMkgpcjOVwPuyqQWwJ38fWdK144mTSMeJyB2NSM4TWTQeBfOJA iiByaW41sxxtvHhH2eH6z6py_niuGjYywqfJgrSKWujfsLDfUn i1P8b0JPQrveJ0i-toc-FGzQJiPPGvY40I3eYnZRK1PLUeTWSVKxXP-QZxiQUR1JPCuCrP9OslxzDGNfaeUT9e8vbYv0Pt96SmfGIeXn_ b1fg7xMfBQVoqE_Cmti9riiQYEwynf6sME0FtpbNnRSay7KJol b-uceB_vWj9MjVxEyd6uM6c1W9sbQagIBMGvtTdb-5XxGILlR6d0Jbbx3Qscq2bXmdzBA_8wKHrsal8Gj0jD_zFINJA LDPcCFZ9Fwy01ugDTMLTaPZyfmL2jA_6Ihxpt09nBlfYgY6BNz uLCcKRx1n24zHVFNTUrtuH_v7QQSz0cmauHM7b5YovZjqSUrhQ Yiv3bUSEhFFSRB_Fw=w568-h757-no

Have you looked at Hubitat?

Seems ST has reliability issues according to some?

I'm using Wink and starting to tire of their issues (we had a long outage last week), though it's super easy to setup and run and is otherwise solid. Only problem I'd have now moving to Hubitat since ditching my POS relays is moving to Hubitat would mean buying not only their hub (Raspberry Pi based) but I'd also have to buy a Lutron Hub Pro (that isn't needed with Wink) to support all the Lutron switches (lots) that I have.

[meatman]

Have you looked at Hubitat?

Seems ST has reliability issues according to some?

I'm using Wink and starting to tire of their issues (we had a long outage last week), though it's super easy to setup and run and is otherwise solid. Only problem I'd have now moving to Hubitat since ditching my POS relays is moving to Hubitat would mean buying not only their hub (Raspberry Pi based) but I'd also have to buy a Lutron Hub Pro (that isn't needed with Wink) to support all the Lutron switches (lots) that I have.

We've had Smartthings for about 3 1/2 years. It's had just a few hiccups in that time and nothing major. I've heard of some issues with ST's, but I'm reluctant to change since I have about 50 things hooked up to it. For a bit, we had issues with it recognizing presence of smartphones, but that has improved over the past 6 months. I haven't had an outage from their end that lasted more than a couple of hours. I feel it's been fairly reliable and I'm used to the system.

[brutal]

We've had Smartthings for about 3 1/2 years. It's had just a few hiccups in that time and nothing major. I've heard of some issues with ST's, but I'm reluctant to change since I have about 50 things hooked up to it. For a bit, we had issues with it recognizing presence of smartphones, but that has improved over the past 6 months. I haven't had an outage from their end that lasted more than a couple of hours. I feel it's been fairly reliable and I'm used to the system.

If you're heavily invested in one, switching is a chore, though much of it can be done slowly, and with all of it integrating with Alexa and/or GH, the UI end of the automations can be slightly less painful.

Similar here. 50+ devices (switches/lights/sensors), hooks into Alexa, IFTTT, Stringify, and even some SmartThings stuff like our phones and TV, makes me hesitate a switch now but I would def go Hubitat given the feature set, community support, and adoption rate.

[BladesNBarrels]

Well, I wasn't going to post this and offend anyone, but after Irving's statement in the Ammo Trading Post threads:
"I've got seven rounds of WWB .38auto you can have for free if you want. I'm honestly probably going to just throw them away."
Oh the humanity - throwing away ammo!

https://i.imgur.com/M4xQw84.jpg

[BladesNBarrels]

Oops, my apologies to Irving.
I just looked at his tagline at the bottom of his posts:

Soy un Hombre y tengo un gran bigote

Had to get a translation and it came up:

I'm a Man and I have a big mustache

Word-by-word translation
Explore the translation word-by-word.
Soy to be
un a
Hombre man
y and
tengo to have, to be
un a
gran large
bigote mustache

I am not messing with anyone with that statement, Uh nuh, Not me!

[William]

If you're heavily invested in one, switching is a chore, though much of it can be done slowly, and with all of it integrating with Alexa and/or GH, the UI end of the automations can be slightly less painful.

Similar here. 50+ devices (switches/lights/sensors), hooks into Alexa, IFTTT, Stringify, and even some SmartThings stuff like our phones and TV, makes me hesitate a switch now but I would def go Hubitat given the feature set, community support, and adoption rate.

Saw this on a hubitap amazon ad. "After one time setup, no internet connection is required to use the Hubitat Elevation hub" They mean public internet?

[brutal]

Saw this on a hubitap amazon ad. "After one time setup, no internet connection is required to use the Hubitat Elevation hub" They mean public internet?

As I understand it, it's suppose to be 100% local control of your localized devices. You will, of course, need internets to integrate with cloud based services like Alexa, Google Home, and some other cloud based solutions that don't talk directly to Hubitat. SO "Alexa, turn on the kitchen lights," still needs internets.

