2/27/13
1:46 pm
Whhhhyyy is there so much snow?! I can't begin to make my coop outside and it's gonna snow forever:( Please stop snowing February. Well what did I expect? It's Ithaca. In winter. Aka winter is at least 8 months of the entire year if not more. Ugh.
Anyways I've also decided that the dimensions will be 7x7x4. Then I'll have to make shelves and ahhhh. How will I do this inside my house and then transfer it outside? And I'll have to consider using materials that snow won't destroy, which I actually surprisingly didn't think of before.
Hopefully it'll be okay though!
2/28/13
1:20pm
I had my second mentor meeting with Mr. Reiff. He gave me some articles that have to do with chickens and such and I've skimmed them over and they look interesting. Now I am going to go through and read them more thoroughly and highlight the important parts which could potentially help me with this project.
Over the weekend I plan to go to get my materials for my chicken coop with my dad! Since tomorrow is March first I'll want to start building by next week! That's pretty scary and exciting.
I still have yet to figure out how the heck am I going to build it inside, or maybe make it snow proof? Is that even possible? Hmmm, I have a lot to think about in the next upcoming days before I actually go out and get my materials!
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Entry #7: Response to Other Blogs
2/27/13
I viewed Lena Kornreich's blog and Autumn Evans-Wilent's blogs.
Autumn's blog:
I really like Autumn's blog so far! It's very interesting to read how she got interested in sign language. It's also interesting to read what challenges she has faced to far, such as not finding a mentor, and not finding a person who knew a lot about sign language. I also liked how she included pictures in both her posts so far. It provides a nice visual aid to go along with what she's telling to the person reading her blog. However she might need a few more posts, but since she just got a mentor, I'm sure there will be many more in the future.
Some things I might ask her are, how will you learn sign language if you don't have a "guru" to show you? Will you use things such as the internet? Or books?
Lena's blog:
I really enjoyed reading Lena's blog. It's very personal, and not very formal, making it really easy to picture her saying what she has written. I love the incorporation of a personal photo of her music score paper, it also adds a very personal touch to the blog. It's fun watching the videos she has shared with the reader as well, it makes each post more interesting since there is visual aid as well. Overall the website is coming together very well! I'm excited for the final piece to be printed out and played! I would also like to hear what it sounds like and am curious about that!
I viewed Lena Kornreich's blog and Autumn Evans-Wilent's blogs.
Autumn's blog:
I really like Autumn's blog so far! It's very interesting to read how she got interested in sign language. It's also interesting to read what challenges she has faced to far, such as not finding a mentor, and not finding a person who knew a lot about sign language. I also liked how she included pictures in both her posts so far. It provides a nice visual aid to go along with what she's telling to the person reading her blog. However she might need a few more posts, but since she just got a mentor, I'm sure there will be many more in the future.
Some things I might ask her are, how will you learn sign language if you don't have a "guru" to show you? Will you use things such as the internet? Or books?
Lena's blog:
I really enjoyed reading Lena's blog. It's very personal, and not very formal, making it really easy to picture her saying what she has written. I love the incorporation of a personal photo of her music score paper, it also adds a very personal touch to the blog. It's fun watching the videos she has shared with the reader as well, it makes each post more interesting since there is visual aid as well. Overall the website is coming together very well! I'm excited for the final piece to be printed out and played! I would also like to hear what it sounds like and am curious about that!
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Entry #6: Laying out the Area
Wednesday, February 20th9:18 am
Hi guys!
It's supposed to have been 3-4 days since my last post, but since I accidentally pressed save instead of publish, it'll only have been about one day.
Anyways today I will be measuring out the areas where the chickens will have their coop. I'm planning for all the chickens to survive, in case they do, and I've researched how many square feet per chicken you need. It's roughly 2-4 feet per bird, and with 12 birds that's 24-48 square feet of chicken coop. That kind of seems like a lot but we'll see once I measure it out. I'm leaning towards around 50 square feet since they'll have outside space enclosed in chicken wire to roam around in.
I'm kind of nervous about building this coop with it still being February. If it snows and ruins the coop I have no idea what I'll do. I've been thinking about starting to build it inside my house and then transferring it outside later. On top of this I also have to make a small enclosure where they chicks can reside in while they grow to a big enough size where I can transfer them to a real coop.
On a different note I've been getting ideas for prices for supplies such as heat lamps, bird feed, containers, etc. I've posted a few links to potential things I will most likely order within the next few weeks in preparation for the chicks.
http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Cable-05968-Brooder-Heat/dp/B001EEQ5Y6/ref=sr_1_84?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1361370471&sr=1-84&keywords=heat+lamps
http://www.amazon.com/Little-Giant-Plastic-Hanging-PHF3/dp/B001CS2RTQ/ref=sr_1_31?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1361370932&sr=1-31&keywords=chicken+feeder
Thursday, February 21st
1:20pm
Hello again!
