SLOWING DOWN FOR CHRISTMAS

This is the new cockerel a Barnvelder and my silver Grey Dorking having an early morning crowing duel

Loads of photo's

yep there is more of them, some good loads bad, but i try LOL, have a look at my photo bucket space here
http://s172.photobucket.com/albums/w27/oldangrey/?start=all

Grew these in an unheated greenhouse

Home Made Incubator

I made this earlier in the year from a poli fish box (free from the local fish mongers, they have to pay for them to be disposed of, so its worth asking ), the thermostat is from eBay ( £9.99) build it yourself, just needs a soldering iron and patients, the heat source is a 12 volt ride on mower bulb and holder, i have got 2 hooked up in case one blows, i have also added a small computer fan to circulate the air better, the power source is an old transformer from a train set( eBay £2.00) it all cosy around £18, and a couple of hours putting it together, i have gone one stage further and made an outside box, the only reason is it looks nicer for the OH when its sat in the living room next to the PC, I spent quite a bit of time getting it all set up with the right temp and humidity, its worth the time playing first before waisting eggs if you get it wrong, the box i have has several holes already in it, so i don't need to add any for gas exchange, come spring i an going to use it for the first time..

Chickenopolus update

I am putting up a couple of short video clips on " you tube " .. What do you think??

Growing

My Chicken project is slowly growing, all my birds are at Mill House now, and all have good size pens to run about in, I put my layers in their new home yesterday morning, they now have the large house and a run of about 12 feet square for now, as they have been living on a bed of straw for ages they are loving being able to scratch about, and as i left them last night i had my last look round and one had layed,,,, Yippeeee !!
photos to follow

Older Photo's

Dont forget to have a look at some of my older photo's and stuff,go to the bottom of this page and click on " older posts "... Enjoy

Pig Pictures

As promised here are some photo's of the Pigs

Free !!!

With all but my layers at the workshop, i have given the layers free roam of all the veg patch, now they have loads of room to wander about, even the green house too.. I have just opened their house an d let them out to this new freedom, talk about bewilderment LOL, its taken them 10 minutes to work out whats going on, they are now spread all over their new home.

Mahogony Planter

I have just made this from Mahogany reclaimed from a sound proofing factory, I'm not sure what they had used it for, but it turns out quite nicely, i hadn't got any oil to finish it with so i used a drop of veg cooking oil mixed with some meths, it works LOL,

Hazel has died

sorry to have to report that Hazel has passed away, in the end she was clean of mites and seemed unable to process the food she was eating.

Hazel update

She is doing realy well and following me around the workshop, she had realy bad mites, in the last 2 weeks i have dusted her 3 times and have been cleaning out her box every 3 days, boy you wouldn't recognise her
photo's to follow

NEWS new pigs at Mill House

photo's to follow

Chickenopolis ??

Ok so Hugh F-Whitingstall said it first, I have moved in another house, this one is for my layers, its got a temp pen, i am going to make it much bigger for them in the next few days, have a look at the pictures, oh yes, there are some of the new house i will be using for the rare breeds, nice and cosy..

PHEW !!!! broke out in a sweat

Its been one heck of a week, thanks you all that have ordered houses and runs, i have lost another 5 pounds in weight.... LOL.... ok yes i did need to loose some :p

i have a cockerel thats now turn out to be hen, she is not very well, when i first noticed, on inspection she had mites, so she has been well dusted and pampered, Deb's the Mill house manager has named her " Hazel " cus of her eyes, lol I am a bloke so i don't notice these things...
I have had her loose in the workshop, she seems to like pecking around, treated her to a sticky fruit bun yesterday afternoon, and at night she has her own small house to sleep in, i really want her to live, as i have hatched her myself......

Moved the Cockerals

Well i finally got them moved to the piece of land i am renting, its a small pen but will have to do for the time being, they are quite happy it seems, its all go on the chicken house building front, got to make 4 this week and have to have them ready for Saturday, 2 of them want pens making too, I have had Tom helping me again today, he is great and willing to do most jobs, or at least try, i can see him doing well, it nice to have him for company too, even though he don't say much lol, here are a few pictures to keep you going for now....

