DIY Chicken Feeder

Up to now I've been using a DIY chicken feeder made from a Tractor Supply bucket and a large flower pot plate/bottom.  It worked out well, but eventually got on my nerves with the amount of space it takes up, the heaviness of it when it's full, and the constant need to shake the food down.  So I've been looking for a while at other options in DIY feeders and came across this one on Pinterest.....

http://pinterest.com/pin/95631192058204649/

I thought it was neat, and didn't look like it would take up a lot of space in my small coop.  Sunday we went to Lowe's with the idea of making one for ourselves. While looking at the suggested 4 inch plumbing pieces I decided that was far too large a size for where we wanted to put it, so we went down to the 3 inch versions.  However, they didn't have the Y-adapter in the 3 inch size.

Then I saw it...  A three way adapter! I call it a W-adapter.  LOL. How perfect could that be?  Chickens could eat out of two sides at once.  I could still place it against a wall--saving coop space--and more than one hen could eat at a time.  Yay!

We snagged a 2 foot long pipe, the W-adapter, and caps for the top and bottom.  Brought it all home, put it together, attached to the inside of the coop, and filled with feed.  It took the hens a few minutes to discover there was food inside, but after that they all had to check it out.

The next morning when I went to let them out of the coop I heard happy munching from the new feeder.  The sound of another successful DIY chicken project.  :)

I wish I'd thought to take pics of all the parts before we put it together, but I didn't. Bad blogger, Me! However, here's a pic of the finished project inside the coop.  It took a dozen pictures to get one without the hens standing in the way... surely wondering what the heck I was doing.

So there it is, my new DIY PVC chicken feeder.  It cost less than $30 to make, which is more expensive than the bucket method, but it takes up less space and *should* be less hassle to deal with.  Fingers crossed anyway!  :D

New layers in the coop.

As you may recall, back in April I purchased six new chicks to add to my coop of three Rhode Island Reds.  The fluffy chicks quickly grew big enough to go into the coop with my older hens.  Up to now we've just been waiting until the egg laying began.

And now it has!

Out of the six Barred Plymouth Rocks, three are now laying daily.  I did a happy dance the first day when there was a new egg in the nest.  Each day a new one arrives I celebrate.  All the work and waiting is starting to pay off and I couldn't be happier.  Each egg is like a new gift.  :)

Before:

After:

EGGS!

The top two eggs are from my Rhode Island Reds, and the rest are from the Barred Plymouth Rocks.  You can't tell too well in the picture, but there is a little color difference (the BPRs are lighter) and size (the BPRs are smaller).  However, they all taste the same!  ;)

Soon the other three will start laying and I'll be collecting approximately nine eggs daily.  Since my RIRs are a year older than my BPRs I'm hoping when one breed starts molting the other will still be laying.  That way we'll always have eggs.  At least that's what I'm hoping.  Who knows what the chickens will think of that.  LOL!

A new blog award.

I get these from time to time, but only a few are what I consider worth the time to put them up (or I simply forget to do it!).

My blogging friend, Connie [Sunfire's Ramblings], awarded this to me back in July.  And you see how long it's taken me to put it up.  LOL!  Eek!

Anyway, here we go...

The rules:

[1] Thank the giver - Thank you very much, Connie!

[2] Post 7 things about yourself
        ~ I've never lived by myself. Went from my parents' house to my newlywed apartment.
        ~ Blue is my favorite color, but I have a big enjoyment of purple also.
        ~ I never wanted to live where I am. Always thought I'd move away from my hometown.
        ~ I named my three Rhode Island Reds (Henny Penny, Goldie, and Brownie), but never gave the Barred Rock Plymouth chicks names.
        ~ I hate waking up before daylight, but enjoy all the work I can get done when I do get up.
        ~ I really should be getting dressed to take FIL to an appointment instead of sitting here playing online.  LOL!  Oops. ;)
        ~ Sometimes I want to smack my husband across the face when he's snoring.  And yes, he knows.

[3] Pass the award on to 7 other bloggers and let them know they’ve been nominated - I always have a hard time choosing! And yes, most of these are from my writer's side of life. LOL.

        ~ Robin Renee Ray
        ~ Andi's Book Reviews
        ~ Paranormal Reads
        ~ Living Crazy in Montana
        ~ A Girl and Her Kindle
        ~ Krazy About Kindy
        ~ Paige Tyler

[4] Include the logo of the award in a post or on your blog - Done!

Growing potatoes in a trash can.

