I'm so glad you changed your minds about the chicken coop, that little building is way too nice to use as a coop! I'm sure your guests/renters will love it.
Love the doves. Your plan for the expanded chicken coop/run and aviary looks ambitious, but also wonderful for the birds. It is nice to have the space available to change plans as time goes on. With a large acreage, you really do need to get to know the area over time in order to devise an optimal plan whereas. In a very small area, there are some obvious constraints that you have to work with and it's not hard in one season to see how things should probably be laid out, in general, although we gardeners do like to tweak on a regular basis.
Yeah, I'm glad that we sat with this space for a while and thought things through. Honestly, if we didn't have the rescue doves, I may have already had chickens in there. So I guess the doves gave us the space to reconsider!
11:56 Seems so far away. I trudge 2x a day 100ft uphill to feed and water. Not terrible in fair weather but you get deep snow. I'm imagining you'll be automating food, water and run access...
It's about 280 feet (50-75 steps) from the main common house front door, if we were to walk from there; and about 40 feet from the former chicken coop, so it's not terribly far away. The driveway to go get the mail is 1000 feet, so 280 feet feels that much more walkable! Though I may not feel that way when I'm 90.
Especially for ducks…a stationary run/coop has to be cleaned much more often for ducks than chickens because their droppings are very wet and messy…which makes it stinky quick!
This one won't be mobile, but I'm open to having a separate mobile structure that we can put them in to run them around the agroforestry area. But if I'm monitoring them, I wouldn't mind them free-ranging and for the ducks, spending some time on the ponds, as long as I'm monitoring them for any predators. But in my mind's eye, there will be a built-in-pond dug into the duck run too, just so they have a small, accessible "wash station".... We'll see. May be too ambitious at this stage for our budgets!
Thanks for sharing. The new animal shelter sounds great for your chickens and their run, also the other animals. Maybe a small pond and garden space for your shade loving plants, so exciting!!! Keep the videos coming 😊
I like this idea. That room looks really good. Get the mice out of that room and give doves a place with straw or bedding below so you can clean more easily.
Yeah, I have to find the right kind of bedding for them. Maybe sand or Sani-Care, as it can't be dusty, since dust gives them respiratory distress. Honestly, I would love to spoil them and get them heated floors because they LOVE, LOVE, LOVE laying on the floors like cats. haha.
Yeah, they have been "living it up" first in my Brooklyn apartment and now here. I think they felt slighted that they got "downgraded" from my apartment to the coop, but adjusted quite quickly. Honestly, they are 24-7 on the nest. They breed like rabbits. If I didn't swap the eggs out all the time, I would be swimming in hundreds of diamond doves!
@FlockFingerLakes That Brooklyn apartment is sweet. It's funny when you know your animals you just know. I remember when you would take care of the chicken coop in the city. Do they still have it?
@@angela86753 yes, I actually just mentioned them in the previous video.. They are always looking for new volunteers. And I will likely take those chickens if they cannot get enough volunteers.
That is what it initially (and illegally) was. haha. So it is big enough for that. But the owners before us had cut a hole in the wall for the toilet and just let it float out into the environment (with no proper septic). And it was opened out to the environment, so that's how all the rodents had gotten in to that wall initially. So we removed that, got rid of the really gross stuff, and refinished it. If they had a working, legal septic there, then we would have made it into a powder room. But since it wasn't legit, to put in a new septic to turn it into a working powder room (sink-toilet) would be somewhere between $10K-$30K. A composting toilet would be possible, but we don't have running water there yet, which would required more money to properly plumb. We want to be nimble with this renovation without having to put that amount of $$ into it; and knowing we'll eventually want to put a bathhouse a few paces away from this building, we figured the people "glamping" there can manage to walk there to make their bladder gladder or shower.
Glad the birds will have a bigger space. Although looking at your doves they looked a little bored without much to see. Maybe there’s a magical way you could combine all the birds together in a green lush place and also have them work for a living :) Aren’t they great for pest? How about you combine the budget for the green house and the coops/birdhouse and have them in huge fancy green house with established tropical plants for all year appeal and also a raise away from chicken growing sections and all be naturally fertilised by the birds and not a mess on a interior concrete floor just straight onto a greenhouse floor to pot which is naturally messy anyway.
I thought about the greenhouse, but because of the fan system in greenhouses, I would hate to have them [the doves] get sucked into one of those; or god forbid we have the door open and they go flying out, especially because people will be coming-and-going quite a bit through the greenhouse. Also, like mourning doves and pigeons ( same family ) they spend A LOT of time on the ground, and they are so tiny, that if you're not paying attention, you'd have a squashed dove beneath your feet. I had them in Brooklyn at first (where I found TuTu) and I actually "lost" her for 24 hours in my house because she accidentally slid down between a planter pot and a basket and couldn't get out; and the females generally don't make any sound, unless they are speaking to their partners, so it was like trying to find a needle in a haystack, or in this case, a bird in between a cachepot. Additionally, they are more desert birds, so they prefer it dry and relatively dust-free. I've learned a lot about them after rescuing them, and they are generally hardy birds but can't be around too much dust or dampness for the reason of respiratory issues, which is what they are most susceptible to. And I don't know what would be best to "entertain" them because they aren't like parrots. Instead, they are more like mourning doves or pigeons and prefer to be around one another on the ground, as they are social, hence also rescuing PePo and letting them have a little pod. The key is having a place for them to fly. When we rescued Pepo, he was in a tiny cage with mirrors and was literally going crazy, hitting the mirrors with his head. Once we introduced him to TuTu and let them out of the cage, he became so calm. They are really calm, nice birds actually, so I guess they have a tendency of being good "starter" birds for folks. But I've found that the three important things is 1.) they have friends 2.) they have walking space (since that's how they prefer to get around, and 3.) they have some flying space to exercise. Otherwise, they are so chill and I get a kick at how they sleep on the floor like a cat in the sunlight. But I'm open to what else they can have. I think since we're planning for them to have an outdoor aviary in the new coop, that will be a nice addition, but they won't be able to use it in the colder months because they can't really be below 60F.