Here's a brief, if somewhat negative, review of the ecosystem. It is a deep dive IMHO, something I really don't have the time or energy for ATM. However, if Wink goes tits up, I'll likely move to it. https://www.techhive.com/article/3334881/hubitat-elevation-review-this-smart-home-hub-keeps-everything-local-a-noble-but-ultimately-impracti.html

[Irving]

This is why I wanted to have a photocell control the door. Set it up once and let it do it's thing and auto correct for time of day throughout the year.

[brutal]

This is why I wanted to have a photocell control the door. Set it up once and let it do it's thing and auto correct for time of day throughout the year.

Like.

I had Wink relays at my front door and office and it drove me nuts when it would lag or just go sideways. I wanted to stab them fukn things. I took them out and put in smart switches (and dimmers) that still work when you press them if the internets or HA stuff is offline.

[Irving]

One day I'll get that door working, but now work is picking up so I'm afraid it won't be till next year or something.

[meatman]

I'm setting Smartthings to open at sunrise and close 30 mins after sunset. It calculates those time changes.

I do have a motion detector out there that detects illumination, so I could use that as a trigger as well.

And as soon as I said that I hadn't had an issue with ST's, all my Zigbee things went disconnected. I'll look into Hubitat...

[William]

Right now I just have a wink gen 1 hub and 20 something bulbs so moving to a new stack wouldn't be too painful. I want to move everything eventually to switches. Excepting about a 48 hour period where it zoned out, the lag is a second or so worst case on my w1.

[Duman]

This thread has legs....chicken legs, but legs nonetheless.......

[Irving]

Do you guys have spread sheets or charts or anything to help with organization, or if you die and your wife needs to figure out why the microwave turns on every time she watches Days of Our Lives?

I spend all day sketching people's houses and could build a blue print of mine in less than an hour but haven't bothered. I'd like to build the blueprint and diagram which circuits control which outlets and lights. It'd come in handy probably 5 times a year, yet I've not taken the time to actually do it.

Also, chickens.

[OtterbatHellcat]

Not for my house, but I do for my truck. And a shitload of pics to help remember how stuff was done.

[Irving]

That's a good move. When run new wires in my house, I write in a sharpie on both ends of the wire (junction box in attic, and right before it goes through the soffit into the box) with a sharpie saying what it goes to. I'm sure some electrician will laugh at me in the future, and hopefully triple check to make sure I'm correct, but it sure makes me feel better.

[brutal]

I'm setting Smartthings to open at sunrise and close 30 mins after sunset. It calculates those time changes.

I do have a motion detector out there that detects illumination, so I could use that as a trigger as well.

And as soon as I said that I hadn't had an issue with ST's, all my Zigbee things went disconnected. I'll look into Hubitat...

Use Stringify and you can do and/or and conditionals with any platform - though they had some issues 2 weeks ago. Blerg.

[brutal]

Right now I just have a wink gen 1 hub and 20 something bulbs so moving to a new stack wouldn't be too painful. I want to move everything eventually to switches. Excepting about a 48 hour period where it zoned out, the lag is a second or so worst case on my w1.

Wink hub2 has tons of local control. I actually had a lot of local control and my schedules and robots mostly fired OK during their extended online outage. Interestingly, the hub2 are nearly impossible to find in stock anywhere. Either wink is going under, or hub3 is coming but they're not saying anything. Many think they're going into a maintenance only mode for a while and one or other will happen this year.

I saw today one post of another "Breathing Blue" outage, but my wife didn't ping me to complain about anything. I just checked my Wink app and don't see any issues.

I pulled all my smart bulbs except one over my safe and went Lutron or Zooz Dimmers & switches. Smart bulbs are a PITA. The switches are pricey AF but work regardless of the ecosystem state. I hunt for them on fleabay or other sale deals and buy multipacks at discount. That said, I think I overbought and have a couple Lutron dimmers that don't need a neutral (parasitic). For dimmers I like the Lutron Caseta, for switches the Zooz (decora paddles)

[brutal]

Do you guys have spread sheets or charts or anything to help with organization, or if you die and your wife needs to figure out why the microwave turns on every time she watches Days of Our Lives?

I spend all day sketching people's houses and could build a blue print of mine in less than an hour but haven't bothered. I'd like to build the blueprint and diagram which circuits control which outlets and lights. It'd come in handy probably 5 times a year, yet I've not taken the time to actually do it.

Also, chickens.

LOL. TF I care after I'm dead.

j/k. Envelope with all the account login and passwords. Executor of my will can figure it out with the family from there.

That said. That's also another reason I'm moving away form smart bulbs to point switches.

[Irving]

A regular paddle switch is what, $2-3? I needed a 3-way 10v dimmer, in white, for my LED living room. Cost me $70 online. I can only imagine what a Wifi friendly one costs.

