Sal

So sorry to hear about your stray, but exciting that your new babies arrive soon!! Do you know what breed & how many you are getting? Share pics once they arrive! 😍

😔 I'm sorry to hear that happened, but glad you are getting a new coop setup!! Good luck!

Ok, final update for the weekend! I couldnt do any more painting because there was some rain in the forecast today - so we focused on getting all the plywood up and getting things as ready as we could for starting finishing work next weekend. I am going to try to get clapboard painted after work this week (see pic for color choice). I think doors are all that is left to "build." The LARGE opening will be french doors for ease of cleaning! The view from my back deck... And my paint choice!!

Here's todays build progress... The posts for the run are in and the cement is curing... I only got one coat of interior paint done, so still another coat (at least) to go. Windows are on, and the roof plywood is attached... It's starting to take shape.

Totally agree - we have one dog that I am not sure I will ever trust with the chickens, so we'll see how it goes. Fortunately, the coop and run are outside of our fenced in dog area, so he should never really have the chance to. If the chickens are outside of their enclosure, he will be inside! We are doing a rainbow flock, so starting out with a variety of different birds. I tried only to pick breeds that were "quiet" and "friendly", and focused on cold hardy birds since we are in a cold winter climate... though it sounds like they all can be different in terms of noise and temperment, so my expectations are low. Breeds we are starting with: Wyandotte, Orpingtons, Americauna, Speckled Sussex, and Welsummer.

This seems reasonable too. I wonder if it also helps them keep cooler in the summer?

Agreeing with the above. Get a friend and stand on it. Does it feel wobbly or solid? If it passes that test, make sure the entire tank sits on it (no overhang) and that it's level. Maybe even do a 24hour test with water and check for any bowing, if you are able to! The table is really pretty and will make a lovely tank stand - but then again - I love a good alternative tank stand!!

Also wanted to add that we are aware of, and want to be responsible about avian flu - which unfortunately is present in our state. This means that keeping them in the run is going to be our safest bet for now also.

Yeah, we'll have to see how it goes. Planning to talk to all the neighbors - our street is a pretty quiet dead-end, so I think a rogue escape chicken may not be the worst thing that could happen, but a few of our neighbors have dogs, so that would be my main concern, outside of our cranky neighbors who dont like noise. Tunnels may be our best bet.

I have seen some really fun "chicken tunnel" builds, and I will say - it is very appealing to me. 😂 My guess is that this will be part of our "run" at some point!

I can only hope my neighbors feel the same way @PineSong! We are following all of our town's chicken rules, so there's really nothing they can do, but I dont wanna make anyone cranky. I am hoping I can offer fresh eggs as a peace offering. 🙂 I hope the planets align for you soon! Thanks @Hobbit and @Patrick_G too! We went back and forth over whether to make it a walk-in or raised coop and settled on the raised coop with WIDE doors facing our "gully" so we can rake it out and dump it over the gully easy peasy, at least until we rebuild the composting bin! I am planning to paint the interior with a glossy white paint to increase light, reduce mites, and make cleaning easier, and my girls are getting a nice sheet vinyl "tile looking" floor... hahaha. It will be under their bedding, but should make the rake out easier... I told you, I am insane - but hopefully in a good way. I just love my animals. I even bought them some art work. 🤪🤪 I'd like to try the "deep litter" method, but we'll see how it goes. I've heard it can be tricky at first. The coop is 4x8 (its really 4x7, that last foot is the nesting boxes) and dedicated run is 8x20 - at least that is the plan right now. In our town they have to remain in an enclosed run per the ordinance, however - we do have a fenced in backyard and we plan to cheat a little and let them have some supervised "free range" time in the yard probably on the weekends and when we are working out there. IF we were to add more birds, I think the run could handle it, but I think we would likely build a second coop to attach to the other end of the run, but I haven't thought that far out yet, hahaha... we'll see how it goes. I really want a small greenhouse, so I may decide to stick with a small flock and use the extra space for that instead. 🙂

I've admittedly not read through everything yet, but hope I can join... I have 8 pandas, and they are my favorites to watch. Outside of just being adorable, their behavior confuses and amuses me. In the mornings, they are on the left side of my tank, and in the evenings the right. EVERY NIGHT. I've decided that the right side must be the bar/night club side, and they're party animals. 😉

I just keep a perpetual note on my phone where I log date, water parameters, % water change (if changing water) and what (if anything) was added to the filter/water/tank. And I occasionally email it to myself as a backup if I need it.

That's so fun! I can not WAIT for baby chicks.

Oh my goodness!! 70! That's amazing! 🤣 Based on the chicken forums advice, I think my coop and run will have comfortable space for about 15 chickens, but... We'll see how it goes with the 6. My kids are mostly grown now and a few have flown the coop (pun intended) so I am looking for ways to fill up my empty nest. However, 70 new babies may be a bit of overkill... hahaha!