@ well glad you’ve got your head screwed on right unlike me I’d have them lost or worse. Looking forward to your creation and imaging with all your plant knowledge you’ll find some plant they can forage for or bob up and down branches. Either way it’s for the best they get out of that human shed in to a purpose made coop with all your love and devotion to them.
I’ve been watching for years (though I haven’t watched every video especially the ones prior to mid April 2022. Of course the I subscribed two videos after “our hard on barn”) and only learned about these barns in that last video! And was always kinda confused what you meant when you referred to the chicken coup 😂
A line of sight between main houses and chicken and other small animal runs is best. Think of permaculture zoning too. Chickens should be directly off the main access to houses. Maybe not the cute mudded room but a space in the other barns, or along the driveway somewhere.... Back tucked behing trees and shrubs doesn’t make the most sense for predators, twice daily closing and openjng, feeding, running water or carrying water. A mobile coop and net fencing would let you try configurations, and move the impact of the chickens around to till up new places, let the land rest/cover crop, and you’d test the logistics of different placements on the land too. So when (if) you decide for a permanent coop and run, you’d have exeperienced it and chosen according to lived experience
The chicken coop will be in our Zone 1, if we're looking at it from a permacultural perspective (you can see our overall plans here: th-cam.com/video/OqjKlNeBNkw/w-d-xo.html across ~20 or so acres... You'll see that there are two central zones due to where the main buildings were already positioned in the landscape). Kinda cool revisiting that video now b/c we were able to get a lot of stuff done, like the community garden/gazebo, Meadow House, and barn). But in thinking about the new space for the chicken coop/aviary, this really works for us because it'll be be 1.) central to the greenhouse, compost, and agroforestry area, so it'll be easy for us to shuttle the nitrogen-rich chicken poo to the compost pile; and from there, take the compost to either the agroforestry (directly behind chicken coop) or greenhouse area (in front of coop). 2.) Proximity to driveway: It's also 40 paces from the main driveway for easy access; and if we eventually turn that barn off the side of the "coop" where the doves are now into another home, then it'll be viewable from a window and only be a dozen or so steps from the future front porch and future secondary driveway. I'd like to think that could be my home (though not set on it), because it'll be the one that is closest to the chickens and greenhouse. I would be less concerned about predators because the coop and run we're envisioning will be-like this coop-predator-proof. But I like the idea that the chickens will have some "forest" area, because if you ever see chickens in the wild-they are technically forest-birds. That being said, the run areas, if positioned like in my rudimentary drawing will have some south sun, but then shade to the north, and some setting sun to the west. 3.) Water/Electricity Access: Another thing that we thought about is water and electricity access. Luckily, there is already a well hook-up near where we would like to put the greenhouse/bathhouse/coop, so that also helps dictate where those structures will go. Sander had some foresight when we were putting in the 1000ft trench (th-cam.com/video/Ot2KfP4FtwI/w-d-xo.html) to put an electrical box around that area, so we can run more electrical and internet lines to the structures, if need be. Anyway, that's how we're thinking about it, though not all the other structures are in place quite yet.
Sounds like a great idea ! Have you considered how you’re going to be able to provide water for them ? Carrying buckets of water in the winter can be a little daunting, been there done that. ❄️⛄️💚🙃
There are five wells on the property and there's a water hook up nearby, so that's how we would get water to the future greenhouse/bathhouse and the coop. We also installed an electric box when we ran that 1000 foot cable (th-cam.com/video/Ot2KfP4FtwI/w-d-xo.html) that would allow us to more easily install electricity there too. It really helps to both think ahead and be grateful for the preexisting infrastructure that was already here.
These plans look like you're off to a good start. My first thought was you would make a space for the doves in the greenhouse, but this is far more expansive. Just a thought, maybe do the greenhouse on the barn first and put the doves in temporarily till this can be built. This looks like a 6mos to 1yr or more project. 🙂
Look into American/European hybrid hazelnuts for your agroforestry area. They're developing them for the upper Midwest, but maybe they'd work in upstate NY too. They're more delicious than the European hazelnut, more disease resilient than the American plant and it's an amazing sustainable crop!
Yes, we planted about 50 hazelnuts in the forest (American kind). It's a great plant to plant around here. They do very well. Even have some American chestnuts that have some natural blight resistance. We'll see how they do.
