The current project is a chicken/gosling/duckling tractor. It's amazing (and frustrating) how long it takes to just get the 2 x 2 framing put together.
Papa Pea and I drew up the plans this week and our summer intern (aka daughter) worked on the framing a good share of the day yesterday. With luck, Papa Pea and I will get it close to completion today.
We're concentrating on making it as light, and yet secure and sturdy, as we can so that moving it frequently is possible without the necessity of renting any heavy equipment. (The power will be one of us hoisting the handles at either end.)
The four goslings that arrived first of the month are growing so fast they're almost too big for the brooder they're in (still in the heated garage) so it's imperative we get this new outside pen (house and small run) finished as soon as possible.
Of course, our weather has taken a dip downward and the 40s are as warm as it's been getting during the day with low 30s at night. This next week coming up looks to be much the same which means we'll have to make provisions in the new pen for a heat lamp.
Meanwhile, the grown-up poultry is enjoying the lovely days of sunshine in their big pasture. (We do lock all feathered friends up each night for their protection.)
One of our adult female geese has been stuck like glue on a nest of eggs so we're keeping our fingers crossed that proves profitable. So much easier when poultry hatches and raises their young!
8 comments:
You've got a lot going on there. Don't you just love this time of year?? And all those sweet critters. What fun!
Though I might "whine" a bit about the endless list of "to-do's", I wouldn't have it any other way.
Have a good week and good luck with the chicken tractor.
Yes its a busy time of year the list of jobs just keep growing :-)
Sue - There's certainly never a lack of choices to fill one's day! We're really, really enjoying seeing the waterfowl in the pasture and on the pond again. Critters do add so much "life" to a place.
Dawn - What we have to learn to laugh at are those days when not one job gets crossed of "The List" and four get added! ;o}
I think those poultry tractors are such a good idea! Will you use regular chicken wire on all sides? -Jenn
Jenn - No, we'll use a stronger hardware cloth wire. We have all kinds of poultry-eating critters who can chew through regular chicken wire with no problem. The sides of the little house enclosure where our birds will be locked up in at night will have floor, roof and sides of wood for protection from the elements . . . and critters!
Hi Mama Pea! We've thought about a chicken tractor for meat birds, but it hasn't come to pass yet. Is that 'netting' style of fence for the adult birds? I've considered trying that just to keep the girls away from the road but wasn't sure how well it would work.
Mark - Yes, we've always had no problem keeping the poultry in their pasture with the electrified net fence. Although the deer could jump over it (into the poultry pasture) quite easily, it keeps them out also.
I'm betting even without being electrified, it would be a sufficient barrier to keep your girls away from the road.
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