So I've talked to my dad and he's agreed to assist me in making a coop attached to the back of my shed, or even underneath the overhang of my porch, there the coop may be safer from predators and such.
He suggested we make the coop 8' by 8' or measurements around there. Now that I've figured out roughly the size of my chicken coop it's time that I actually start drawing out a sketch of my idea on paper, and collect the materials! I think my dad and I are going down on Saturday to look at materials and get ideas in Agway and Lowe's, and then perhaps go and actually get all the materials the next day on Sunday!
For now I'll make the sketch design of my coop with exact measurements and proportions and then upload a picture of that!
Hi guys!
It's supposed to have been 3-4 days since my last post, but since I accidentally pressed save instead of publish, it'll only have been about one day.
Anyways today I will be measuring out the areas where the chickens will have their coop. I'm planning for all the chickens to survive, in case they do, and I've researched how many square feet per chicken you need. It's roughly 2-4 feet per bird, and with 12 birds that's 24-48 square feet of chicken coop. That kind of seems like a lot but we'll see once I measure it out. I'm leaning towards around 50 square feet since they'll have outside space enclosed in chicken wire to roam around in.
I'm kind of nervous about building this coop with it still being February. If it snows and ruins the coop I have no idea what I'll do. I've been thinking about starting to build it inside my house and then transferring it outside later. On top of this I also have to make a small enclosure where they chicks can reside in while they grow to a big enough size where I can transfer them to a real coop.
On a different note I've been getting ideas for prices for supplies such as heat lamps, bird feed, containers, etc. I've posted a few links to potential things I will most likely order within the next few weeks in preparation for the chicks.
http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Cable-05968-Brooder-Heat/dp/B001EEQ5Y6/ref=sr_1_84?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1361370471&sr=1-84&keywords=heat+lamps
http://www.amazon.com/Little-Giant-Plastic-Hanging-PHF3/dp/B001CS2RTQ/ref=sr_1_31?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1361370932&sr=1-31&keywords=chicken+feeder
Thursday, February 21st
1:20pm
Hello again!
So I've talked to my dad and he's agreed to assist me in making a coop attached to the back of my shed, or even underneath the overhang of my porch, there the coop may be safer from predators and such.
He suggested we make the coop 8' by 8' or measurements around there. Now that I've figured out roughly the size of my chicken coop it's time that I actually start drawing out a sketch of my idea on paper, and collect the materials! I think my dad and I are going down on Saturday to look at materials and get ideas in Agway and Lowe's, and then perhaps go and actually get all the materials the next day on Sunday!
For now I'll make the sketch design of my coop with exact measurements and proportions and then upload a picture of that!
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Entry 5: The Chicken Coop Design
3/16/13
Posted on 3/20
Hello all!
Well I talked to my dad today and unfortunately I can't make the shed into a chicken coop :(
However!!...I can build off the back of the shed to make my chicken coop. My dad seems pretty into this building of the coop process. He suggested sometime this weekend we go to Lowe's or Agway to get ideas of woods and materials which is exactly what I need! It must be a guy thing..the whole building things. Personally shopping for wood and chicken wire sounds way less appealing than shopping for clothes but I guess that's a girl thing.
Anyways, I have a new idea for the coop which I think my dad is on board for too. He described something like the picture below for me, and honestly it doesn't look like it's too terribly hard to make.
Posted on 3/20
Hello all!
Well I talked to my dad today and unfortunately I can't make the shed into a chicken coop :(
However!!...I can build off the back of the shed to make my chicken coop. My dad seems pretty into this building of the coop process. He suggested sometime this weekend we go to Lowe's or Agway to get ideas of woods and materials which is exactly what I need! It must be a guy thing..the whole building things. Personally shopping for wood and chicken wire sounds way less appealing than shopping for clothes but I guess that's a girl thing.
Anyways, I have a new idea for the coop which I think my dad is on board for too. He described something like the picture below for me, and honestly it doesn't look like it's too terribly hard to make.
I also want to make a portable enclosure for them so they can be taken to different areas of the garden and yard to fertilize that soil.
Whoops! I accidentally pressed save instead of publish so this has been a draft for 3 days!:(
My bad.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Entry #4: More Research
3/14/13
Hi again!
I've just been researching about how to make a coop still and I should be getting my materials to build it any day now! My dad suggested we go to a lumber place and get pieces of wood to construct shelves that will house the chickens inside our shed.
I've had to look at a lot of different designs on shelves, how high they should be, and how big the individual shelves should be as well since I'm not entirely sure how big the chickens will get.