Hi Summer! This video explained a lot more that I clearly did not understand before...and...in a much better and detailed way. Including understanding that you "inherited" many of these structures and are doing the best you can with what you have...Thanks for that!...though I would have (and still do wish) that less industrial building materials where used in place of the natural and traditional ones that are as, if not more, durable and certainly more sustainable. Love the clay plaster...!!!...great choice there as was painting the metal pole barns. If you like natural "clay plasters" and alis paints, perhaps you would enjoy "silk" or "paper plasters" too. I will leave a link at the bottom of this comment. I do have some questions if you would be so kind as to respond to my curiosity... Is the Avery and Chicken Coop a DIY project or will you be putting out for RFPs for design-builders? Would are you both open to doing projects yourself if you have technical support either in situ or remotely? I love the idea of a "Bath House" (風呂屋 "Furoya" or i 銭湯 "Sentō") with perhaps a combine sauna. Have you considered something in the Japanese styles for a bath house? Perhaps built in the traditional and natural context of this architecture style. Many have both an inground natural pool with "gleyed" sides then covered in wood plank and stone bottom... as well as...木桶風呂 "Ki oke furo" or 鉄砲風呂 "teppōburo" ("Gun Bath" style because of the shape of the wood fired stove attached to the wooden tub) for private hot water soaking as these are not meant for "bathing" per se as that is done before entering. These complexes are growing more popular here in the West in recent years often attached to and working in concert with green houses... Thanks as always for what you do share and are trying to achieve...
Our hope is that we can find someone locally to do the physical chicken coop build because this year it’s of utmost importance for us to focus on getting the Common House finished whilst balancing our main gigs. We think it’ll take us at least 9 mos to finish the Common House, but that’s just our best guess. So we are going to look for someone who can prep the foundation and build the coop but it’s got to be within a sensible budget. We did get a quote from someone (not locally but who specializes in coops) to do the build, but it was 5X our budget, so that was a “no go” for us unfortunately. As for the bathhouse/greenhouse-we have not given it that much further thought outside of where we think it’ll sit in the ‘scape since it isn’t in our short-term plans (or budget) this year. We’re just putting a “pin” in it right now, so we can think through the larger plans without having to “redo” something because of too short-term thinking as far as renos/buildings go. Thanks for sharing some of the Japanese-style bathhouses. We’ll have to have a look down the line when we start to focus on that. But don’t hold your breath, because we got so much more to renovate here. This space came with a lot of pre-existing buildings (7 total), so we’re just working through them one-by-one in the meantime.
@@FlockFingerLakes Thank you for the response..."Subingout" is regrettable, but very understandable with what you nand Sander have on your plates with such a facility. I apologized to Sander in today's video as I think, for a long time, I was very much under a false assumption for what the goals of FFL are and going to be...as I had the context (in my head) of holistic, natural, ecological sustainable practices being the primary focus with permaculture and other natural/traditional homesteading being the goal. I do hope you can find someone within budget that will build things the way you want them up in that area. I have several folks in mind (myself included as I lived in Altamont, NY for several years) but all these folks are only natural and traditional builders and homesteaders. The cost of living in that region has grown inhibitive for many folks so I appreciate the challenge you are facing as costs rise. Perhaps a "labor swap" or barter could be worked out with an experienced WWOOFer who is willing to work in the more "modern industrial" styles of homesteading and permaculture can be found? There are some great young talents out there I have met in the past decade. Good luck with everything...!!!
I have a daybed still back in Brooklyn with drawers underneath it, but a twin mattress fits on top of it, so that's what I'm thinking too. On the same wavelength.
We'd like to down the line put some smaller cabins in that "interstitial" area in the same line as the small coop, the greenhouse/bathhouse; but in lieu of that, even tent spaces would do. We have specific spaces scoped out in that area for future camping/cabin spaces. For it to be a "formal" campground, however, in New York state, you have to meet quite a bit of requirements-and a bathhouse (or at least hot showers and a bathroom) would be one of them.
In norway we have started to insulate with Hunton, it is a natural product made from cellulose, and unlikel other insulation mice dont like Hunton either
Isn't it better to consider more integrated chicken coop/bird house with a green house instead of bath house. You might use some well thought combinations from permaculturists around the world that might help you to decide the best choice?
I'm not sure if it would benefit the coop to be on the greenhouse because the idea of this upper greenhouse would be more of a "display" greenhouse where we'd have some more of my cacti/succulents/tropicals on display; and the addition of a central table for dinners in the cooler months for folks. That way, if someone is eating at the table there, and needed to use the loo, they can just go to the attached batthouse to make their bladder gladder. The birds wouldn't be allowed in the greenhouse for that reason. Plus the aviary/bird coop is hopefully going to be (ideally, budget-depending) a lot larger than the greenhouse/bathhouse, just by the virtue that it would have separate places for the ducks, chickens, and doves-each with their own outdoor space, so they don't have to "intermingle" with each other. Plus, I would prefer if the coop is positioned central to the compost area, the agroforestry area (directly behind it) and the greenhouse (in front of it), so we can shuttle the nitrogen-rich chicken coop to the compost pile and then easily to either the agroforestry area and/or the greenhouse. That's our thoughts at least for now, though we'll see if they change!