Busy weekend

It has been a busy weekend, sold 2 hen houses to some very nice people, they had some hens too, i do hope they enjoy them, they also had a bird table, and have ordered another, the hen houses they took were ones i had built for my own hens, so i have had to start over, and make myself some new ones, i got one finished yesterday, and the lad i have help me has painted it forest green.
I had my son George with me all weekend, he is 18 and usually is off with his girlfriend, it was a really great weekend we didn't have a single argument, i think if he really put his mind to it he would be a great woodworker, he has made a couple of really nice wheelbarrow planters, i will add the photo's later, he made them from taking a template from the one my Wife was given by a plant firm, and has enlarged the template to make larger ones, they look really good...

I have been feeling really worn out lately, but have been unable to sleep more than a couple of hours at a time, i think its just worry LOL

Clean up

Have had a friend in ( Tom ) to give me a hand cleaning up, and having a general tidy up, still not got round to the bench ARGHHHHH!!! i have to do it soon.... I think i have found the best house to make..see pictures

the chairs below are for sale at £15 each

Creature comforts

The workshop is becoming a home from home, coffee table and easy chairs LOL you think I'm joking have a look

New Bench

I made my main working bench in a bit of a hurry and didn't get it quite level, so next week i will re-build it and make it true, its not helped by being on the mill waste, but i will get round it some way..
I am missing the guys at Poultry chat, they are a great bunch of very knowledgeable people on there, and if you ever need to know anything about keeping poultry thats the place to go, there a link to it at the bottom of my blog, there is also a link to a place that sells great FREE RANGE PORK and eggs, Mill house just outside Melton Mowbray on the Leicester Road, i had some Liver from her the other day and it was Beautiful, so if you fancy some really well cared for pork give them a ring

Portable Duck pond/bath

I have just made this pond for ducks, it movable and quite light weight when empty, about 5 feet long and 3'6" wide, 10" at the deepest, i have made a ramp for the ducks to waddle up, a bloke down the road is going to field test it for me, he has a few ducks in his back garden, i have been a bit stupid and painted the fibreglass and will have to scrub it off

New " OLD " Timber

I have just found a large pile of timber, its all reusable, just needs de-nailing, i hope to get it today with luck, it will ideal for making chicken runs and the like, some lengths are 12 feet long, well most of it is really, but after reworking it will get smaller.
I was given some MDF off cuts the other day, i don't usually use MDF, but as it was free what the heck lol, i made a nice chair from some of it, now i can sit and watch the chickens in comfort while i eat lunch.
I cant go into the workshop straight away today, i have to wait for some guys to collect our old TV, we have always rented our TV, but I have bought one from eBay, they are going to collect the old one this morning I hope, i would like them here as early as possible, i have lots to do at the workshop, sorting out this new timber is the main job, it needs de-nailing then sorting into usable and sizes etc.

where i am fishing ( click on the picture )

Photobucket Album

I haven't had a lot of spare time lately, i have been making bird nesting boxes and tables for a local firm, they paint them up and sell them on, also just got some more work from a Cane furniture company, they are moving premises and want me to do some chippy work for them, today i did a stud wall, tomorrow i have to make an office space, its all good, its just a shame i come home in such pain, this Arthritis is a bug-er......... Still i am enjoying myself, and its nice to meet so many new people

This is me sorry if it scares the children
this is wahts inside the small eggs, no its no yoke lol
Small egg is probably the hens first

New Photo's

Some random pictures i have taken

the sea looking to Hunstanton Norfolk
opposite direction
this is the machine that takes people to sea the seals on the sand banks in the wash Norfolk
The Wife doing a spot check for naked ladies and the like
the view from my workshop door

NEW WORKSHOP

I now have a workshop, its great i can work in the rain without getting electric shocks LOL

i am taking orders for all types of Garden Ware, ie bird tables and nest boxes, wishing wells and planters etc.

email me with your drawing at oldangrey@britpost.com
or phone me on 07748925918

Some new houses

here are some of the newer houses built, and other items i have made

ORDERS FOR HOUSES TAKEN

I take orders for specialy made Chicken houses, most sizes catered for, from small 2/4 birds upto large 20/30 bird sheds, where possble i used reclaimed timber, and all houses are screwed together NOT nailed ( i did buy a nail gun but it scared the life out of me LOL )..
Please feel free to contact me about your needs.
a small deposit will be needed before work commences
Cages and run can also be constructed

Mail me at
oldangrey@britpost.com

some more of my houses

Helpful People

If you have any chicken related questions, or need advise, go and ask these people, they are a very friendly bunch, and some are very experienced poultry keepers, also its a good site for a chat and to get to know new chicken friends,, beware it is adictive !!!!!

http://www.poultrychat.com/vb/

I made these