Peter Vince is a chicken enthusiast, who is keen to pass on his knowledge on this subject to others. To find out further hints and tips relating to building a hen house and keeping chickens and to sign up for a FREE Mini Course visit this website How to Build a Hen House.
When thinking about How to Build a Hen House make sure you find out all the facts by researching the subject thoroughly. Only by doing this will you make sure that the hen house is build to a satisfactory standard. This will ensure that it lasts for a reasonable amount of time, as it will be of sound construction. Also it will ensure that the chickens are kept healthy and safe.
By building my own hen house I have come up with a number of things to do and things not to do.
3 Things to Avoid
1. Bad Location
For a successful project the location of the hen house is critical. You need to ensure that the location of the hen house is not effected by standing water.
It is best located on elevated ground that is not affected by standing water. Another good idea is to have the hen house close to the house, this saves walking too far for egg collection and maintenance work.
2. Inadequate Security and Predators
Avoid inadequate security, as this will affect the health and safety of your chickens. The measures you take will need to keep out all vermin, such as rats, badgers and foxes.
To achieve adequate security, it is recommended that the base of the hen house is at least 4 inches off the ground. This will stop vermin from hiding underneath. To secure the run, either have the wire sunk into the ground, or have the wire overlapping the ground by 8 inches on the outside. This will stop larger predators from burrowing into the enclosure. As foxes are known to get into lightly secured entrances, make sure that the main entrance and nest boxes are secured with a lock.
3. Avoid a Grass Run, When Possible
If you have a permanent hen house with a grass run, then in winter the ground is likely to turn into a sea of mud.
Instead of a grass run consider providing a graveled or deep-litter run. If the conditions are right, the birds will be just as happy. It will also mean that you will not have to attempt to revive flagging vegetation. This approach is most suited to small runs and those covered with solid roofs.
Following are 3 Things You Should Do
1. Windows and Ventilation
If you don’t want your chickens to suffer with respiratory diseases then good ventilation is vital. The main ways to provide good ventilation is via open windows or by a protected open ridge in the roof apex. So that the window openings are secure they should be covered by wire to keep vermin out.
2. Hen House Hygiene
It goes without saying that the hen house should be cleaned out on a regular basis. As dropping are a haven for mites, they should be removed each day. The ideal way to do this task is to but a removable tray under the perches, as 50% of dropping occur at night. As mites love getting in the cracks in the perches, the perches should be cleaned with proprietary disinfectant every two weeks.
The best way to ensure that you can undertake a good ‘spring clean’, is to make the design of the hen house allows that the internal fitments can be removed.
3. Provide a Dust Bath
Where you have an enclosed run along side the hen house then provide the luxury of a dust bath. This is a natural aid to the chicken for defense against parasites. This can simply be a shallow box that is half filled with dry, powdery earth. The largest bird you have should be able to spread its wings in it.
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There are many reasons to choosing a teak bath mat over a traditional cloth or rubber bath mat. In fact, after looking over all of the advantages teak offers over other materials, it is hard to image why anyone would willing choose another option!
Appearance of Teak
For starters, teak is a beautiful hardwood that is pleasing to the eye and adds a touch of luxury to just about any bathroom. Teak offers a mild, subtle tone that blends and matches practically any decor. Just adding a teak bath mat to your bathroom can greatly improve the visual appeal and overall look.
While teak is now commonly used worldwide, it still carries its root influence of the southeastern Asian countries most commonly known to use teak for buildings and furniture. If your home or bathroom is centered around a southeast Asian design, teak is definitely the wood to go with when choosing a bath mat!
Resilience of Teak
Teak wood contains silica and natural oils that make it an obvious choice for use in exposed applications. It is naturally termite and pest proof, and has a very high natural resilience to water damage. Because of these features, teak is often seen in use as outdoor furniture or flooring.
These features are also a plus in bath mat applications. Because teak is to naturally resistant to water, you will never have to worry about the wood molding or rotting. It is also a plus not having to worry about attracting pests into your home.
Strength of Teak
Teak is a very dense hardwood that is often used in flooring applications. Since the wood itself is so dense and so resistant to natural decay, a teak bath mat has the potential to last you a lifetime. This factor alone makes the material worth the slightly higher investment required over a cloth bath mat.
The tight, dense grain of teak also offers a smooth, comfortable feel. The comfort and solidarity offered by teak is certainly a large step up from cloth, and is a comparable difference to the luxury offered by hardwood floors over carpet.
Consider the advantages, and you will clearly see that a teak bath mat is a solid, reliable choice.
M. Holland
Teak Bath Mat
Hardware choices should be the primary concern when designing a bathroom. Faucets
and spigots, as well as tubs and toilets, produced in a variety of shapes and materials can
centerpiece a design. Open showers are currently popular with the younger upwardly-
mobile crowd, and claw-foot bathtubs are almost always considered to be classic and
attractive. Evaluate privacy issues first; don’t put the toilet and tub too close together.
Is it a possibility to center your bathroom around a favorite theme? The answer is most
certainly “yes.” Keeping in mind that “less is more” while choosing a decoration pattern
that will coordinate with the rest of the home will open many design possibilities.
Finding a color or pattern inspiration from simple or small artwork may be the first step
toward creating a bathroom masterpiece.
When designing a bathroom’s tiling, take the time to shop around through different
hardware, decoration and craft stores. The more expensive of the different types of tiles
should have durability, aesthetic value, and a non-porous surface. It should be easily
cleaned and sanitized, and it needs to install easily without any expensive or caustic glues
or cements. Get creative also; all tile in bathrooms need not be made of porcelain.