Keep the doves and chickens on view …if possible….theyd look fabulous right on the lane way in ….laura at “ Garden Answer “ you tube has a nice chicken run and house ….very beautiful covered in climbing plants…..they put up screens in winter….. We have a campsite in wales and kids and adults love chatting to the animals especially the chickens….we now have them very close to the entrance and farm ….so folks can admire them…..❤also keeping wildlife close to people / house is good for keeping predators etc at bay …….the human presence keeps them at bay We have wood walls on the chicken shed but understand why people have brick , metal or block chicken sheds now days because of lice / mites etc get into the wood and it’s a nightmare to eradicate as they burrow underneath the wood I’d like a solid block and render shed as it’s less vermin and mites living in the wood …..one day ❤😂
Yeah I definitely like to keep the chickens and birds close. You're right, they are just such a draw for folks, including myself. They are lovely to be around. Nothing better than having a chicken fall asleep on your lap too!
Hahaha. No, these were always in the works. Except the chicken coop-to-cabin was new. I ran by the coop/aviary idea and the site plan and designs by Chief Sander first of course. I wouldn't dare bring up a new idea w/o his seal of approval! haha.
It's wool. It was a special collection with a designer and Anthropologie.
16 วันที่ผ่านมา +5
Can you do a video with someone who can explain wild animals in your area? You often say there is a lot of deer-pressure. Why don't they hunt these deer?
People do hunt, but it barely makes a dent in the population.
16 วันที่ผ่านมา
@@FlockFingerLakes why? is there no demand for the meat? in my country, hunters have sold the meat almost before they have shot it, the demand is so big.
Well there is no real "commercial" market for deer meat here. Meaning, you don't see it in the stores due to regulations. People mainly hunt for themselves and for neighbors. Plus there are limits on how many deer you can shoot / deer hunting season.
15 วันที่ผ่านมา +2
@@summerrayneoakes Yes, we also have many rules for hunting. But hunters are allowed to sell their meat. However, strict regulations apply. And it must also be said that you need a relatively expensive hunting license here. I just find it strange that your forest suffers from the game, but at the same time the meat is not used properly.
Theres nothing sadder than a bird with wings kept in captivity. It only encourages poachers to collect them for profit from their native lands just like the rare plants that were a rage. I'm surprised you find this as a new hobby.
Interesting, so if you found one outside where it's not supposed to be, what would you do??? My diamond doves were rescue birds. TuTu wound up in the senior center chicken coop that I volunteered at in Brooklyn. She was roosting in there. So someone probably either let her out the window or she escaped; they don't live in wintry areas (as they are Australian birds). They aren't common "pets" around here, but I know doves are social creatures, so we went around trying to find a partner for her. Ideally, I was looking for another female so I wouldn't have to deal with procreation. Luck would have it, as I was calling around all the rescues, a 90-something year old lady had just surrendered one in New Jersey, as she was moving to a senior center and couldn't care for her bird anymore (and that bird's partner had passed). They said it was another female diamond dove. We drove all the way to New Jersey, and when I saw the bird, I had a sneaky suspicion that it was a male, but they insisted it was a female. Well, as soon as we got PePo in with TuTu, he started to "bow coo" and then they were smitten. I probably wouldn't have got diamond doves on my own, but I guess the bird distribution system sent them over.
They are compliments of the bird distribution system - TuTu wound up in the chicken coop I volunteer at in Brooklyn-and was eating with the mourning doves, so she either escaped or someone let her out the window. She ended up roosting with the chickens at night! Smart bird, I suppose, because she probably realized it was safe there. It's not easy to place pet birds, so I ended up rescuing her and taking her in. But since doves are social creatures, like chickens, they need others, or else they get really depressed or anxious. We were "lucky" I suppose to find PePo from another rescue because they are rather rare breeds in these parts, so we didn't know whether we would ever find another bird of her kind for her. Pepo (then named Sunny) just happened to be given up by a 90-something year old lady who was moving to a senior center and couldn't care for him any longer. When we got him (they said he was a "she"), he had no tail and was so terribly anxious. But as soon as he met TuTu, it was a match made in heaven. As for chickens, it was always my plan to bring in more rescue birds, which all of them are in Brooklyn. I'm not sure why, but schools and around Easter time, people think it's a great idea to hatch chickens and ducks and then they just leave them in the park. So if we can provide a space for some of those animals, we'll do that.
Yeah that is nice; thanks for sharing. There are some good prefab options on the web, but I think because we want to tie in an insulated dove space and duck hutch, it becomes more custom. But maybe getting something prefab and then building off of that? Not sure. I got one quote back from a non-local contractor and it was out of our budget, so my guess is that we'll keep it local.
I'm so glad you changed your minds about the chicken coop, that little building is way too nice to use as a coop! I'm sure your guests/renters will love it.
Thanks Summer!
great ideas. look forward to seeing what comes into fruition. 🌲🏠🌲
Love the doves. Your plan for the expanded chicken coop/run and aviary looks ambitious, but also wonderful for the birds. It is nice to have the space available to change plans as time goes on. With a large acreage, you really do need to get to know the area over time in order to devise an optimal plan whereas. In a very small area, there are some obvious constraints that you have to work with and it's not hard in one season to see how things should probably be laid out, in general, although we gardeners do like to tweak on a regular basis.
Yeah, I'm glad that we sat with this space for a while and thought things through. Honestly, if we didn't have the rescue doves, I may have already had chickens in there. So I guess the doves gave us the space to reconsider!
11:56 Seems so far away. I trudge 2x a day 100ft uphill to feed and water. Not terrible in fair weather but you get deep snow. I'm imagining you'll be automating food, water and run access...
