so lucky
Garden Master
That looks great! I like the roll out nests, too. Just curious; how big is it; about 4 x 8? How many girls can you fit in there?
Garden journal 2013...Chicken storm disaster, #74
- Thread starter journey11
- Start date
bj taylor
Garden Ornament
what a beautifully thought out tractor! so you prefer the roasters to the cx?
canesisters
Garden Master
Well now that is just a perfect little tractor!! What a great job.
- Thread starter
- #74
journey11
Garden Master
Welp... Last night's severe storm blew my tractor over the hill. 
If I'd known it was coming, I could have run out there and put my storm anchors in, but the storm warning wasn't issued until almost 1pm and I was sound asleep until I heard the 70 mph gusts and hail hitting my roof. I've got the flu on top of it all and at 4:30am my fever broke and I was hot so I went to open a window. That's when I saw all the little white spots out in the road and my tractor was over my neighbor's hill on the opposite side of the road. Dang you, global warming!! 
I only lost one bird, thankfully. The others are running around playing in my fenced front yard. I'm just glad I found them and got them all picked up before I had to hear about it from the neighbors.
So Lucky, they say you can get 90 birds in a 8x8' tractor, but I personally think that's too crowded and they make an awful mess. Most I've had in one that size was 45.
BJ, these Cornish Roasters are so chicken-like. That's really nice, and they are healthier too. I had counted on being done with them by now, had they sent me the CX I ordered. I'll have to wait and see how the numbers come out...they seem like they eat a little less too.
Thanks all, for looking at my coop! At least my layers didn't blow away! We just get too much wind on this ridge. I'm not sure but what I'll have to the meat birds differently next time.
If I'd known it was coming, I could have run out there and put my storm anchors in, but the storm warning wasn't issued until almost 1pm and I was sound asleep until I heard the 70 mph gusts and hail hitting my roof. I've got the flu on top of it all and at 4:30am my fever broke and I was hot so I went to open a window. That's when I saw all the little white spots out in the road and my tractor was over my neighbor's hill on the opposite side of the road. Dang you, global warming!! I only lost one bird, thankfully. The others are running around playing in my fenced front yard. I'm just glad I found them and got them all picked up before I had to hear about it from the neighbors.
So Lucky, they say you can get 90 birds in a 8x8' tractor, but I personally think that's too crowded and they make an awful mess. Most I've had in one that size was 45.
BJ, these Cornish Roasters are so chicken-like. That's really nice, and they are healthier too. I had counted on being done with them by now, had they sent me the CX I ordered. I'll have to wait and see how the numbers come out...they seem like they eat a little less too.
Thanks all, for looking at my coop! At least my layers didn't blow away! We just get too much wind on this ridge. I'm not sure but what I'll have to the meat birds differently next time.
lesa
Garden Master
Oh, Journey! For heavens sake...why can't things ever go smoothly? I am hoping that you are feeling better soon- and that you really, really, enjoy your poultry- once it is safely tucked away in freezer camp!
MontyJ
Deeply Rooted
Oh no! So sorry to hear that. That wind was fierce here too. There were some trees down, but no damage at our place. The wind was still blowing pretty good through the day, Friday. It made for some interesting time in the 45 foot boom lift I was using to terminate the fiber optic cable I have been running for the last several weeks. Between the boom swaying and the pole swaying, it was tough to overcome the vertigo sometimes 
I hope the tractor is salvageable. You worked so hard on it and it was so nice looking. One lost bird is a blessing. It could have been a lot worse!
I hope the tractor is salvageable. You worked so hard on it and it was so nice looking. One lost bird is a blessing. It could have been a lot worse!
- Thread starter
- #77
journey11
Garden Master
I'm feeling a little better today, but still not up to par. I came to the hard realization that I need to show someone around here how to do my daily chores so all my critters don't starve. They can barely remember to let the dog out to pee! DH was really surprised how much I actually DO in the course of my day, LOL. Hard way to gain some appreciation though. 
The kids rearranged most of my cabinets while I was lying on the couch feeling half dead. They spilled a box of cocoa powder on the carpet and tried to clean it up with a wet rag, stuffed animal crackers into every nook and cranny and DD6 taught herself how to use the microwave. I've really got my work cut out for me this week.
Monty, I think you missed your calling as an acrobat! You could be touring with Cirque du Soleil!
The chickens are still camping out in the front yard, since I've been too sick to deal with them. I think we'll try to do the butchering tomorrow if I feel up to it, since DH will have the day off and the weather's supposed to be nice. We're not quite country enough that my neighbor's won't be shaking their heads at the sight of chickens in the front yard. I'm a bit appalled myself. That fence is usually for containing kids... Thank goodness it's going into winter and the yard will have a few months to clear up.