Oh HOW COOL, @Patrick_G - that is a great idea. What a beautiful little pond, and look at the owl!! I decided we should overbuild a little, because I hear there is something called "chicken math" - which I think must be somewhat similar to "tank math" 🤣 You always end up with more than you intended...

I know you are getting a lot of good advice which I hope helps, but I will just add - don't give up. We had a rough start about 3 years ago with our first tank, even though we felt like we were doing everything right. It took a while for us to feel confident in knowing how/when to medicate, and sometimes I just think its hit or miss with how healthy the LFS fish are too (and my LFS does not quarantine before selling.) Keep doing what you're doing, and just know that things will stabilize. We learned to wait a couple months before letting the kids name them, hahaha... 🤣

I feel like I recall there being a few chicken keepers here? Just wanted to start a thread to share your coop/run/flock stories? We are adding to our crazy menagerie, and starting up a little flock of 6 hens for eggs and (lets be real) pets. 🙂 I have been doing ALL the research and planning, while hubs gets to building. Of course, DIY-ing our coop and run, and me being me I have to make it extra and adorable. Trying to get it all ready for our baby chicks that come in May (they wont go into the coop until likely sometime in June, so we have time still!) My eventual goals are to add some raised veggie garden beds, and also a small greenhouse back there. Here's the progress so far!

I snapped a pic while feeding them just now... These angels were the same size when I got them in Nov. The black one is now about 3-3.5" top to bottom, the little guy is only about 1.5" I'd say, maybe slightly smaller. I don't think his eye looks abnormally large? What do you guys think? I'm not great at identifying species, they were sold as "assorted angelfish" but we did get it from a store that carries a lot of odd/harder to find fish too. Do you think it could be the leopoldi? It doesn't look like it via google, but I am no expert!

Very interesting! Thanks @Fish Folk will be interesting to see if he catches up!

Is there such a thing as a dwarf angelfish? Back in November we picked up several young angels from our LFS for quarantine. We did lose a couple, but the remaining are all doing well. One is just... Tiny. They were all tiny when we got them, but this one stayed tiny while his "siblings" are now all 2-3 times his size. He is eating fine, swimming happily, holds his own against the gang, and seems to be thriving, he's just... Tiny. Is that a thing?

Thought I would pop in to do a 1 year update on the DIY tank stand & tank in general... The old tank (which I resealed last feb/march) has held up great! No leaks or issues - I am kinda proud of that! Tank stand (which was a DIY build from an old dresser) has held up GREAT. No bowing, no warping, only a bit of paint chipping, and no water damage from water changes etc... I am still super happy with it, and love having it in the entry of our home. Changes in the tank.... I have basically killed (or my fish/snails have killed) every/any anubius, and crypt that I put into the tank. I've mostly given up because I need the tank to be pretty and low maintenance. I have tried a few other things as well, and have not had luck. I wanted more variety in color - but it is what it is for now. At some point I may have more time to spend on learning how to keep the plants happier, but for now I really only want things that will thrive with the basics (lights, squirts, and root tabs). Speaking of thriving though, the vallisneria is going above and beyond, and the amazon swords are doing well. I wish they would get a bit taller, but I may add a couple more to the far ends of the tank for some balance. We have added a second batch of angels after a long quarantine, so now we have 7 total in there... They are all doing well, and mostly getting along (they are angels after all). I added more to my Cardinal Tetra school, taking it from 10 to 18. Believe it or not they are actually hard to get at my LFS... The cories, tetras, and snails are doing well. And our big boi plecco seems to be done growing, and is still just a docile little scaredy cat who hides under his log and only comes out for his repashy. 🙂 For now, we feel fully (if not a little over) stocked, but our parameters have been very steady. We have really only been doing a weekly water change, filter clean out every couple months, and a bit of mag-float scrubbing a couple times a week, this tank has been EASY BREEZY, and SO fun to watch!! I am so glad we decided to go BIG! (big for us, at least!)

It's planted up and slightly modified with sponges and a bit of extra media - will get the same level of care as the 120 does. 🙂. She wants to add a small piece of manzanita, which I know can lower pH so I am a little nervous about that. Maybe I will boil and leach it in my my QT tank first? Advice welcome. I wasn't sure about the betta and shrimp as it seems there are 2 schools of thought there, so we shall see. So far Mr. Betta seems completely uninterested, but I know that could change.

Daughter wanted a nano tank, so for Christmas she got a 5 gallon and we added a few yellow shrimp and a gorgeous elephant ear betta from our fave LFS yesterday. I have wasted too much time watching these tiny critters today, and I'm not even mad about it. 🤣 Originally she was going to take the tank back to college, but now she is leaving it with me until summer... YAY!

I have 2 females in my main tank that are fighting a bit over the 1 male - I tried lecturing them that he's likely not worth it, but alas... the heart wants what the heart wants... 😉 I was hoping a couple new friends might offset the chasing, and that my crabby female (Dina) might find a new man. The drama in this tank is unreal. 🤣. Tanks of our lives...