DIY Thread - Let's see your "Inventions".

[ButtonquailGirl14]

Need to see this off the hen....how does it attach?

I used one of those small, scrunchie style, fabric hairbands, and glued the material to it.. I threw it away, so I don't have a picture of it off the hen... Unfortunately I accidentally cut through it (I took it off to clean it) with some scissors... I obviously wasn't in my right mind

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

sooo cute..... Needs decoration.... though it may attract feather pickers.....

deb

thanks!

 

[Fatherdowling]

I built a roof on my coop that can be opened, as an alternative to having shade trees.

 

[bruceha2000]

Simple and highly functional!

It's starting to get about 5 degrees celcius here at night. In the day it's about 20 degrees. So far no cold wind yet. And by what I can gather, there is no breeze or draft blowing on them where they sleep at night. I'm new at keeping chickens and want to make sure they get the best I can give them.

They are fine, my girls don't see anything close to as warm as 5C for 3 or 4 months a year.

 

[BReeder!]

The "Crest Keeper" or "Hen-net".. for polish or crested birds in a mixed flock, who think it's fun to eat head feathers... It has worked great, but I accidentally broke it with scissors.. I have to make another..View attachment 1791218 View attachment 1791219

It's the cafeteria hen. What slop is she serving today?

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

It's the cafeteria hen. What slop is she serving today?

some nice worms and dirt she was trying to feed it to the"teen" chicks, but they weren't having it

 

[backyard pigeons]

I built a roof on my coop that can be opened, as an alternative to having shade trees.

View attachment 1792911

View attachment 1792913

now that's cool! Great ventilation. What went on to making that? How did you hinge it? From the outside? And then how do you place the board there?

 

[Fatherdowling]

now that's cool! Great ventilation. What went on to making that? How did you hinge it? From the outside? And then how do you place the board there?

So it is dual layer roof, the first layer is a frame covered by hardware cloth to protect from predators, the second layer, is the hinged roof made of plywood and metal roof panels. It is hinged on the outside, the board holding up the roof is removable, and the roof being held up is reasonably light, it weighs about 50 - 60 lbs.

 

[backyard pigeons]

So it is dual layer roof, the first layer is a frame covered by hardware cloth to protect from predators, the second layer, is the hinged roof made of plywood and metal roof panels. It is hinged on the outside, the board holding up the roof is removable, and the roof being held up is reasonably light, it weighs about 50 - 60 lbs.

Wow! Thanks! I will remember this.

 

[BReeder!]

Looking for DIY'ers to brainstorm how to accomplish something.

Pre-claimer is that I already have a winter water system that is working okay. But I'm wondering if this idea would work and a way to accomplish it if possible.


I'd like to try some kind of "circulation system" to keep water moving. Here is what I want to accomplish:

-The main container/bucket or whatever would have the heater in it.
-The place the birds drink from would be "restricted" in size so that wattles won't drag in it.
-The water will constantly flow through the drinking area(s) and back into the heated bucket so that it stays thawed. (What kind of pump and tubing would be needed for this?)
-Must remain unfrozen to temperatures below "0". Perhaps as cold as -20 F.


Okay...
Your ideas/help brainstorming on this, please! If you know someone that has done it, send me a link

Container:
Large covered, heated 35-50 gallon garbage can with lid. The Brute cans are great. Get it in black if possible to absorb extra heat from the sun.

Heater:
I would use a trough heater. If you are only working with <50 gallons it doesn't need to be a very powerful one. I'm sure you could find something in the 100W range that would work.

Pump:
A small pond pump should suffice.

Restricted Drinking Area/Plumbing:
I would plumb a PVC loop out and back into the grabage can. Cut the top of of a section of the PVC pipe (make it look like a gutter) for the birds to be able to drink the water.

The tricky part with assembly will be keeping the PVC loop above the water level in the garbage can. I picture two ways of doing it. 1: partially/mostly bury the garbage can (the ground would assist with insulating the garbage can, especially if part of it gets below the frost line. Backfilling around it can be a problem though with pressure on the garbage can). 2: the loop is in an elevated area about 4ft off the ground (this would work if you have a raised coop and place the garbage can outside and run the PVC through the coop wall).