Antlers of Ridicule and Scorn

Well, the other afternoon, we heard a familiar sound.  A goat was crying.  We knew exactly what had happened.  It is not the first time it happened, or the second, or third, or fourth.  Or fifth, for that matter.  Salt is one of Oreo's twins.  Salt is not too bright.  Her brother, Pepper, is not a Rhodes scholar, by any stretch, but he's smarter than Salt - although Salt does not set the bar for intellect very high.

Salt has been getting her head stuck in the fence.  Repeatedly.  The grass is indeed always greener on the other side of the fence.  The fence, in this case, is a 4 x 4 "hog wire" and the goats love to poke their heads through it and eat the tender grass on the other side.  The predicament they find themselves in is that they have horns that prevent them from getting their heads back through.

Help me!

The ideal thing to do is that when the goats are a week or so old, you get a de-horner and de-horn them.  We got busy with other things and didn't do this in time and the horns are too long.  Those horns have proven to be troublesome for Salt.  I think if you look at her below, she's kind of embarrassed to be stuck yet again.

Okay, I know it's like the tenth time, but can you get me out, please?

I searched for ideas.  We've used rubber band emasculators before on Annie in order to de-horn her, but she grew scurs (partial horn re-growth).  I found people that had success with something I'll call the "Antlers of Ridicule and Scorn."  The cost for installation is negligible.  All you need is a length of PVC pipe and some duct tape.  Every redneck has that laying around somewhere.

You simply lay the PVC pipe horizontally against the front of the goat's horns and apply the duct tape numerous times in a 'figure-8' around the horns and PVC until secure.  When you are done, it will look something like this:

I am so ashamed!

The Antlers of Ridicule and Scorn work because they prevent the goat's head from being able to fit between the 4x4 spacings in the fence.  Although it is July, looking at Salt reminded me of Christmas, specifically this guy: (Don't you see the resemblance?)

Image Credit

You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch...  Salt did not like her antlers.  The duct tape held them on tight and no amount of shaking her head would shake them loose.

Salt saw that it was futile to try to remove her antlers and tried to accept her new accessory.  She tried to act normal, but I believe she knew how ridiculous she looked to us and her barnyard friends.

What are you looking at?

Her twin, Pepper, approached her and inspected her antlers between spasms of laughter.  I'm pretty sure I witnessed Pepper laughing uncontrollably.  Salt's confidence was shaken.

You look mahvelous! (cough, cough, snicker, snicker)

But here came Oreo.  It was suppertime!  Salt and Pepper ran to Oreo to nurse.  Then the craziest thing happened.  Oreo would not let Salt come near her with the antlers.  Oreo began to head butt her away.  I don't know if it scared Oreo.  I do know that Salt and Pepper aren't weaned yet and with the Antlers of Ridicule and Scorn installed, Salt would be on an involuntary hunger strike if I didn't take action.

I reluctantly removed Salt's antlers.  I have them stored away for safekeeping.  In a month, when it is time to wean Salt, I'll re-install the antlers.  Until then, we keep our eyes and ears open for Salt.  She doesn't seem to learn her lesson and I'm sure we'll have to pry her head out of the fence another time or three...

Building The New Chicken Tractor (Part II)

In Building The New Chicken Tractor (Part I) we showed you the progress on our new chicken tractor, the design, and how we started constructing it.  Tonight we'll continue.  Last night we built the basic skeleton and added some bracing to make it stronger.  We took two rolls of 3 foot tall welded wire fencing, stapled it to one of the 2x4's on the bottom and rolled it over the top, cutting it off with cutting pliers and stapling to the 2x4 on the other side.  Then we used zip ties to fasten it to the pvc. This process was repeated all the way across until we had the entire curved structure enclosed in fencing.  Fastening the fencing to the two ends took a bit more time.  The bottom was easy as it is a straight cut.  The top required cutting and then using wire to fasten to the pvc hoop. Once done, it enclosed the end nicely.

I wanted to show a few shots to show the bracing supports that added a lot of strength to the chicken tractor.  First some metal conduit with wooden dowels tightly wedged in each end allowed us to run a screw through the pvc hoop and into the wood in the conduit, tightening it down.  Then a 2x2 was attached vertically with a hole drilled to allow us to run the conduit through it.

The very top of the 2x4 had a notch that accepted the 1x4 top brace, supporting the frame securely.  This was screwed in to keep it from moving.

On the other side, a door frame with bracing was added.  Everything but the doorway was shrouded with welded wire fencing.  This discourages predators.

A door with a latch was installed and this enables us to walk into the chicken tractor without bending over. The door is covered with chicken wire and has adequate bracing to make it sturdy and strong.  Notice the trap door at the bottom.  Once the birds are trained to roost in the new chicken tractor, I'll only open the trap door during the day, allowing the chickens to come and go as they please and I'll close it after they are all inside at night.

I am very pleased with the design of the new tractor and how it turned out.  Tune in on Thursday where we will finish things up. A couple of quick comments is that the tractor is tall enough to not have to bend over when walking inside, and that is nice! Instead of pushing this tractor, we will pull it. Notice the rope draped over the top on both sides.  It runs through the 6 foot 2x4s with a knot tied in the rope on the backside.

Tomorrow we will weigh the meat birds at 3 weeks old and then perhaps finish this series up on Thursday.

