Travis Charlie

The only reason I am sure that the sickbess was brought in is that we noticed some of the birds just not looking right as we were taking them out of the crates. While they were in quarantine it just got worse.

If definitely not mareks or any of the other major diseases. My vet and I already ruled those out. Everywhere I look I see quarantine pens should be 100' from any other birds. Is this an acceptable distance for a flock that you just aren't sure of. If they are a carrier of something then I don't want it to spread.

All the excitement and fear should be over after the first couple days. Ive had 5 roos with 90 layers for awhile and then decided to add one more when we purchased 30 more hens. There was an initial testosterone fest between the new too and 'Roscoe', the big boy in the pasture, but things settled down quickly. Now as far as the hens were concerned, it took it him a little longer to win over the girls. The girls ran him around for probably a week until he was able to claim a few for his own. Now all is well and they are a big happy family as long as each rooster sticks to his own girls.

I guess I'm using the term wrong. I just need to figure out a definite distance to separate the two flocks.

I use this as mostly a laying house. My birds are free range and they tend to roost in the bushes and small trees in their pasture. The flock consists of about 40 layers and another 90 ready to lay pullets. I am about to open up the other side wall and build another set of 18 nest boxes for the up and coming layers.
I only closed in 3 sides and they come and go as they please. I have burlap hanging from the ceiling to cover up the nest boxes at night to keep them clean.
if they were going to be closed up in there at night I would limit to 2-2 1/2sq ft per bird.

So I trusted someone that I shouldn't have and got burned. I purchased a bunch of chickens from a lady who was supposed to be reputable and wasn't. We added 12 laying hens to our laying flock and about two weeks later two of them turned up dead with what looks like a respiratory issue. Both had been dead too long to be able to get an effective necropsy done. Ivr been treating the entire flock with vetRX and keeping a close eye for the last 8-10 days and all seems well. Still, to be safe and make sure nothing gets out ive decided to operate that flock as a closed flock(nothing in and nothing out.) I have 130 laying hens in that flock that I sell eggs from. At some point I would like to expand our egg production.
So my question is this. If I start a second flock, how far apart do they have to be. I do rotational grazing and I have figured out that I can keep the pastures at minimum 100' apart at all times. I can also allow the pastures to rest for more than 2 months in between rotations. Are these conditions enough to keep things secure?

Any suggestions are appreciated.

OK. Mine was waaaaay less technologically advanced but this is working great for me. And the tilted nest boxes don't bother them a bit.
This pic is of it before I sheeted it in.

Ken Peavey wrote:Compost or leaf mold.
If you turned it upside down, when the bottom material is ready, you've got a space to scoop stuff out, keep adding new material to the top.

That's true!

Galadriel: I agree and it could sure use a heavy dose of pretty.

Thanks Rick! I was tossing around the idea of making several larger holes in the expanded metal and making a strawberry plant tower out of it but a compost bin might work out better. I could easily fill it with the bedding from my brooders. I think I've been looking at the thing for so long I just couldn't see its full potential.

I have this garbage can holder/protector.



It seems very well made out of expanded metal and 3/16" angle iron. It stands about 6' tall and about 3' across. I just know I could find some use for it but for the life of me I can't think of anything. Does anyone have any ideas of what this could be used for? Any ideas would be appreciated.

First off, Jorja, seriously! Those quilts are beautiful! Since I love the feeling of being under a really heavy quilt, and it's raining while I write this, I could fall asleep just thinking of those quilts.

Second, my wife and I kind of did things the other way round. She has been making jewelry for about 10 years and selling at local craft shows and in small shops around town (salons and consignment shops do the most for us). We have only been on our little 1 acre "homestead" for 2 years. It's taken us the last 1 1/2 years just to get the place in proper running order. We've done small gardens for personal use but this will be our first season with a garden large enough that we are hoping to sell surplus off of. We found a local produce market that buys as much from local farmers as possible and the owner told me some of the things he needs more of so I used that and our family taste buds as a starting point. It just seemed to make more sense using the skills we(she) already had to give us a jump start.


This is a great thread BTW. I love how original everyone's craft ideas and skills are.