[Irving]

To bring this thread back to chickens, here are two in the nesting boxes at the same time. They like to share spaces. The one in the top left sometimes lays immediately below. The other two share the space the one in the lower right is occupying. If one is in the bottom and the other comes in, they cluck at each other until one moves, like waiting for the toilet. The other chicken lays across the coop. I've got enough nesting boxes for like 12 hens, but four of them wait in a line. Whatever.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/PDP63eixjcjs9jf2jVI2S04n1dtBTbLPKxk9G1iN1Te05Jn2ke 28fZf9UFnFhRaxW0Vd3W86-czcxIq8Mg1q73gJaxDQrHCwWdz_-lCSSKGxjlrGHr_HgT9PaTXZOYEKWnqVGLZfQXRAwZsRw7FF0l0 NU8UoMvF6iIAecohfb8SANiyNRnHcFmuQw4EFHiH8XBvXfAhfZ sjI1p_BumyPkUCajZ-auAX4zVdCYKSfnzvjjEsA29fF0v-eHV3sh3EwYYAuOapPHQxiqk1wUKSsIi28aws3USCnPQ7eqXu3E WaU60MqhZe0SExUAV7mHRlO6xj7NU4SS_SFcVQYKBGpAViL-2vPP0G-k5w1OiA8Kmieqx3vFaqUpTsxj1MJbeT5BbgloHn-lFLwqsHvc3Q39JWEXr9r2dHR8WTpWvrw5zVa-jSYuNXOIV842mA2PgL26GKN-ONRfKq7VJUmh1WnqPyp6mdtxxvBqwv9CNvK9b37lZbseOukw7f-7D6rD9IbTvOl3tYwv17hV0D4IsFBpbgzLqlE4BJNeicaECHAZe wTINzR3SWtyFbrNTaEUOX7CmaP_ERVLLOUGAeWHgUJ3EFwFvj9 3FNZTFTtqAJXXwUVfvK_XFWhdsNEXAd128LDv8HzI5lbJvSWdV ZqhN-bGUJFk1_eA6GycDXbApQG091ev4JNxVhLSl1yPpOjUB-b5FMsLglZeNhh_Cf4liCZk9dRpQ=w889-h500-no

[Irving]

This is a terrible picture, but it is TWO hawks sitting in the tree down the street watching over the yard.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/WTtvtTHWLse7RobiP6gQG4x9qOlJCDd9suaXJ-bRdVbrw-CPJPrDdih8WHXAHIjkEFPbWs6a9OdwHbHyBMtdUOTRDR0jlq9j hWiDRGd7qdJDBQelwn6DSi7efHTzJwBri41Ve59ox5iPR5LK9e iaOP22usxjZ7ud9Z8dRE5tfxtvCQesFdiM1Mwd00rdwAh7Whjm Wci2jPsR4BEd-qzi1aq2FIhpF8czIfq-2ShOagi1Sy4ltwl95vgfZjLBOhUNezdiIxGJduSyUE8BEHigqB udvVH003KLZB0hQ6uXPht9Kc60EFQ9REHhco6D3anoKI956ZI8 OimapYu5j4wdgBAQlnUxzFxpczLvnv6gMvZxdVJxbc1ym1Y9OF WnGN8yoDqtkrDDA_ab4rYiBcS3VJq2u19xZfAkKLrINtubppHy BCQtWmr2odlY4h7evAfs_xdy271qAzwnY2XDP5H2sfFDb00vRx 9UNjgFcs_filHSFEPuUKOQ94fZSCHEsz9vyky0QYqsGI3p-e_ioz2FS-2WeMK2sQ8XoVxJzAuCmsJaUkq8D7J4JTh7Z1em0sLMh31o12t3 hauVdVGvqQCw08HfDPweVqLo-bugtNhyCiQKd2xWMCmf6iZXoBOyK6-xaQr6CKQCN0chZIf_vOYg-iJ3n-1WKTghdKJUft9cw7Mrn9CVCO2gE6br5j18sApkykPWJxVG1xoq B4FLkLM-ABxMtQ=w1112-h625-no

[Irving]