It's about 280 feet (50-75 steps) from the main common house front door, if we were to walk from there; and about 40 feet from the former chicken coop, so it's not terribly far away. The driveway to go get the mail is 1000 feet, so 280 feet feels that much more walkable! Though I may not feel that way when I'm 90.
Have you considered making a mobile coop that could be moved around the land with the side x side
Especially for ducks…a stationary run/coop has to be cleaned much more often for ducks than chickens because their droppings are very wet and messy…which makes it stinky quick!
I always thought it was way too nice for a chicken run.
YES. There are so many fantastic designs on the interwebs - a nice little project for Sander. And the Chuckies will love it.
And I'd place the ducks near a pond.
This one won't be mobile, but I'm open to having a separate mobile structure that we can put them in to run them around the agroforestry area. But if I'm monitoring them, I wouldn't mind them free-ranging and for the ducks, spending some time on the ponds, as long as I'm monitoring them for any predators. But in my mind's eye, there will be a built-in-pond dug into the duck run too, just so they have a small, accessible "wash station".... We'll see. May be too ambitious at this stage for our budgets!
Thanks for sharing. The new animal shelter sounds great for your chickens and their run, also the other animals. Maybe a small pond and garden space for your shade loving plants, so exciting!!! Keep the videos coming 😊
I like this idea. That room looks really good. Get the mice out of that room and give doves a place with straw or bedding below so you can clean more easily.
Yeah, I have to find the right kind of bedding for them. Maybe sand or Sani-Care, as it can't be dusty, since dust gives them respiratory distress. Honestly, I would love to spoil them and get them heated floors because they LOVE, LOVE, LOVE laying on the floors like cats. haha.
Oh Summer, your doves are so sweet. I'm glad we got to see them again 🧡🌿
Yeah, they have been "living it up" first in my Brooklyn apartment and now here. I think they felt slighted that they got "downgraded" from my apartment to the coop, but adjusted quite quickly. Honestly, they are 24-7 on the nest. They breed like rabbits. If I didn't swap the eggs out all the time, I would be swimming in hundreds of diamond doves!
@FlockFingerLakes That Brooklyn apartment is sweet. It's funny when you know your animals you just know. I remember when you would take care of the chicken coop in the city. Do they still have it?
@@angela86753 yes, I actually just mentioned them in the previous video.. They are always looking for new volunteers. And I will likely take those chickens if they cannot get enough volunteers.
You could turn your little closet into a tiny powder room😊
That is what it initially (and illegally) was. haha. So it is big enough for that. But the owners before us had cut a hole in the wall for the toilet and just let it float out into the environment (with no proper septic). And it was opened out to the environment, so that's how all the rodents had gotten in to that wall initially. So we removed that, got rid of the really gross stuff, and refinished it. If they had a working, legal septic there, then we would have made it into a powder room. But since it wasn't legit, to put in a new septic to turn it into a working powder room (sink-toilet) would be somewhere between $10K-$30K. A composting toilet would be possible, but we don't have running water there yet, which would required more money to properly plumb. We want to be nimble with this renovation without having to put that amount of $$ into it; and knowing we'll eventually want to put a bathhouse a few paces away from this building, we figured the people "glamping" there can manage to walk there to make their bladder gladder or shower.
Loved seeing your photo of Kippie on your shoulder❤️. Love the apiary plan!
May she rest in peace.
Glad the birds will have a bigger space. Although looking at your doves they looked a little bored without much to see.
Maybe there’s a magical way you could combine all the birds together in a green lush place and also have them work for a living :)
Aren’t they great for pest?
How about you combine the budget for the green house and the coops/birdhouse and have them in huge fancy green house with established tropical plants for all year appeal and also a raise away from chicken growing sections and all be naturally fertilised by the birds and not a mess on a interior concrete floor just straight onto a greenhouse floor to pot which is naturally messy anyway.
I thought about the greenhouse, but because of the fan system in greenhouses, I would hate to have them [the doves] get sucked into one of those; or god forbid we have the door open and they go flying out, especially because people will be coming-and-going quite a bit through the greenhouse. Also, like mourning doves and pigeons ( same family ) they spend A LOT of time on the ground, and they are so tiny, that if you're not paying attention, you'd have a squashed dove beneath your feet. I had them in Brooklyn at first (where I found TuTu) and I actually "lost" her for 24 hours in my house because she accidentally slid down between a planter pot and a basket and couldn't get out; and the females generally don't make any sound, unless they are speaking to their partners, so it was like trying to find a needle in a haystack, or in this case, a bird in between a cachepot. Additionally, they are more desert birds, so they prefer it dry and relatively dust-free. I've learned a lot about them after rescuing them, and they are generally hardy birds but can't be around too much dust or dampness for the reason of respiratory issues, which is what they are most susceptible to. And I don't know what would be best to "entertain" them because they aren't like parrots. Instead, they are more like mourning doves or pigeons and prefer to be around one another on the ground, as they are social, hence also rescuing PePo and letting them have a little pod. The key is having a place for them to fly. When we rescued Pepo, he was in a tiny cage with mirrors and was literally going crazy, hitting the mirrors with his head. Once we introduced him to TuTu and let them out of the cage, he became so calm. They are really calm, nice birds actually, so I guess they have a tendency of being good "starter" birds for folks. But I've found that the three important things is 1.) they have friends 2.) they have walking space (since that's how they prefer to get around, and 3.) they have some flying space to exercise. Otherwise, they are so chill and I get a kick at how they sleep on the floor like a cat in the sunlight. But I'm open to what else they can have. I think since we're planning for them to have an outdoor aviary in the new coop, that will be a nice addition, but they won't be able to use it in the colder months because they can't really be below 60F.
