Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Egg Lou]

Hi All

 

Not been on the site for about 4/5 years and just popped on to stick some stuff up for sale so thought I better come and say hi again too!..

 

Hope everyone is well and all our feathered friends are enjoying the sunshine.. my lot certainly are!

 

My signature is way out of date now as last few years been up to silly numbers of hens, quail and ducks but mainly sticking to ex batts now and have had a purpose built all weather run recently made, complete with an eco automated watering system as this heat has left me worried at times.

 

I'm sure some of the old crowd must still be about so howdee

[freddie]

Hello old member!! Loving the sound of the water gadget!! Tell us more...

[Lavenders_Blue]

I too am fascinated by the auto waterer - tell us more!

 

Welcome back by the way

[chickencam]

I think that you were here when I first joined, sound like you have had a bad case of morehen disease

[Egg Lou]

Thanks all.. yes very bad case of 'moreheninfactmorepoultry' disease! although following a the very long and wet winter I have had to cut down dramatically!

 

The rather posh sounding automated watering system is in fact not that exciting I just made it sound posh but does a fantastic job..sealed guttering from the new run roof falling through a filter then into covered water butt via adjusted downpipes, with another filter at base of butt, then hosing to a water container with a mini stop cock installed inside the run.. currently running on one but adding a second in this week. works brilliantly and all I do is empty out the water bowl every few days where the girls kick bedding in... all self filling and water saving too..

 

The run has a double level so adding a second one higher up to avoid the bedding issue but i just need to get the gravity and pressure right first!

 

Think that explains it all

[Space Chick]

Welcome back

 

Sounds a genius idea

[Lavenders_Blue]

That sounds incredibly complicated to my tiny brain - am very impressed!

[Egg Lou]

Honestly its not complicated .. I promise .. all you need is guttering set up on your run with a cover and filter ( fine mesh, then even finer netting ) wedged into the end before it runs down the down pipe.. downpipe has lots of bends and curves so it then reaches water butt positioned behind my cube.. more mesh and netting in bottom of water butt and a fish tank style filter by tap hole... simples honest! If I could remember how to add a photo I would lol

[Valkyrie]

Wotcha Eggy!

Update for you - we are now down to just 2 of your old girls now (I say old girls - they are 5 years old) - Sky and Mini. Sky has moved up to 2nd in command. We lost the last of our orpies last month, so just left with our 2 grown up chicks who are now 4 years old - the maran being the bottom of the pecking order and tries to be invisible when she's a bit close to the pekins.

How is Oscar?!!! Last time he was having swimming lessons for his leg I remember.

Anyway nice to see you back and yes the watering system does sound really good.

Here I'm trying to keep the flock down to a small number - but it doesn't stop me looking! Must admit the urges are still strong to get more - so close to getting a couple of croads from one of the shows - think it was the Newbury one.

My new list is:

Wheaten Maran

Croad Langshan

Lemon pekin

Porcelain pekin

But the faverolles and the brahmas still a big must one day.

Lots of building work done in the house and garden being straightened out and hopefully we will be able to sell up next year and move up the M40 corridor. Still after my smallholding!

[Egg Lou]

Heyyy nice to see you are still on here and some of my old pekins are still about, I still have my Brahma and a sussex but the rest are all ex batts now, in fact picked up another 8 baldies yesterday including a wobbly one!

 

I went a bit mad on the hatching last year and had some lovely lines of Brahma, saxony ducks and quail was up to about 70+ at one point as selling the purebreeds and ducks.. but trimmed right down now so only 14 birds in total and no more hatching for me. .. that said I may have to increase my Brahmas again as still got Boots but they are my favorite.. nothing like taking ex batts on though, that's the best feeling ever, the new girls are discovering sun and dust bathing today.. its lovely to see

 

Good old cube is going strong although getting rid of all the runs and grubs/glugs etc as I have the new one built now.

 

Hope the family is really well too!

[Egg Lou]

Oh meant to add.. I lost Oscar about 2.5 years ago now.. was a very hard time another reason for not being around much, in fact lost the little one Bailey too. Have 4 at the moment though lol

[Valkyrie]

Awww sorry to hear that. He was a beautiful horse. And Bailey too. But . . . 4 more!!! How many birds!!!!

Well we are still in the same place. Madam Mim after all her training in catering went to Starbucks for a year then went into accountancy, then worked with her dad - briefly and walked out. Currently out of work. Number one son has just moved back in temporarily until he finds another flat - he's been away from home for 2.5 years working in Aldershot. I have lost my sewing room as I took his room over when he left. Boo hoo! One of his cats was pts the other day - very sad because he was a lovely little thing. The other one is on holiday at my mum's house - because Muz wouldn't have him here. But he is great company for mum - who moved to live near my brother and ended up more on her own - he lives closer to her than we did but only sees her one day a week and she has to do her own shopping. A case of the grass looked greener but that was her choice.

Anyway how are your kiddiwinkies? Your daughter must be quite grown up now (mine is still infantile at 21) and your son must be finishing school if he hasn't already! I thought you had moved to Reading!

Good to know Boots is still around - she was lovely. Murray said at the holding we are definitely getting batties. Well there we are - only took a few years for him to come round - just need to move. So saying that he still panics when I send photos from the shows with a message "how about these ones?" He always replies "I'll leave it to your better judgement" which basically means "are you crazy? No way are we having more yet!!!"

Some times I pop back in here and then I'll be off for a while. Then I wonder how everyone is - most are on facebook anyway and so I know how some are already! Mostin's moving down this way too.