Building The New Chicken Tractor (Part 1)

In This Post I talked about the dilapidated condition of our chicken tractors and my quest to build a new one.  In the post I linked above, I explained three things that I was looking for in a new chicken tractor design.  I scoured the Internet for a design that I could build upon, making a few changes.  I found exactly what I was looking for HERE. That unique design met my criteria of being economical to build, durable, and lighter. We'll build one as a prototype and make any changes necessary to the second tractor.

I did alter the plans a bit to make it taller, so that I could walk inside it without bending over.  I added more hoops and a few other amenities that I'll discuss in this post and maybe one or two more posts to follow.  I discussed my project with a real good friend at church.  He is a master craftsman who I admire greatly.  His attention to detail and ingenuity in figuring out different ways to do things never cease to amaze me.  When he asked if he could help with the chicken tractor project, I was ecstatic.

On what might have been the most perfect day of the year, we assembled our building materials:

• Three 12 foot treated 2x4s
• One 12 foot 1x4
• Five joints of 1/2 inch schedule 40 pvc pipe
• Screws
• Cordless drill
• 7/8" spade bit
• Two 50 foot rolls of welded wire fencing, 3 ft high
• Cable ties

Since we determined that we wanted five hoops for stability, we marked out and drilled five holes, evenly spaced, in two of the three 2x4s, drilling perhaps an inch and a half deep.  For the third 2x4, we cut it in half.  The length of our chicken tractor will be roughly 12 feet long, while the width will be approximately 6 feet wide.

Then with heavy screws with a 'star' bit, we formed up the base of the tractor, putting two screws in each side.  By screwing the 6 foot 2x4's on the inside of the 12 foot 2x4's, we gained an extra foot and a half of interior area.  I was unaware of this, but now that I think about it, it makes perfect sense.

Once the base was together, we simply began inserting the pvc pipe just to ensure it fit properly. Yes!  Things are taking shape.  We continued putting all five joints of pipe in the base.

Prior to doing this we put the 1x4 alongside the 12 foot 2x4s and marked where the holes were drilled on the 1x4 and drilled corresponding holes.  We took off one side of the pvc and threaded the pipe through the 1x4 and back into the base on the other side as you can see below.  The 1x4 gave the chicken tractor strength and stability AND will allow us to hang a waterer, and heat lamps from the hoops.  The "boss lady" came and inspected our progress and was pleased.

We added some bracing to each side with pvc pipe screwed into the skeleton of the tractor at 45 degree angles.  We also used 10 smaller screws to anchor the pvc into each of the 10 holes in the 2x4's so that they wouldn't pull out.

This is turning out mighty fine.  It was time for a break and we decided to start up again tomorrow, so I think that is what we'll do now.  Please join us tomorrow for Building The New Chicken Tractor (Part II).  I can't wait to show you how it turned out!

Weekend Water Project

I'm not real energetic about mowing the grass.  It seems like a pointless, time-wasting exercise to me. Running the weed-eater is even worse to me.  Mostly I like to put the temporary fence up and create different paddocks in the yard and let the cows eat the grass.  One downside to not having a manicured lawn is that sometime the grass gets a little tall.  We have water hoses running from the house out into the pasture to fill up the animals' water troughs and also to water the garden.  Water hoses will be stretched out in all directions for a hundred feet.

Water hoses in the grass

Tall grass can completely camouflage a water hose and the picture below shows evidence that when we have mowed, sometimes we don't see the hose in the grass and run over it with the mower.  Never a good thing, but that's what hose splicers and hose clamps are for.  Not a big deal.

It's not quite a 50 foot hose anymore

I have had a project on my to do list, though, for quite a while to run some underground PVC pipe out to the pasture to eliminate the hose in the yard.  It is would be one less thing to pick up.  Having never done this, I got some advice from a friend who has extensive knowledge of running water line and he gave me some pointers.  But before we get going, right by where I was going to be working, I noticed a cactus blooming that I've never seen bloom before.  This cactus is growing in a terra cotta frog.  We kind of forget about it and it just continues to grow.  Here is the frog cactus:

Cactus in Bloom

I tried to get a close up shot.  Very pretty flower on it!

Yellow cactus flower

On to the project.  The length of the pipe run was exactly 53 feet.  The biggest job is trenching.  I used a shovel to do the work and have the callouses to prove it.  I'm getting soft in my old age.  My materials including pipe, cleaner, glue, and all fittings totaled $59, so it is costing me (excluding labor) about $1.11 per foot.  It took no time to cut the pipe, clean and glue it and assemble everything.

The trench looking north

Once I have it all together I'll move the big water trough back out into the pasture.  I just trenched it about 6-8 inches deep.

Trench looking south

At the end of the run, I just barely came out of the ground and knocked some concrete off of a 4 x 4 fence post so that I could secure it snug to the post with an old leather belt.  I don't want the cows OR GOATS breaking the line.  A shorter segment reduces the opportunity for breakage.  In cold weather, I learned that if the segment is short, you can just pile up a mound of dirt on top to insulate during freezing weather.  

I'll put a "Y" connection on the faucet and make a short, flexible hose to run to the water trough and connect the water hose to the other connection for watering the garden and running water further out to the barn.

The end of the line

Now all I need to do is allow the glue to dry, pressure it up and see that there are no leaks.  I only had to tighten up one fitting to stop a drip, but once that was done, we deemed the project complete and began to fill in the trench with dirt and pack it down.  In no time the grass will grow over it and you won't even be able to tell that work was done.

All is Good!

No more moving water hose in the yard and now that we realized how easy it is to do this, we'll eventually run both water and electricity to the barn.