The 2x4 base of the tractor is really busted up. It's cheap enough to replace, but not easy, since the whole thing is framed by the cattle panels pressing outward on those 2x4's. There's a lot of force on those panels, so I'll have to be really careful taking it apart. Most of the materials are salvageable. One of the boards on the door is broken too.
If I hadn't had the opening of the tractor facing the prevailing wind, I think it would have stood. I had just turned the corner and started down a new strip of grass that evening, but since I was sick, I only made a quarter turn and decided I'd turn it the rest of the way the next day with DH's help. I had storm anchors too, if I had thought to use them. Hard lesson learned... :/ Weird thing is, I had been feeling pretty stressed out around here for a few weeks prior...you know how it is, just getting ready for winter and all. But now it's like, oh well, life goes on, just do what you gotta do. Everything else on my list feels pretty trivial compared to the urgency of needing to get these chickens out of my yard!
The kids rearranged most of my cabinets while I was lying on the couch feeling half dead. They spilled a box of cocoa powder on the carpet and tried to clean it up with a wet rag, stuffed animal crackers into every nook and cranny and DD6 taught herself how to use the microwave. I've really got my work cut out for me this week.
Monty, I think you missed your calling as an acrobat! You could be touring with Cirque du Soleil!
The chickens are still camping out in the front yard, since I've been too sick to deal with them. I think we'll try to do the butchering tomorrow if I feel up to it, since DH will have the day off and the weather's supposed to be nice. We're not quite country enough that my neighbor's won't be shaking their heads at the sight of chickens in the front yard. I'm a bit appalled myself. That fence is usually for containing kids... Thank goodness it's going into winter and the yard will have a few months to clear up.
The 2x4 base of the tractor is really busted up. It's cheap enough to replace, but not easy, since the whole thing is framed by the cattle panels pressing outward on those 2x4's. There's a lot of force on those panels, so I'll have to be really careful taking it apart. Most of the materials are salvageable. One of the boards on the door is broken too.
If I hadn't had the opening of the tractor facing the prevailing wind, I think it would have stood. I had just turned the corner and started down a new strip of grass that evening, but since I was sick, I only made a quarter turn and decided I'd turn it the rest of the way the next day with DH's help. I had storm anchors too, if I had thought to use them. Hard lesson learned... :/ Weird thing is, I had been feeling pretty stressed out around here for a few weeks prior...you know how it is, just getting ready for winter and all. But now it's like, oh well, life goes on, just do what you gotta do. Everything else on my list feels pretty trivial compared to the urgency of needing to get these chickens out of my yard!
so lucky
Garden Master
Journey, isn't it frustrating that "they" don't seem to have the common sense to do the most mundane things? Like let the dog out? Or write it on the grocery list if you use the last of the toilet paper, or dish soap?
Last evening my DH closed up the chickens for me, nice gesture, but forgot to close the "people door" on the coop. So besides leaving the coop open to raccoons, the chicks were subjected to the wind all night. Oh well. I need to appreciate that he tried to do me a favor, right?
I hope your day of "feeling a little better" is a sign that you are getting well. Take care.
Last evening my DH closed up the chickens for me, nice gesture, but forgot to close the "people door" on the coop. So besides leaving the coop open to raccoons, the chicks were subjected to the wind all night. Oh well. I need to appreciate that he tried to do me a favor, right?
I hope your day of "feeling a little better" is a sign that you are getting well. Take care.
- Thread starter
- #79
journey11
Garden Master
I know, right? I forgot to mention that DH also broke my vacuum while trying to figure out how to use it! LOL. I really need to do some "training", but it takes less effort just to do things myself. We decided not to do the chickens today. I'm still a little under the weather and I really like to have everything set up the day before so I can get an early start. We'll do the larger birds first early on next Saturday and go from there. Today's effort will be getting some other accommodations set up for them so they'll be out of the front yard.
It's a bee-u-ti-full fall day out there. :coolsun I'm so glad to get out and enjoy it!
digitS'
Garden Master
Okay Grasshopper. My mother told me that men don't always marry for a few years and so I should know how to run the Electrolux, clean up in the kitchen and cook. She was wrongjourney11 said:. . . I really need to do some "training", but it takes less effort just to do things myself.
- I married very young.Act in haste, repent at leisure. After quite a few years as a single father . . . . . . . . when all that training came in handy
, I had years as a caregiver for a spouse. Still, know how to do a lot of those things, even if DW takes more care of me & the house than I care to admit .Steve