I still have to figure out how long I'm gonna keep these chickens around. I really want to sell their eggs once they start laying them, but that doesn't happen until 3-4 months after they hatch. That means they won't start laying until late July or early August, but by that time I'll be preparing to leave for college and working so I'm not sure how that's going to work but I'll figure it out.
Anyways the shed for the coop is perfect, now I'll need to set up the heat lamps themselves, the bedding, and of course construct the shelves. I'll also have to find out where to get their feed, containers and everything.
This is a picture of what I want my shelves to look like once I'm finished.
Hi again!
I've just been researching about how to make a coop still and I should be getting my materials to build it any day now! My dad suggested we go to a lumber place and get pieces of wood to construct shelves that will house the chickens inside our shed.
I've had to look at a lot of different designs on shelves, how high they should be, and how big the individual shelves should be as well since I'm not entirely sure how big the chickens will get.
I still have to figure out how long I'm gonna keep these chickens around. I really want to sell their eggs once they start laying them, but that doesn't happen until 3-4 months after they hatch. That means they won't start laying until late July or early August, but by that time I'll be preparing to leave for college and working so I'm not sure how that's going to work but I'll figure it out.
Anyways the shed for the coop is perfect, now I'll need to set up the heat lamps themselves, the bedding, and of course construct the shelves. I'll also have to find out where to get their feed, containers and everything.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Bibliography Page
Biblography
Coop:
- "How to Build Shelves." How to Build Shelves. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2013. <http://woodgears.ca/shelves/index.html>.
- "How Many Square Feet per Chicken in the Coop?" How Many Square Feet per Chicken in the Coop? N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2013. <http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/616605/how-many-square-feet-per-chicken-in-the-coop>.
"How To Incubate & Hatch Eggs - Just 21 Days From Egg To Chicken!" - BackYard Chickens Community. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2013. <http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-to-incubate-hatch-eggs-just-21-days-from-egg-to-chicken>.
This site gives me a lot of basic tips on what to do while the chicks are incubating.
- "How to Build Shelves." How to Build Shelves. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2013. <http://woodgears.ca/shelves/index.html>.
- "How Many Square Feet per Chicken in the Coop?" How Many Square Feet per Chicken in the Coop? N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2013. <http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/616605/how-many-square-feet-per-chicken-in-the-coop>.
"How To Incubate & Hatch Eggs - Just 21 Days From Egg To Chicken!" - BackYard Chickens Community. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2013. <http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-to-incubate-hatch-eggs-just-21-days-from-egg-to-chicken>.
This site gives me a lot of basic tips on what to do while the chicks are incubating.
- Ries, Victoria. "How to Make a Chicken Coop." EHow. Demand Media, 25 May 2008. Web. 12 Feb. 2013. <http://www.ehow.com/how_2296027_make-chicken-coop.html>.
YouTube. Perf. Epicfantasy. YouTube. YouTube, 07 Sept. 2010. Web. 13 Mar. 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQ1tyfvenqQ>.
This is the video which I will be basing my chicken incubator out of. It is a video which gives me all the materials and how to assemble it.
http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-food/chickens.aspx
YouTube. Perf. Epicfantasy. YouTube. YouTube, 07 Sept. 2010. Web. 13 Mar. 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQ1tyfvenqQ>.
This is the video which I will be basing my chicken incubator out of. It is a video which gives me all the materials and how to assemble it.
http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-food/chickens.aspx
Entry #3: First Meeting with Mentor
Hi guys!
Research is going good! I'm now looking into how to build a chicken coop and I've gotten so many ideas. I've actually talked to my dad about turning the shed behind our house into a chicken coop and I think he may go for that idea!
All I have to do is clear the things that are currently in it out of it, and then build shelves. I'd probably have to build at least 12 shelves because what if all the chickens end up hatching? That would be so many chickens. Then I need to fill the bottom with shavings such as pine. I learned that paper won't work to line the bottom of the coop because it can get very soggy and smelly. Of course I have to put in heat lamps so the chickens don't freeze or get to too low temperatures over night.
Also I just had my first meeting with my mentor, who is Mr. Reiff. He gave me a lot of ideas and suggestions about community outreach which was helpful since I hadn't really thought that far yet. He told me I should go to farmers markets and interview people, farmers, and the Lab of Ornithology at Cornell. All very helpful tips and ideas for a first meeting.
I had no idea how much work this was going to be when I started it but it sure seems like a lot. I've got my work cut out for me. Anyways I have 16 weeks or so to make it all happen. Hopefully it does!
Research is going good! I'm now looking into how to build a chicken coop and I've gotten so many ideas. I've actually talked to my dad about turning the shed behind our house into a chicken coop and I think he may go for that idea!