@ well glad you’ve got your head screwed on right unlike me I’d have them lost or worse.
Looking forward to your creation and imaging with all your plant knowledge you’ll find some plant they can forage for or bob up and down branches. Either way it’s for the best they get out of that human shed in to a purpose made coop with all your love and devotion to them.
I think it's great that you are letting the plans change and evolve - that's all part of exciting creative endeavors.
What a great space
It's a sweet, quaint space. Really nice "feel" in it when you're sitting there, and great light. Should be a nice little cabin.
I’ve been watching for years (though I haven’t watched every video especially the ones prior to mid April 2022. Of course the I subscribed two videos after “our hard on barn”) and only learned about these barns in that last video! And was always kinda confused what you meant when you referred to the chicken coup 😂
A line of sight between main houses and chicken and other small animal runs is best.
Think of permaculture zoning too. Chickens should be directly off the main access to houses. Maybe not the cute mudded room but a space in the other barns, or along the driveway somewhere....
Back tucked behing trees and shrubs doesn’t make the most sense for predators, twice daily closing and openjng, feeding, running water or carrying water.
A mobile coop and net fencing would let you try configurations, and move the impact of the chickens around to till up new places, let the land rest/cover crop, and you’d test the logistics of different placements on the land too.
So when (if) you decide for a permanent coop and run, you’d have exeperienced it and chosen according to lived experience
The chicken coop will be in our Zone 1, if we're looking at it from a permacultural perspective (you can see our overall plans here: th-cam.com/video/OqjKlNeBNkw/w-d-xo.html across ~20 or so acres... You'll see that there are two central zones due to where the main buildings were already positioned in the landscape). Kinda cool revisiting that video now b/c we were able to get a lot of stuff done, like the community garden/gazebo, Meadow House, and barn). But in thinking about the new space for the chicken coop/aviary, this really works for us because it'll be be 1.) central to the greenhouse, compost, and agroforestry area, so it'll be easy for us to shuttle the nitrogen-rich chicken poo to the compost pile; and from there, take the compost to either the agroforestry (directly behind chicken coop) or greenhouse area (in front of coop). 2.) Proximity to driveway: It's also 40 paces from the main driveway for easy access; and if we eventually turn that barn off the side of the "coop" where the doves are now into another home, then it'll be viewable from a window and only be a dozen or so steps from the future front porch and future secondary driveway. I'd like to think that could be my home (though not set on it), because it'll be the one that is closest to the chickens and greenhouse. I would be less concerned about predators because the coop and run we're envisioning will be-like this coop-predator-proof. But I like the idea that the chickens will have some "forest" area, because if you ever see chickens in the wild-they are technically forest-birds. That being said, the run areas, if positioned like in my rudimentary drawing will have some south sun, but then shade to the north, and some setting sun to the west. 3.) Water/Electricity Access: Another thing that we thought about is water and electricity access. Luckily, there is already a well hook-up near where we would like to put the greenhouse/bathhouse/coop, so that also helps dictate where those structures will go. Sander had some foresight when we were putting in the 1000ft trench (th-cam.com/video/Ot2KfP4FtwI/w-d-xo.html) to put an electrical box around that area, so we can run more electrical and internet lines to the structures, if need be. Anyway, that's how we're thinking about it, though not all the other structures are in place quite yet.
Sounds like a great idea ! Have you considered how you’re going to be able to provide water for them ? Carrying buckets of water in the winter can be a little daunting, been there done that. ❄️⛄️💚🙃
There are five wells on the property and there's a water hook up nearby, so that's how we would get water to the future greenhouse/bathhouse and the coop. We also installed an electric box when we ran that 1000 foot cable (th-cam.com/video/Ot2KfP4FtwI/w-d-xo.html) that would allow us to more easily install electricity there too. It really helps to both think ahead and be grateful for the preexisting infrastructure that was already here.
@ Wonderful ! ❄️⛄️💚🙃
These plans look like you're off to a good start. My first thought was you would make a space for the doves in the greenhouse, but this is far more expansive. Just a thought, maybe do the greenhouse on the barn first and put the doves in temporarily till this can be built. This looks like a 6mos to 1yr or more project. 🙂
Look into American/European hybrid hazelnuts for your agroforestry area. They're developing them for the upper Midwest, but maybe they'd work in upstate NY too. They're more delicious than the European hazelnut, more disease resilient than the American plant and it's an amazing sustainable crop!
Yes, we planted about 50 hazelnuts in the forest (American kind). It's a great plant to plant around here. They do very well. Even have some American chestnuts that have some natural blight resistance. We'll see how they do.
Being flexible is key!!
Hi Summer! This video explained a lot more that I clearly did not understand before...and...in a much better and detailed way. Including understanding that you "inherited" many of these structures and are doing the best you can with what you have...Thanks for that!...though I would have (and still do wish) that less industrial building materials where used in place of the natural and traditional ones that are as, if not more, durable and certainly more sustainable. Love the clay plaster...!!!...great choice there as was painting the metal pole barns. If you like natural "clay plasters" and alis paints, perhaps you would enjoy "silk" or "paper plasters" too. I will leave a link at the bottom of this comment.
