RD & Gwyn's In-Town Homestead

[Gwynmael]

Well ..... we're having another thunderstorm and we're fairly certain RD has a sinus infection. So, hoping he doesn't consider this a setback enough to drag out the torch.


Not sure anything would be dry enough to actually catch on fire though.

[RD]

you're just now figuring this out??

Well bud row I believe THIS is the first time I asked Mom what she wanted for mothers day. Birthdays and anniversaries are not the same, so no I apparently wasn't paying close attention.


RD

[junior125]

P.S
What I did learn about this project, next time buy mother her mothers day gift don't ask what she wants for mothers day. lesson learned. )

you're just now figuring this out??

[Kelly]

...anymore set backs and I am getting the torch out and we are having a bon fire. )

RD

Well, that would certainly help dry things up pretty quick!

Kelly

[RD]

It better dry out here pretty quick, I am about done pissing with this project "which I thought should take a couple of weekends" anymore set backs and I am getting the torch out and we are having a bon fire. )


RD

P.S
What I did learn about this project, next time buy mother her mothers day gift don't ask what she wants for mothers day. lesson learned. )

[Dode]

Have you considered growing rice!?

Sorry, but that's funny!

[DMH]

Gwyn kindly sent her storm our way. We ended up with a microburst here which took down some trees and lifted a roof of a building about a mile away. If you need tree branches, we got em!

[redman2006]

Have you considered growing rice!?

[Dode]

The hens will be fine in the cold. They will roost side by side and be plenty warm. Even in 5 degree weather. If tiny birds of the wild can survive alone in a tree, then the hens will be fine in the coop.

[Gwynmael]

There are vents on the upper portions of the end walls that I can open and close as needed. RD's worried about whether it will be warm enough in the winter for them as it's not insulated. I have no plans to do so (this isn't MN or PA) and am certain that the size of the coop is just right for 10 hens to be comfy during cold. Only time will tell if I'm correct.

RD's thinking weather stripping too. We'll see if that works and if the birds leave it alone (concern raised by tk).

Boots? YES!!! All around most useful "gear" recommendation I've had --- thanks nichevo!



And yes, I know our backyard is a complete mess of "stuff". Wood, lumber, scrap, cans, jeep parts, etc. LOL, the various accumulated detritus (otherwise known as JUNK) of 15 years living here, a total of five dogs, and three boys.

[Dode]

Gwyn... maybe 1/4" weather stripping on the nest box doors would make it draft free. As for the rest of the coop, don't worry about it being air tight, as they need some air transfer when they are locked up. Gases from the droppings can get strong and burn their lungs over time. Most farmers have coops made of sawmill slabs and are not air tight. Btw, you've made a great looking coop. I just happened to recall that one of my cousins has a coop with opaque corrugated panels for the roof. That way, they get daylight when they are in there for bad weather. However, I think I like windows better for giving them daylight. On hot days, it is simply hot in the coop with the opaque roof panels.

Holy cow! Your yard is a swamp. Thank goodness for much boots. Right?

[Gwynmael]

(Lots of pics in this one, so I split the post off from previous)

While we didn't get the devastating amount of rain that Lusk, WY did; we've been struggling with repeated storm fronts and record rainfall accumulations over the last several weeks. This is what we woke up to this morning (besides the electric being off). Thankfully, here, I don't think we got any hail but definitely had high winds with the storm.







This is the back side of the garage


Woohoo! The inside of the coop was COMPLETELY dry!



West side, front, and East side of shed






Run fence line. Not sure if it was actually captured in the first pic, but there's actually FLOW to that water. It was running down from the arterial street behind us and then to the west (which sits slightly lower than us).






The heavy rain and wind pushed over some of the peas, the carrot tops, broke some of the spinach (which I haven't gotten pulled yet due to all the rain we've had), kind of pushed "down" the squash, and broke over the tops of the onions.















This is a "bushel" wheelbarrow, which I believe holds a cubic yard. It had less than a 1/2 inch of water, at it's deepest point, in it yesterday evening. I forgot to measure it this morning before I dumped it, but the deepest point was at least 6 inches full.

[Gwynmael]

About the roosts -- for now, they're staying as is. The edges of the 2x4's do have a "round" edge to them. I went with them based on recommendations from the woman who ran a "Chicken 101" class I took several years ago and multiple discussions on backyardchickens.com. I will be putting several good branched branches (lol) in the run area that I saved from the trimming of the mulberry tree. If it doesn't seem to work for the birds, I'll make some changes.

Tuesday I was able to get these strips added to the nesting boxes to help block apparent light/air draft areas when the doors are closed. Also the strip to the front of the bottoms nest to help keep nesting material in. Still haven't quite figured out how to add that bit to the back due to how the retrieval doors are on there.



This was the side of house on Wednesday morning after another storm system had rolled through overnight

[Dode]

Yeah, Tex would use tree limbs, too, but that one tree in his county gets picked over pretty fast....

[Gena.KY]

I love your thread Gwyn. Nice work. You and RD are doing great. I can't wait to see the chickens in it. I saw the photo of the roost & thought RD would kill me if I told you the roost needs to be round so they can wrap their feet around it, but it needed to be said. Just use some small tree limbs, they are free. Love the photos, keep them coming.