Every time it snows, I go out into the backyard and make some trails in the snow for the chickens. They won't go into deep snow. As long as they can see some grass/dirt, then they'll walk around in the snow. These are from two different snowfalls in January.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/PDIIw3yUhN5T5zwTPmYcXRS2nNtarkLgrFfM42ujMEfF-vGImI0iUaWfy_yuzYv-QwKulQnvFOE-7BuUGmOtyww66iQZN7swjqvpmk7qItVrvuUJ-TY_0Egfj2ji8QikDif44XezT1YOwFnIo4vFeZuHS4SaDM65W3m 31fS6niZej7BIpaWyJSiXYcDeW5hvM_mPkmgX0Izys8AALQ3pK fsaQd1M949L3NZkyXSzXcHmNFdSQieuL6PmSDotYb9_lTRgkB_ OdXpAkYD3pCpha8MYIllgp6z5Vmot02eBfPMUPyigNrPO4TOAe Vy3engsgHWVV-Q2Jz6Q9SBFlnEd_kCC91VmJHSXvgijFDeFjtlqk5mSfYzPyJub EXk8TP8YgJaUjtmKR-rt73npEuUwc20q7UoTATQipJdjvd4E2DkD9yAJfkRgEJq7mfrW-1ELbdMqnzifCSdcYmy5SuYx9djJww1PlyCaE3Y2E7D_I3r20tO wPEr6Ly5eVnxdoJLyPVdmTCp5Gu3qNqv6QvSqQdZTKyxeog2m5 EI9b-KzI6pUXJWsS_WFWASCZeSP3BgoVfHh55GA5PRDI1j_xFe1zc4A qO8eH5CVgSFdqKO-LlwKo6aQXaiGiZwOPM4XuQgZZnhBt6aZ5RiEXG2IpTQLjR5PVc 3bVu4YwTskuXf5o05zW4X02p9de2LOyPh7AjTSGDoAuV3zaWQv 1xuMwaQXKHQh0w=w1112-h625-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/vQXcNWkhIfytA88-TTtE1J5EeyIUcQ7bIPka-2jqj-_adXZt8qrx4bScqTPyAlXX8pRvdEB5lOUbwIkDRX4QUyy0M9zy dkv3Or8hHZ-NqwvnF4ZQ2MUYwI5vF6ax4oBM4ylZYUjwR5n4EicW7lzcCOcOT wJJd4HAnGTFXpeMUGc1x9L-4tRMDy5FxJ_DBONxCXuFE9k5CHQFUki6cNFrKuKceBdKFnfZ7X PhwSF-M9fMMW68Isz5htnUlTqK81lX1fs62fXWXNdZh8TlE8nBpq0Fdj G-AitA6kZ63Liz114TzRH75_rAxmv7K-F_YB3W7jV6ONmgrYMwl6Xos_60TDr9T5Ng6X9UBIkIej9WTyHM 61Dtj2zea7Q8rGM9Awxarv_1giOD_q0eWSH72-8WcD1rYhHU8gMzGiLycqbcDBLAExQFqxa79ZKzEmPa7ZzYujQy aXZzp0CdJO_0ULZr4dD665lwrrFI8jTgOYbDCPXY7F8wmSJJlG ecewxUlGqI3XbQ3hvFrB8a8-qfEAaTVaCrqCo2GQTldqV5PLKs9FnnBOVW8I84_LP5HI_s0ixj yHifPIPK41U8zgQoruh7bpu4mhhMW-04j4UIseIMYdVmZcd4xenSWXPk4hczWvshnEiCzCUwOhUmG2ym srWsqvbRM0tbyxifwN59hWSdujFu5kXPQKTF-DK0gsIFD9Ja5TX5oMPnaXYYkfTi1jrDbR4_Rw=w1112-h625-no

This last blizzard I made varying widths of paths, some more narrow than the body of the chickens, just to see if they'd use them. I accidentally conducted a bit of a "Let's watch a chicken solve a maze to get to food" experiment. Under no incitement of food, they just wander around and pluck at the grass. In that situation I saw one walking down a path that was wide enough for her feet, but more narrow than her body. Well, they all know the sound of the corn bag (corn is basically empty calorie junk food for chickens). When I got into that corn bag, they all jumped up from various parts around the yard to see what I was doing and one was in the coop pretending to lay an egg. I took the corn to the compost at the far end of the yard and two chickens were on the opposite side of the yard. The one that was walking down the skinny path made it into the garden and was only ten feet from the corn pile, but it took her a few minutes to figure out that she could walk on the dry wood of the garden structure to get to the corn. The one that came running out of the coop ran into the yard, saw the maze structure in front of her and decided that she didn't have time to figure it out so she just jumped straight up and flew to the furthest dry spot she could manage, then hopped right into the corn; beating the garden chicken by a full minute. None of the other chickens are as smart or have as much personality as the one that flew. I just wish she'd lay an egg already, it's been over a year now. She probably never will.

[Irving]