After the design and production of a space-conscious and attractive bathroom have been
completed, focus on decoration accessories to bring out personality and individualism.
The bathroom is the most sacred room of any interior, and placing prized possessions on
the walls or shelves is an interesting way to bless this special room. Use courageous
ideas and do not be afraid to take chances, but above all: keep it simple.
The bathroom in your home is the one room that has undergone a complete transformation in the past several years. A transformation that is as far as how it is defined. Kitchens are to cook and eat in, living rooms are still for living and entertaining in and the garage still holds vehicles and junk (not to mention lot’s of tools). But the bathroom has evolved so far beyond its traditional functions that to truly reflect its current status in many homes, “spa room” or the “retreat” might be more appropriate names for it.
Too often, the bathroom comes in second to the kitchen when it comes to deciding on which home remodeling project should be done first. The kitchen has retained and even built upon its position as the focal point of the home and a center of both socialization and function. But the master bathroom is still stuck in its hygienic role and remains a private area that doesn’t get as many opportunities to impress visiting guests. Couple that with the fact that a bathroom renovation can be nearly as involved and expensive as a kitchen makeover and you have the makings for procrastination.
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Any advice or guide on the interior design of a bathroom should be based around one
simple concept: keep it simple. Rooms inside of a home should have functional aspects,
and if one room is designed for very specific functions, it is the bathroom.
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In an era where consumers are hyper-conscious of “going green”, not only for their own health reasons but also to help the environment, choosing an alternative for wall coverings that is truly from the earth is a viable option. Using products that are recognized as creating a healthier living space will ultimately increase the value of your home, if you decide to sell in the future.
Clay plaster has been used for wall finishing for centuries and is still used today for many reasons, not the least of which is versatility. As a unique option for adding texture and style to your walls, clay plaster is available in a variety of colors to suit all decors. You can also use stain or regular paint to match the walls with existing features of your home.
If you have any D.I.Y. inclinations, applying clay plaster to walls is a simple process using a trowel over drywall, brick or existing plaster. While clay plaster is a good option for creating a unique look to any wall, it can also be used for other purposes, including finishing drywall seams.
A clay plaster application can give the impression of depth and a warm glow to otherwise ordinary walls. One company offers additional components to the clay to create a tactile surface, including shredded straw, crushed shells or glass chips. Another option in this line gives a finish resembling honed marble. Because clay takes a long time to dry, any applications that are not suitable in your eyes can be easily changed (within the drying time), or plastered over in the future.
Clay plaster is a naturally sourced application, is recyclable and has no VOCs, therefore it qualifies as a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-recognized product, meaning this part of the home is certified as green in the construction or home building industry. Clay plaster is also non-flammable, non-toxic, pest resistant and hypoallergenic. One minor drawback for people who are chemically sensitive is that clay walls contain a small amount of borax, a natural mineral used as an anti-molding agent.
An additional bonus for using clay plaster walls will be the reduction of your heating or cooling bills. As moisture is absorbed and released when the interior temperatures change, your walls will often be naturally warmer in the winter and cooler on summer days. This moisture transfer component makes clay walls a good choice for bathrooms as well.
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The visual aspects of backyard ponds and waterfalls are just as beneficial as are the sounds generated. If a picture is worth a thousand words then a picture with acoustic water singing is worth ten times ten thousand words! Imagination amongst small children can quickly be seen as they marvel at the endless ripples created by the ponds and waterfalls. In turn creativity is stirred which provides new opportunities for life development. Another very visual feature that can be added to a pond is a fountain which provides a dazzling display based on its fountain head style pattern (umbrella, rocket, waterfall, etc.) of your choosing.
Another great benefit to having backyard ponds and waterfalls is the integration of water from the water mediums into both our irrigation and horticulture activities. Watering outdoor plants and gardens just became a whole lot easier by having ponds and waterfalls from which to draw water. Various small pumps available through ponds-and-waterfalls.com links allow for the easy transportation of water throughout our outside areas. The implementation of various timing devices can also allow us to provide measured quantities of water to our horticulture at any time of day or night. This not only provides for a healthy environment but keeps a little extra cash in your pocket as well! Now that’s great!
All fountains, ponds and waterfalls collect debris such as leaves, loose dirt and grit over time. Larger and heavier matter will tend to sink and collect at the bottom of the pond. Koi and fish ponds are notorious for becoming dirty or polluted over time with particles of food, fish waste, dead scales, etc..
Two types of devices are typically used concerning pond care (shallow ponds and waterfalls):
Vacuum pump devices are effective in collecting debris from water surfaces; however, these devices are not able to effectively collect accumulated debris from the bottom of a pond. These pumps enhance the aesthetics of the water surface and can assist in helping the skimming function.
Hand operated pumps are able to draw water and debris into a tube through the open lower end. A filter for removing debris from the water drawn into the device is provided in the lower end of the tube. These devices tend to be most effective in shallow pond applications to remove debris from the base of the pond. Hand operated pumps are usually pretty inexpensive.
Other pond care devices mostly use suction to draw liquid and debris into the device and then filter the debris from the liquid before returning it to the water mass. In example water and debris is drawn into a collecting chamber then water flows back out through the filter when the device is withdrawn from the pond; the debris is trapped on the filter at the lower end of the chamber. Filters can quickly become clogged thus it is necessary to disassemble and clean the system frequently to remove debris.
For ponds and waterfalls we recommend both inexpensive vacuum and hand operated pumps concerning pond care.
Tom Franklin is an active pond and waterfall fan from the great state of Michigan. He has been instrumental in pond aeration via the use of fountains. Ponds-and-Waterfalls link. Click here to visit site on the World Wide Web.