All I have to do is clear the things that are currently in it out of it, and then build shelves. I'd probably have to build at least 12 shelves because what if all the chickens end up hatching? That would be so many chickens. Then I need to fill the bottom with shavings such as pine. I learned that paper won't work to line the bottom of the coop because it can get very soggy and smelly. Of course I have to put in heat lamps so the chickens don't freeze or get to too low temperatures over night.
Also I just had my first meeting with my mentor, who is Mr. Reiff. He gave me a lot of ideas and suggestions about community outreach which was helpful since I hadn't really thought that far yet. He told me I should go to farmers markets and interview people, farmers, and the Lab of Ornithology at Cornell. All very helpful tips and ideas for a first meeting.
I had no idea how much work this was going to be when I started it but it sure seems like a lot. I've got my work cut out for me. Anyways I have 16 weeks or so to make it all happen. Hopefully it does!
Friday, February 8, 2013
Entry #2
Hello again!
So here's an outline of what my next few weeks will look like.
February
My goals for this month is going to be to have the chicken coop well started.
I also haven't discussed with my mentor when our weekly meetings will be but I'm going to do that today when I speak to her and I'll let you know!
So here's an outline of what my next few weeks will look like.
February
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| 1. Research-hatching eggs | 2. Research-hatching eggs | 3. Research-hatching eggs | 4. Research-hatching eggs | |||
| 5. Have all research done about eggs. | 6. Research about building coop | 7. Research about building coop | 8. Research about building coop | 9. Research about building coop. Blog | 8. Research about building coop | 9. Research about building coop |
| 10. Research about building coop | 11. Research about building coop Blog | 12. Research about building coop | 13. Have all research done about coop. Blog | 14. Get materials for chicken coop | 15. Get materials for chicken coop Blog | 16. Get materials for chicken coop |
| 17. Have all materials done for coop. Blog | 18. Set up coop Blog | 19 Set up coop | 20. Set up coop | 21. Set up coop Blog | 22. Set up coop | 23. Set up coop |
| 24. Set up coop Blog | 25. Set up coop | 26. Set up coop Blog | 27. Set up coop | 28. Set up coop blog | 29.Set up coop blog | |
My goals for this month is going to be to have the chicken coop well started.
I also haven't discussed with my mentor when our weekly meetings will be but I'm going to do that today when I speak to her and I'll let you know!
Entry #1
Hey guys,
This is my official first blog post. Pretty cool I guess. Anyways, I'm gonna be hatching chickens and then raising them and selling their eggs, if all goes well.
I actually am not one hundred percent sure why I chose this project but my mom's a biologist, and it seemed like a really interesting topic, where I could get access to a lot of good information about the project. I spaced it out so it would fit in the 16-week time slot since the chicks only take 21 days since they were fertilized, but I have to build their housing and everything, so it should be quite the challenge. I'm not really actually sure if I knew what I was getting into when I decided my project, since it seems like a lot of work.
I really hope they hatch. Like, of course I hope they hatch, but if none of them hatch it'll suck. I'll be super pressed for time. I'm going to Costa Rica for spring break and I don't want to hatch them before I leave and since they take 21 days to hatch...it'll be crunch time if the first batch doesn't hatch and I have to hatch another batch. I guess that's my greatest fear.
I'm pumped to raise these chicks into chickens. They're gonna be sooo cute at first. I also hope I don't get roosters because once they start cockadoodledooing I'm gonna have to give them away because I really don't think my neighbors will be too pleased waking up everyday at dawn. I know I wouldn't.
I'm excited to see how the chickens develop, and how well I raise them, while they're still in the eggs and after they hatch.
That's all for now!
This is my official first blog post. Pretty cool I guess. Anyways, I'm gonna be hatching chickens and then raising them and selling their eggs, if all goes well.
I actually am not one hundred percent sure why I chose this project but my mom's a biologist, and it seemed like a really interesting topic, where I could get access to a lot of good information about the project. I spaced it out so it would fit in the 16-week time slot since the chicks only take 21 days since they were fertilized, but I have to build their housing and everything, so it should be quite the challenge. I'm not really actually sure if I knew what I was getting into when I decided my project, since it seems like a lot of work.
I really hope they hatch. Like, of course I hope they hatch, but if none of them hatch it'll suck. I'll be super pressed for time. I'm going to Costa Rica for spring break and I don't want to hatch them before I leave and since they take 21 days to hatch...it'll be crunch time if the first batch doesn't hatch and I have to hatch another batch. I guess that's my greatest fear.
I'm pumped to raise these chicks into chickens. They're gonna be sooo cute at first. I also hope I don't get roosters because once they start cockadoodledooing I'm gonna have to give them away because I really don't think my neighbors will be too pleased waking up everyday at dawn. I know I wouldn't.
I'm excited to see how the chickens develop, and how well I raise them, while they're still in the eggs and after they hatch.
That's all for now!
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