If anyone is the bedroom, they can hear you talking through the window and will come to see what's up. This is the one that was smart enough to fly over the snow but won't lay any eggs. She is an Easter Egger, which is a sort of chicken mutt. They are named easter eggers because as a "breed" they can lay eggs of any color (yellow, green, blue, brown), although the egg color of an individual bird won't change.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/O5MiKsrkhYsPmsMGUqdEtLSttr3-eC6gnAI1uTZcPQvJl4oZTtsZHRfD4rAH3jo6XrfM0rAtgyLMZL scGFUTZHIx-K40kOdjEwP-du4VwzBHAyDjT9zLwyC_GBE4frIZSlkXm6BVKjdA3FoqPy_Syq D3qrbLZUOaMnskCrB_1p8w8W0tprnnxlmxk5YbBkWVENkTnL70 yr5edoIhx15IYsxmZNMWwr1Eo0krbCdOlH0RVnVIyHdYtFH8k8 WH3CaI6QiAVmYXuYFrKDHqrqEzSqCj78r1D33SHiGUc2Ifd1uy xIK_LQfoJvlXA0M2xUp4T5YeVvTo0V2Sxbfwtoea6zAfmBVX3w UMci81Vnl_B7V5huiSKgcCfHFMYkDlF6cyWKrHA83hjof2P5eX ibfAgmQpcYXrbVTkPNmsqPPeabio6p_jPEkIb2SKhFSvr32hlz RuEVNR474Z6QGTQ14Mqmem8n6leYT9ffhTDm-DaCK30N14KdGGJr_NfJ_eIqQLyKEKkjEnMzYhIxq2F87MR9Gwj fMwL3LC7IY1GPamLilJmw0tCJJKThtW2xtoO2pbsnhdOSaYbbx H5I0NN7zHLH5aSGeXASRQTYo1EhJfC67BRiIe_jqxuI40U-L0ya7dYcaLDk_NhVhA64qxyf6wFkYvLnKMA9ki_bek7fKcNkQe 3eQEI0BEBwIYpvHF2BbMbDcgNQbwpS3d2p-j_iEMf_dpZA=w1112-h625-no

This one looks like a rooster but slings eggs like a boss. If I remember correctly, this is a Colombian Rock. If I even think about this chicken, she sprints across the yard to where I should be to see if I have food for her.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/9u4xHuYB0U97uYMsy-cCQtWKCPQ7ZN4q-8-PEUbk9gHZg_nwKwaG_0dFOV9f3IZ4D8u9ZQSpluQkfYNPAIiDk zWx0Yrh22spp7wIIA7umsSr9M4K-6R5HGZMWuZljarCtQ7Bvy0nujdBU8pUfz3XNgEfM1rTQJ_dSGs 0h5mRtzZC5OUZ2FyTSmJb6jJerj5l-QKiT9S41BbwVHHwWPEHmehsz_PzpJDwlnm1uBQuI09zusHeANs _paUJ_OVG9kTf2l6MRanZiBxMM4rRAFDvY6BdYxCU48b97z85P mXvlXQuRqXpXLUiUKodTkG6m9jHOAOBdql9vxcUHck7ZT62O4q mYYwoOix96bwNZg7mPTK_oJD6XByBn3ijIbZm5u7-iZANGe9aInDZB1zcIh-MXzVoWXHU4ErreDmzGKdhLW-ioayiO98EeE2ZYNg9GmmeJstFAOwKE63tmMvWGZi9Pz7x54fg-TSpE7RiKijfzy63-WVa8S9VeqElsoFReT3t-lv0FiL3VAqo9aUJ8DH_RDQ9HzY95RZtQS0uCSyyPdcijHJ6xhH kABI3CCCuhcjRsM9e3rSKclfzm3HuJON8K8ePCZPpTVvhgVaiX 5x4MaApIl_xnVDBTnDXH2dqjQXAZ-FthvRzgl3Vdy2KCd06B-Iuz-mzFOHPTw23QSbQN1kDBNCoLjF18fKQq6S3H3Fj17o0awskaY2V jN2qb_prgFLC0A=w1112-h625-no

[Irving]

The indoor animals and the chickens get along just fine, which is nice.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/hegLfg2SMZfz6rCyL2P1Zn8nHHJVRBdUmqItXt0Fga0BNGaN1v 4odMQCBb_8nqM3lx3QHXh6x9OOUeBc0O1GFfHjqZRKfT8vKzjN SYF66R7PwsqyKtQrG7Y50pOISWxFUx_MfOoQkURPGdcRqffb-T_VGaDoSo-DS7HKjkrRWrXptCTfurZpluCfnvcj5r3XEeCL-mI8IlwsuJLWkPhrEp27fX_DlzTUQ_8yKO4gz1iZxX-jCPgHyJxO_TXjHvfOwEs8U_X0c5jO6cK8WKOtU7rN7DP1Pyg5z P1WZu0U9rhq_flMvL3qfWwZ1BLw9YqfiaE3HV0PVcN7XyeX1Yl 852Go3EQopRrTCsvIZLDhJHaIDDJpCh180d51JuE7qsCPy-SiMwcdyyuUmOne2iWATy1EMpAT5ELF_31LNG86imXylAcHspYp xcMdVyvn2UWvzfy9crD3bnTIbSOOS3BenaftQiGHuUJonjeEFP xtMEdeYtpsiRLWqwm6chSFrC86T0AoRt3nifYFA5zcyQcDVZq-5rSMDL40suZ0eqc3x0aJVQ3MT2FYHcWYtHQH2iLHEaaqxNqu7o U0GdZaQSiUJnabDMz6dt_Xwfp8fLV_5D3IurOzkAN-ptr_M-kEVphHrdspj2MhQPclSrnS4toCy91u0fzESkp4E1weEJy4ZP0f jVTfzfQN86Sv-PycB0pJnYgBbSNniQJTJ2fjU2CHZD3nlg=w1112-h625-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/GGo7BDWEdObGgiD3eprdH2Rw-NSwOYyDIzho_b4L6_Ye0vpA6c0f6ecehUz-FW-xE34nsKWh-HIhJDAu50s5uVXffu9eNimQlANp_7C3qIqS1BsYvkewnWFc3dQ TNCp3u-36rNmGiI68jMpWgIeA6D1Y4QLdqdcrKfSoKHxDv39ipvoKfL4t 9SIPBX7fCbayFm4V4UZPN-7UmqnLNk40DeRU7xND_-H_uwrUM1BcLjB8SzQ10vJ8KCmr-p_YH-2bDt_rkmNujdnH7Z74P-E-Bpgx2oyeW2NEkopFCI36usvSFVOirCv1oNx8_uLaxyAivDUrQy-45JSEU4oMrtY9drhkoIlthm8EfZv0XQNZQ95OXB-32SMEGilb6jn4urbV-d9tXam217lhY0T0fyRkvA0-cscG4zT6Lt6vI8QezyICgElE3sTnUXmDNjWygM4gjbPRcFeAQd WtO99Uh5Ue2iLYf4voQlDPQrs637LhcfWw_beUTQ12YHid9NRK x9vLmuQ_t1eHPVP6MmXs8zy2usiChMhp97WF9sLuSehYsRU91-S8cRnd1OztQNDK7bvF8AOiinz12C-YcfgCJm2Zp2yhPLycuqQO6O0PvEnTt0UzGSBmaGzuxaVfY-8iCY0VFJSi8CRl8q22xMpNFCMP-JSa2CeOUQtu9ZgUerZ4b7p2Q74V2IPD-bGQPGUnJaBHUIMl6c4v2E5hWpG7fHVxGJZPEQ=w1024-h576-no