I do have some questions if you would be so kind as to respond to my curiosity...
Is the Avery and Chicken Coop a DIY project or will you be putting out for RFPs for design-builders?
Would are you both open to doing projects yourself if you have technical support either in situ or remotely?
I love the idea of a "Bath House" (風呂屋 "Furoya" or i 銭湯 "Sentō") with perhaps a combine sauna. Have you considered something in the Japanese styles for a bath house? Perhaps built in the traditional and natural context of this architecture style. Many have both an inground natural pool with "gleyed" sides then covered in wood plank and stone bottom... as well as...木桶風呂 "Ki oke furo" or 鉄砲風呂 "teppōburo" ("Gun Bath" style because of the shape of the wood fired stove attached to the wooden tub) for private hot water soaking as these are not meant for "bathing" per se as that is done before entering. These complexes are growing more popular here in the West in recent years often attached to and working in concert with green houses...
Thanks as always for what you do share and are trying to achieve...
Our hope is that we can find someone locally to do the physical chicken coop build because this year it’s of utmost importance for us to focus on getting the Common House finished whilst balancing our main gigs. We think it’ll take us at least 9 mos to finish the Common House, but that’s just our best guess. So we are going to look for someone who can prep the foundation and build the coop but it’s got to be within a sensible budget. We did get a quote from someone (not locally but who specializes in coops) to do the build, but it was 5X our budget, so that was a “no go” for us unfortunately.
As for the bathhouse/greenhouse-we have not given it that much further thought outside of where we think it’ll sit in the ‘scape since it isn’t in our short-term plans (or budget) this year. We’re just putting a “pin” in it right now, so we can think through the larger plans without having to “redo” something because of too short-term thinking as far as renos/buildings go.
Thanks for sharing some of the Japanese-style bathhouses. We’ll have to have a look down the line when we start to focus on that. But don’t hold your breath, because we got so much more to renovate here. This space came with a lot of pre-existing buildings (7 total), so we’re just working through them one-by-one in the meantime.
@@FlockFingerLakes Thank you for the response..."Subingout" is regrettable, but very understandable with what you nand Sander have on your plates with such a facility. I apologized to Sander in today's video as I think, for a long time, I was very much under a false assumption for what the goals of FFL are and going to be...as I had the context (in my head) of holistic, natural, ecological sustainable practices being the primary focus with permaculture and other natural/traditional homesteading being the goal. I do hope you can find someone within budget that will build things the way you want them up in that area. I have several folks in mind (myself included as I lived in Altamont, NY for several years) but all these folks are only natural and traditional builders and homesteaders. The cost of living in that region has grown inhibitive for many folks so I appreciate the challenge you are facing as costs rise. Perhaps a "labor swap" or barter could be worked out with an experienced WWOOFer who is willing to work in the more "modern industrial" styles of homesteading and permaculture can be found? There are some great young talents out there I have met in the past decade. Good luck with everything...!!!
What about a daybed instead of a twin in the coop house, so it doubles as seating area for just hanging out.
I have a daybed still back in Brooklyn with drawers underneath it, but a twin mattress fits on top of it, so that's what I'm thinking too. On the same wavelength.
Good ideas, camp ground, when?😊Ann, Florida fan
We'd like to down the line put some smaller cabins in that "interstitial" area in the same line as the small coop, the greenhouse/bathhouse; but in lieu of that, even tent spaces would do. We have specific spaces scoped out in that area for future camping/cabin spaces. For it to be a "formal" campground, however, in New York state, you have to meet quite a bit of requirements-and a bathhouse (or at least hot showers and a bathroom) would be one of them.
In norway we have started to insulate with Hunton, it is a natural product made from cellulose, and unlikel other insulation mice dont like Hunton either
Never heard of that product here but that sounds cool! Europe is usually further ahead on the building stuff!
So cool ❤
Isn't it better to consider more integrated chicken coop/bird house with a green house instead of bath house. You might use some well thought combinations from permaculturists around the world that might help you to decide the best choice?
I'm not sure if it would benefit the coop to be on the greenhouse because the idea of this upper greenhouse would be more of a "display" greenhouse where we'd have some more of my cacti/succulents/tropicals on display; and the addition of a central table for dinners in the cooler months for folks. That way, if someone is eating at the table there, and needed to use the loo, they can just go to the attached batthouse to make their bladder gladder. The birds wouldn't be allowed in the greenhouse for that reason. Plus the aviary/bird coop is hopefully going to be (ideally, budget-depending) a lot larger than the greenhouse/bathhouse, just by the virtue that it would have separate places for the ducks, chickens, and doves-each with their own outdoor space, so they don't have to "intermingle" with each other. Plus, I would prefer if the coop is positioned central to the compost area, the agroforestry area (directly behind it) and the greenhouse (in front of it), so we can shuttle the nitrogen-rich chicken coop to the compost pile and then easily to either the agroforestry area and/or the greenhouse. That's our thoughts at least for now, though we'll see if they change!
Keep the doves and chickens on view …if possible….theyd look fabulous right on the lane way in ….laura at “ Garden Answer “ you tube has a nice chicken run and house ….very beautiful covered in climbing plants…..they put up screens in winter…..