The first time I heard about someone growing potatoes in a trash can I scoffed.  "In a trash can?"  The horror!  It wasn't until later, after reading a magazine article on it, that I came to consider growing my own potatoes in a trash can.

I followed the instructions, watched, waiting, and then wowed when I saw the first sprouts of potato life.  I'll never forget the question my little sister asked when I told her about my glorious potato plants... "Was it a CLEAN trash can?"

*Smacks forehead*

I assured her that yes, they were clean trash cans (new ones, at that), but in the end what difference did it make when you're filling it full of dirt?  LOL. 

Here's how it goes:

• Drill drainage holes all over the bottom of a trash can, or barrel.
• Place a layer of shredded newspaper in the bottom.  This helps hold the dirt in.
• Add a 2-3" layer of dirt.  I used regular old topsoil.
• Place your seed potatoes on top of the dirt and cover with more dirt.
• As the sprouts poke their heads out of the trash can of dirt, add more dirt.
• Keep adding dirt until you get to the top of the trash can.
• Once the potato stalks are above the trash can, be sure to stake them so they don't break off.  Apparently this ruins your potatoes beneath.

Seemed easy enough, and so far it has been just that.  Come late September/early October I'll turn the trash cans over and dump the potatoes out for harvesting.  The trash can on the left is full of red potatoes and the one on the right has russet potatoes in it.  I'm looking forward to seeing how many come out of there.

Let me know if you try your hand at growing potatoes in a trash can.  I'd love to see what your results are, and I'll share mine once harvest time rolls around.

Green Beans 2012

And here it is...  My first handful of fresh-from-the-garden green beans.  Sorry about the blurriness.  My camera batteries were dead, so I took it with my phone.  There's enough out there nearly big enough to pick that I *should* get another handful this coming weekend. :)

At this point in the gardening season I can tell what plants are thriving and which aren't.  My beets started coming up, but then died away and haven't been seen again.  Only half of my tomatoes are growing; a few pepper plants, my two types of lettuce came up, but then something ate it all (probably a rabbit).

Right now, I'm the happy gardenkeeper of corn, green beans, pinto beans, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, and cucumbers.  So far, so good with these vegetables.  I just hope they continue to thrive once the true heat of summer sets into the south.  Georgia can get awfully hot in August.

Speaking of cucumbers, as I was picking my handful of green beans I noticed more than a dozen itty-bitty 1 inch long cucumbers.  Maybe it won't be too long before I'm making pickles.  :)

Happy growing!

The garden has risen!

According to my grandmother and great aunt all the "signs" pointed to April 7th being the best day to plant our gardens.  We rambled around all that day getting everything ready, tilling, planting, and watering.  It was near dark when Tim and I finished.

Ten days later I was rewarded with sprouts all around.  And at this point I have many plants already several inches tall.  This is one of my green bean sprouts from yesterday.  It's just over three inches all.

Isn't it pretty?!  I'm quite happy with the growth we're having and even my trash can potatoes have sprouted up high enough for me to add another layer of dirt.  I'm still holding out hope for an excellent growing season and bountiful harvest. 

I'm looking forward to trying my hand at canning this year, but only if I grow more than the kids will devour fresh out of the garden.  By the end of the growing season I'll know if the garden will need to be expanded next year to accomplish a big winter stockpile.  Over the years I've learned that gardening is more about trial and error than having a green thumb.  Only this year I'm keeping my trials and errors on paper to refer back to next year.  ;)

Happy Growing!

A week in the coop.

A little over a week ago I finally broke down and put my six young Barred Plymouth Rock chicks in the coop with my three Rhode Island Reds.  I read all the information about integrating new chicks into a preexisting flock and the dangers and precautions to be taken.

I expected the worse, but hoped for the best.

A week later, I'm happy to say that all the chicks are still alive, not having been flogged or pecked to death by the hens.  And all the hens are still laying every day, not having been flustered into non-production status by the wild youngsters running around.

This is my first time being able to see the establishment of a pecking order when adding young ones.  It's quite odd to see the big one just go off an peck at a passing little one.  For no good reason other than to just say, "Hey, you little squirt, get the heck away from me!"  LOL.

The little ones haven't ventured too far from the coop.  On some days they don't even come out of the coop.  And when a hen comes inside, oh boy, you better watch out.  The little ones squawk and clamour all over each other to see who can get furthest into the corner, as far away from the hens as chickenly possible.

I'm hoping they'll all settle down soon and get to liking each others' company.  :)