Here are the two aforementioned hens sharing a different part of the nesting box.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/7RvInsiTXF1I62uiiD4nC7AZEHzvWJyEh4rTHC41l3gFGcgzCb 012CsZ_QQjS60lCvsu5D-TCie8ib_-b26KhKixJaJXlNR7bAvKtt9shRgzBeT7Thset0eJYBTLFm1EQe ORu4DXrRxAHPO_jPa4wIwIqOIvuxv_MbN0hXW5wWoKv_1xKhKV Ja2_V-TMH_SniPtCOYHihI8gwSZVY8PZmVEOgWIq0AjQ0ja6bKqdgvhJ 5yBTeBUYDyTQzsQeXAfJk8yXva8D_wcAhmO4k_F7LrGP7_U5Gs BelDH6OUvkqW_a-AbMSKdE7DnM7Ra2_aZwwcPuRoYscHXZjEV40ij2Nv9-Br7l_kYDW00zdNQD62-MFqWB7M_06hE1uAyf-YH_yhDr1VD0YswaAnAynFohRhXnvP1I2Sw_3dZTOKRQ5WaNC_Z xZa-NDVlH7hL-vvLWRuSg4kdf8-ElGtJlhJbs28QJawyDwpe7tkSswNthX6o4uthy9PBjqmoGYCe1 r8lkuHkGdbwQaLvVM6HJo2DM-bDxbDnTDPxufecPqwbJur7Kz1fwuxu4cyyvtFPYGCHyjfPRgOl SY4fGW60Nay_aDhp-L2U3imMelpKifaPLBya1bxrHKAxMIZpmFHpImJUrGT4NZ6h3Ef Lf0Vu9MYaHz0zCmcwNsI6SLh2w2JBUVZlKf3Oes6NkVpoIIovk QpRslFQByySfMFRJsuFmwt6smD024g=w1112-h625-no

[brutal]

A regular paddle switch is what, $2-3? I needed a 3-way 10v dimmer, in white, for my LED living room. Cost me $70 online. I can only imagine what a Wifi friendly one costs.

I can buy a 3 pack of Lutron Caseta smart dimmers with Pico remote on ebay for ~40 each. Slap the remote in a faux plate on a wall for an instant wireless 3-way. HD sells the 3-pack retail for $48 each. The "better" ones with an additional "favorite" button, that use a neutral and run MLV or ELV lights (virtually anything) and at a higher wattage I picked up for $60 each but those don't come with a remote - thought the Pico remotes do work with them.

A Zooz paddle switch is $40 or less. They can also run 3-way or 4-way with dumb switches.

P.S. They're not WiFi, they're z-wave. Wifi stuff only works with the likes of Alexa and Google Home. Z-wave and zigbee are the new HA standards.

I'll stop crapping your thread now, sorry.