We have a campsite in wales and kids and adults love chatting to the animals especially the chickens….we now have them very close to the entrance and farm ….so folks can admire them…..❤also keeping wildlife close to people / house is good for keeping predators etc at bay …….the human presence keeps them at bay
We have wood walls on the chicken shed but understand why people have brick , metal or block chicken sheds now days because of lice / mites etc get into the wood and it’s a nightmare to eradicate as they burrow underneath the wood
I’d like a solid block and render shed as it’s less vermin and mites living in the wood …..one day ❤😂
Yeah I definitely like to keep the chickens and birds close. You're right, they are just such a draw for folks, including myself. They are lovely to be around. Nothing better than having a chicken fall asleep on your lap too!
Are these new plans or just ones you didn’t want to mention in front of Saunder? 😂😊❤
Hahaha. No, these were always in the works. Except the chicken coop-to-cabin was new. I ran by the coop/aviary idea and the site plan and designs by Chief Sander first of course. I wouldn't dare bring up a new idea w/o his seal of approval! haha.
What maker of zip sweater? Is wool or blend? I like it thank s
It's wool. It was a special collection with a designer and Anthropologie.
Can you do a video with someone who can explain wild animals in your area? You often say there is a lot of deer-pressure. Why don't they hunt these deer?
People do hunt, but it barely makes a dent in the population.
@@FlockFingerLakes why? is there no demand for the meat? in my country, hunters have sold the meat almost before they have shot it, the demand is so big.
You can't sell wild meat in this country.
Well there is no real "commercial" market for deer meat here. Meaning, you don't see it in the stores due to regulations. People mainly hunt for themselves and for neighbors. Plus there are limits on how many deer you can shoot / deer hunting season.
@@summerrayneoakes Yes, we also have many rules for hunting. But hunters are allowed to sell their meat. However, strict regulations apply. And it must also be said that you need a relatively expensive hunting license here. I just find it strange that your forest suffers from the game, but at the same time the meat is not used properly.
do you have predators out there, coyote, bears, foxes that would get to the chickens on the outside of the fence??
Absolutely. We would have to have a protected run. I have zero tolerance for them becoming prey....
How Far from FL?
Probably somewhere between 1,400 - 1,500 miles away
Are you able to cull deer in your neck of the woods?
Yes, and people do.
I’ve never wanted to be a chicken more in my life, than now.
They are fabulous companion animals.
💙💚💜🪺
Theres nothing sadder than a bird with wings kept in captivity. It only encourages poachers to collect them for profit from their native lands just like the rare plants that were a rage. I'm surprised you find this as a new hobby.
Interesting, so if you found one outside where it's not supposed to be, what would you do??? My diamond doves were rescue birds. TuTu wound up in the senior center chicken coop that I volunteered at in Brooklyn. She was roosting in there. So someone probably either let her out the window or she escaped; they don't live in wintry areas (as they are Australian birds). They aren't common "pets" around here, but I know doves are social creatures, so we went around trying to find a partner for her. Ideally, I was looking for another female so I wouldn't have to deal with procreation. Luck would have it, as I was calling around all the rescues, a 90-something year old lady had just surrendered one in New Jersey, as she was moving to a senior center and couldn't care for her bird anymore (and that bird's partner had passed). They said it was another female diamond dove. We drove all the way to New Jersey, and when I saw the bird, I had a sneaky suspicion that it was a male, but they insisted it was a female. Well, as soon as we got PePo in with TuTu, he started to "bow coo" and then they were smitten. I probably wouldn't have got diamond doves on my own, but I guess the bird distribution system sent them over.
I don't understand why you have diamond doves. You'd be nuts to turn a nice house into a chicken coop. You don't need to keep chickens
They are compliments of the bird distribution system - TuTu wound up in the chicken coop I volunteer at in Brooklyn-and was eating with the mourning doves, so she either escaped or someone let her out the window. She ended up roosting with the chickens at night! Smart bird, I suppose, because she probably realized it was safe there. It's not easy to place pet birds, so I ended up rescuing her and taking her in. But since doves are social creatures, like chickens, they need others, or else they get really depressed or anxious. We were "lucky" I suppose to find PePo from another rescue because they are rather rare breeds in these parts, so we didn't know whether we would ever find another bird of her kind for her. Pepo (then named Sunny) just happened to be given up by a 90-something year old lady who was moving to a senior center and couldn't care for him any longer. When we got him (they said he was a "she"), he had no tail and was so terribly anxious. But as soon as he met TuTu, it was a match made in heaven. As for chickens, it was always my plan to bring in more rescue birds, which all of them are in Brooklyn. I'm not sure why, but schools and around Easter time, people think it's a great idea to hatch chickens and ducks and then they just leave them in the park. So if we can provide a space for some of those animals, we'll do that.
Jenny and Jerry from Creekside nursery did a prefab chicken coop: It came out beautiful! th-cam.com/video/5AOvUd9tZng/w-d-xo.htmlsi=1Rs6-j9219d5kTiq
Yeah that is nice; thanks for sharing. There are some good prefab options on the web, but I think because we want to tie in an insulated dove space and duck hutch, it becomes more custom. But maybe getting something prefab and then building off of that? Not sure. I got one quote back from a non-local contractor and it was out of our budget, so my guess is that we'll keep it local.