Farm and Garden

[sgtsandman]

If you have raccoons, you might want to consider 1/4" X 1/4" or 1/2" X 1/2" welded mesh for the windows. They can bust through chicken wire and regular window screen pretty easy.

 

[Josh B]

I never had any trouble with them and I'm in a highly wooded area. Mine was stationary tho and I dug the topsoil back and layed some galvanized chicken wire down that ran about 2 ft out from all the sides and covered it up with some dirt and gravel.
Then I built the house itself on top of that. (actually think I built the house itself and then covered the base with dirt and gravel inside and out)
I did cut a hole a bit larger in the wire one really cold winter to run extra wiring inside for providing some heat, and eventually got used by a chicken snake to gather eggs

 

[Josh B]

Actually I had a coon who got interested in the back of my truck after I had hauled off something in it, not sure what it was or any reason it was that bad but I finally(after finally realizing what must been going on) started leaving my tailgate down so it wouldn't scratch it up climbing over :/

 

[racsan]

There are a few raccoons around from time to time, Ive been lucky so far with the old tarped up dog kennel. Will use some hardware cloth 1/2x1/2 welded mesh for the windows, even though they are pretty far off the ground. Ive trapped / killed 4 this summer. Today I finished the wall & door between the feed room/nest box access & the bird area, got the roost up, nest boxes done except for the vynil curtain across the front. have electrical to do, pick up all my scraps, put the drop down ventilation door between coop & garage, the gutter across the north end and of course paint the outside.

 

[racsan]

Well its been a busy week, took vacation and the last couple of days we have been at home and got quite a bit done. Enough done in fact that I was able to move the chickens to their new home after it got dark out. Next is taking down the old kennel and building a run out of it.
heres a link to my flickr album with most of the progress from beginning to now, about 6 months:

https://www.flickr.com/gp/154582078@N03/2x7bqRxs73

 

[racsan]

Took down the old “kennel coop” today and made a yard area with it, 6’x24’. Have 2 panels left (12’x6’) Lots of mole tunneling in and around the old coop area. Tomorrow im going to rig up a rope/pulley to the chicken yard door so I can raise/lower it from the feed room and not have to go in to the bird area to do it. Yes they make automated openers, (maybe later) . The chickens did find and use their new nest boxes today.

 

[racsan]

Got my “remote” door operational, paracord & a couple of pulleys. Its a little hard to see the orange line in the pictures. Also hung the water & food outside in the run for awhile- keep them outside more & they will poop less in the building. They still arent used to a wood floor and peck at it alot. Sound like little hammering. lol

 

[Josh B]

That;s slick Racsan

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Well, I guess I didn’t update in this thread, as of this past Saturday, with the help of my buddy Thomas and my neighbor Jerry, my Ferguson now runs and does tractor things. As of today the new steering wheel is on. I still have to fix my back blade (I think I can get away with a couple plates welded on and new pins) and I still have to fix my brush hog, neighbor has stuff for that for me. I may be able to borrow a brush hog from a family friend. I’m also looking at building a jib boom for it, I could really use one right now to move a couple things and it would be a lot easier than doing it with my engine hoist or a 6x6 and chain hoist on the ladder rack of the F-150. So that might happen right quick.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Was tractoring most of the weekend, disc'd the back area and the pond, scraped that material out of the pond out of it to the low spot in the back. After I'd done the second pass with the disc I switched to the tiller and got most of the way, the tractor got cranky and was stalling out occasionally, turned out the tank valve was plugged so I blew air backwards and that fixed that . After it got dark I pulled up to the shop to add lights to the loader frame, no pics, got them mounted but only one wired since the wiring kit was too short... For anyone curious, that T post is marking the outlet from the french drain so I don't drive over it

 

[Josh B]

I was wondering how were you disc-ing under the pond!
What is a French drain?
Nice field you have there Scott, what are you going to plant?

 

[scotts90ranger]

Yeah, not deep enough or anything to stay wet over the summer, normally dries out around June... I've dug it deeper once before.

French drain is just drainage pipe in rock around something draining elsewhere, that's oversimplified but yeah...

not going to plant anything, just getting it flat from the damage the gophers and voles have done since '16 when I flattened it last... might do something sometime but for now it's just there...

 

[racsan]

Its a 9 egg day today! most eggs Ive got in a day since the move to the new building. (average has been 7 from the 10 birds) Check out that wrinkly one-“ouch”-. Got 6 dozen in the fridge, Looks like the ranger trailer with mini fridge goes out by the road tomorrow.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Well, soon as I can make it happen, the back blade is getting patched for the Ferguson (I already figured out what I need and did some CAD work, the good ol Cardboard Aided Design). Also had a plan for the jib boom/pole thing until I watched some videos last night so now I got some new ideas for it that may actually be more practical for me. I had some cardboard patterns made up for that, but I’m going to redesign. It may even get an ATV winch at some point. May have to get some more steel too.

 

[Uncle Gump]