[Irving]

In early December I emptied the compost into the garden.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/0cTrtyavO-3b-8KDHF3CV9hCCDizULJLYlx-tfyBqICrN2fjH6zTVcfjF5VB_1zFDRE-5gq7e0HkuQ4KC1u4u4QyTuyugNMcMKoi2hcO4vIWyo2rTXlf9n p1neiviXuGuXgmZVgjRpiD1rbJhbdMurWzdvkldBgy6m7iwnpF NNcpCl27uyeMtWec04Hlzo7rd_PazYhBiO2HSDjWnCrxAGow8Y WeNDMA486ux8AgabMQb8BNpS1rIwGASeVLQCLWbOlrz4DnJZFM 0u9jmGKOtNM3mC0oYNPpuFwk06RFIYhhnOmSFUNl-LCnrsmvl4NQ7qQJsOz00Qd3F0F5WhvJf8Ih-te27OOVZRU5JhqtxnYHo5mvXZVOtiEvZwc5XNqXgPNvxG133Om uvRODfGovRv7H_Ijo7usT6a_z7RLS4v2Wr5uzmkZOtm9ct05U1 hef2K2x8NC6933CfwUQPsKqZHBvgMmMC_D5_-kTDnfUUVwTp4QMuZIxuLLuMhyREYuXJLMosKpNJWjbjj5zLOXz XRjIJMrA44O8_fQe1E2OB7fScAw68YFTII5Uh80sSLwO8on90R K1XMIWM_r482pPxP4xzjscUD5Qg3yg0gzwYbHburaL7pZA7v0W WqtS3__bUdeoTp-NLlFbexMx6fh-9ykXXIN2Fy8JOWGpt1MZ7FaL16UWPDGg5oI2KhfIiiQIhQmgZj MkOVWoXeborZS9Koh8gg=w1024-h576-no

Every single day since then, the chickens spend a few hours each afternoon mixing it into the garden for me. I'm still going to rent a rototiller and add some more dirt to mix it all in, but chickens have really upped my compost game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlRODYgG3fM&feature=youtu.be

[Irving]

I've never even heard of zwave and zigabee, but I'm interested in being educated.




I'll stop crapping your thread now, sorry.

I just want to make sure you can keep up. No one can crap up a thread like a chicken, with this perfect spiral crap. I should have framed this in a shadow box.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Xhe9QEfaxaSB1FmQuOWJ_KlT9CD2djmzVbIf_H2P7xm1bLgmFG 2Ed4Cf-Fz_AEzFytSWgODAZJbaQ5GPKAU6zvimBaaDue4gaeVZFvjD0oV fWAnlPmZ3iff3wCRZi1wZuM2W5RUD8Jr8m2ase9Wofi6Vm244M AGKCQ_xAqCtZSlGStvlArwGhL9PIwyHbS6OsFL9M6g6qHJeVnL DzwMIOmT0zvVX40ms89pjtaluZiY6DXRVvcjtdZOdpAc0dljKi MX-UydRV_Ydqn84mmoFKhqrts7IRkF3p5QkJwsu0ntrzqe3iMl0Jo hqmxemASjhyG1EqdbihsWqJYGAn0j1E9pum98oW6Nguu8uhBxj pWvZFiOaqUdP7FVP9j0vSksf2KclDPYRkoHJxfjmnQJQ4-6hVmQea_1RN5A6mF6THNUWYsgWl4HM9miskAAwNR_-2mhxLJqVDF5dWFnutZV-vKpK3BpfSTvogf01VpZL-OXQ6VZfP42NUkjL5pMUZpUOk3-l1tLazPtrGTBCEUCerz3W0e_uDEMkpVHiT7tR75hGue_6RtX5g tmpOMuZIA3ZjF3sMt9JxQ_4i_2jgPAGtYffKl39dDdv8Qqzs4D RpCOQrkUr8kcES3XVLMPDAFT-jGYrEOqgZZYsH0e8fz2OnLbAtP_G9R2p1J9RQxMGfxUpBO4ddr v6ngGFnPPR4knfc_qB30tvMLzsME9-C4_yqV20og=w1024-h576-no

[brutal]

I've never even heard of zwave and zigabee, but I'm interested in being educated.



I just want to make sure you can keep up. No one can crap up a thread like a chicken, with this perfect spiral crap. I should have framed this in a shadow box.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Xhe9QEfaxaSB1FmQuOWJ_KlT9CD2djmzVbIf_H2P7xm1bLgmFG 2Ed4Cf-Fz_AEzFytSWgODAZJbaQ5GPKAU6zvimBaaDue4gaeVZFvjD0oV fWAnlPmZ3iff3wCRZi1wZuM2W5RUD8Jr8m2ase9Wofi6Vm244M AGKCQ_xAqCtZSlGStvlArwGhL9PIwyHbS6OsFL9M6g6qHJeVnL DzwMIOmT0zvVX40ms89pjtaluZiY6DXRVvcjtdZOdpAc0dljKi MX-UydRV_Ydqn84mmoFKhqrts7IRkF3p5QkJwsu0ntrzqe3iMl0Jo hqmxemASjhyG1EqdbihsWqJYGAn0j1E9pum98oW6Nguu8uhBxj pWvZFiOaqUdP7FVP9j0vSksf2KclDPYRkoHJxfjmnQJQ4-6hVmQea_1RN5A6mF6THNUWYsgWl4HM9miskAAwNR_-2mhxLJqVDF5dWFnutZV-vKpK3BpfSTvogf01VpZL-OXQ6VZfP42NUkjL5pMUZpUOk3-l1tLazPtrGTBCEUCerz3W0e_uDEMkpVHiT7tR75hGue_6RtX5g tmpOMuZIA3ZjF3sMt9JxQ_4i_2jgPAGtYffKl39dDdv8Qqzs4D RpCOQrkUr8kcES3XVLMPDAFT-jGYrEOqgZZYsH0e8fz2OnLbAtP_G9R2p1J9RQxMGfxUpBO4ddr v6ngGFnPPR4knfc_qB30tvMLzsME9-C4_yqV20og=w1024-h576-no

