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The Homesteading Thread

Discussion in 'Permanent Threads' started by Popped Cherries, Mar 23, 2020.

  1. bewildered

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    2 hrs, 45 minutes. Coop door is open. I put food right immediately outside within view. I sprinkled feed and treats on that wood step. Some girls poked their head out to eat that. I'm being super stubborn about this.
     
  2. Nettdata

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    You should really lead by example.

    And post video so we can assist in the proper teaching form.
     
  3. bewildered

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    Y'all!!! They're out!!
     
  4. bewildered

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    Even the fatass drake.
     
  5. walt

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    Good to know, I’ll have to try that next year.

    This yeast hasn’t been too bad but there’s some years where the ammonia in the air hits you like a wall when you open the coop door. This year it’s been relatively warm, rarely, if at all below zero, so I’ve been able to keep windows open for cross ventilation.
     
  6. bewildered

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    Yeah, I keep the windows open and you can see in that picture, the door is pretty open and covered with HWC. They have their own down jackets and just need basic shelter. I keep it predator proof though.

    We got one batch of hard freezing weather and snow. Once it thawed, all the poop thawed, and it was absolutely foul. That's when I scheduled the clean out. No amount of PDZ or straw was going to make it ok.
     
  7. bewildered

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    At 6:45 they were huddled around the coop. I'm probably going to have to walk them in for a few days to get them used to it. I got to see them use the ramp and step. It all is actually the perfect size for them. The girls look so small going through the door! The drake hates the door and went in last. He touched the sides but there was no squeezing.

    IMG_20250225_185840_(950_x_1400_pixel).jpg

    I bought
    https://a.co/d/g1iV4CW
    For $40 at that time
     
    #707 bewildered, Feb 25, 2025
    Last edited: Feb 25, 2025
  8. Popped Cherries

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    You might want to give Sani-Care a try for your coop bedding. It's main use is for horse stalls, but it keeps odors down and with 10 chickens roosting over it, we'd have to do a clean out, maybe once a month.
     
  9. bewildered

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    I filled the pond with water yesterday. This is it today. I did a basic setup of the new pond pump and filter and am interested to see how long it takes to clarify. It takes approximately 3mo for the bio filters to colonize and fully filter.
    IMG_20250407_184151_(900_x_700_pixel).jpg IMG_20250407_184346_(600_x_800_pixel).jpg
     
  10. bewildered

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    Next morning, looking pretty good!

    I think adjusting the inflow and pump position will help get the sediment off the bottom. I have plans. Getting the equipment set up was the first step.

    IMG_20250408_133101_(800_x_600_pixel).jpg
     
  11. Nettdata

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    That seems way faster than 3 months.
     
  12. bewildered

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    3mo is how long it takes for the bacterial colonies to fill the sponges and bioballs of the filter's system. The filter is still mechanically filtering solids out of the water continuously, so I got improved clarity over night.
     
  13. Nettdata

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    Ahh… I misread your earlier post.

    I thought 3 months was a crazy long time for something that small to clear. lol
     
  14. bewildered

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    Oh yeah, that would be ridiculous. If it took that long, it would never withstand the daily additions of shit.
     
  15. GTE

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    @Nettdata was it you that did "solid" walls in your office? So you can hang anything without worrying about studs?
     
  16. Nettdata

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    Yes. Put up particle board over all the drywall.
     
  17. Nettdata

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  18. Nettdata

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    The idea was anything over desk height had particle board. I still have to mill and attach the decorative wood (walnut, mahogany, etc) over it. The whole sleep apnea heart issues stuff happened before I got it totally done.
     
  19. GTE

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    Can you drywall over a solid substrate?
     
  20. Nettdata

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    Why couldn’t you? I know people that drywalled over old wood paneling.