Looks like a mini Dairy Queen swirl ice cream.

[meatman]

If anyone is the bedroom, they can hear you talking through the window and will come to see what's up. This is the one that was smart enough to fly over the snow but won't lay any eggs. She is an Easter Egger, which is a sort of chicken mutt. They are named easter eggers because as a "breed" they can lay eggs of any color (yellow, green, blue, brown), although the egg color of an individual bird won't change.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/O5MiKsrkhYsPmsMGUqdEtLSttr3-eC6gnAI1uTZcPQvJl4oZTtsZHRfD4rAH3jo6XrfM0rAtgyLMZL scGFUTZHIx-K40kOdjEwP-du4VwzBHAyDjT9zLwyC_GBE4frIZSlkXm6BVKjdA3FoqPy_Syq D3qrbLZUOaMnskCrB_1p8w8W0tprnnxlmxk5YbBkWVENkTnL70 yr5edoIhx15IYsxmZNMWwr1Eo0krbCdOlH0RVnVIyHdYtFH8k8 WH3CaI6QiAVmYXuYFrKDHqrqEzSqCj78r1D33SHiGUc2Ifd1uy xIK_LQfoJvlXA0M2xUp4T5YeVvTo0V2Sxbfwtoea6zAfmBVX3w UMci81Vnl_B7V5huiSKgcCfHFMYkDlF6cyWKrHA83hjof2P5eX ibfAgmQpcYXrbVTkPNmsqPPeabio6p_jPEkIb2SKhFSvr32hlz RuEVNR474Z6QGTQ14Mqmem8n6leYT9ffhTDm-DaCK30N14KdGGJr_NfJ_eIqQLyKEKkjEnMzYhIxq2F87MR9Gwj fMwL3LC7IY1GPamLilJmw0tCJJKThtW2xtoO2pbsnhdOSaYbbx H5I0NN7zHLH5aSGeXASRQTYo1EhJfC67BRiIe_jqxuI40U-L0ya7dYcaLDk_NhVhA64qxyf6wFkYvLnKMA9ki_bek7fKcNkQe 3eQEI0BEBwIYpvHF2BbMbDcgNQbwpS3d2p-j_iEMf_dpZA=w1112-h625-no


Our Easter egger managed a double yolker the other day. Holy crap.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_eolbLNmB73quSfN9ALExXzQRojb0DDB-UXQC3WnlY7GGOx5CwN4_82bQI4mtEoBFMtvnffrVT9XaVTZCMl x0pUAkVDmpYB_QJ_8jaLEl5zupefCPBBnMGKJt_8aIDjXfZQ3N E3rFfQAdsfFUVGprTbmd7XpdmvZXDWepdxJo6APAvcIo-6dCdTuc0qLV5x7Al8hEdIcgfJifhDCAFOo512U_wx1AhIXJw_C fTbLBtphBeIG537pkhQilXCcVpYP6DjQW0AtRxdaJ5g3M43wgu-yzsfX-oxuuVlC_Zmww3Hsgg7IYeDbWaoJDmLFmycADDiXLFbAoTbqVcA AtWQS5_fjuTMY3Q-OxUjXAHen548JhaXtesNxrQ2UQAN9rAhEBavXY7m8E8zXj51Cv BqjfmXU0rQZJXo6BZkvQLClLk_ep5bE-M5ySk952RZKmZBMo0B7etVd_3AmIna0sI8Rwp_em6PZeIykFuy IKU59pkrnY-ex-dCYhVaw5vFdskLEUHdoGbzq-ZhOIvpRA86rW_hY_SNwhwzRdbxlgmhiQ__2znbirI3hKctzsJH 3nV-l9F_zA-isofkz1mZwFBkG7aA1zDsSNAmScbJPiF1kitr_vfT2TyQP-LBKCaaOGMgiTYvxO0wfQqWO8JhfO2XFeeXcll1m31OAEmfnrge osrwHeLQy2176Rdh9RQ-gACtJGPknkhgm8qwGFCOfcTCyvs6j-A=w1010-h757-no

[ChickNorris]

Ouch!

[Irving]

That's an enormous egg for the size of my bird. I think I've got a double yolker in the fridge right now. If I remember I'll take a picture sometime of one.

[Duman]

I like my eggs before they're fully developed....