Finally got the top finished for the first manger. It took me all day fighting the 50 MPH winds and a complete lack of anything suitable for a top until I finally got something banged together.
My first thought was to use a sheet of aluminum but I couldn't find anyone around who carried an aluminum sheet in 4 foot sections. Best I could find without ordering it in were 3 foot sections. I then thought about using galvanized 18ga. steel but decided that was pushing the weight too far. Roofing sheets were out because I couldn't figure out a way to hinge them with the ridges and valleys. Finally I remembered I had seen a couple of old road signs down in the loafing shed.
Where they came from I couldn't tell you. I had to cut one in half with the jig saw and then over lap the two pieces to get one 4 foot by 18 inch sheet after riveting them together.
That was kinda fun as I haven't riveted anything in years. Gave me a reason to get the little anvil I bought a couple weeks ago out and put it to use too.
I am not completely convinced the little roof is actually worth the trouble at this point though. The sheep rarely let hay go uneaten for very long when it is off the ground anyway. I have enough materials to put a roof on the second manger but I might just forego it on the next two and see how it works.
If I am forced to buy a couple of sheets of aluminum it will certainly increase the cost and I am not about to go out looking for unattended roadsigns either. I am also thinking the next two mangers might work better done in a smaller size that I can just leave out permanently for the rams so finding top material won't be as much of an issue.
It took about a minute before the chickens heard me out there messing around and came running. I guess they, like the sheep, hoped I was spreading grainly goodness in my path every where I go.
I swear I have more supervisors than a brand new government employee these days.
Keep Prepping Everyone!!!!!
nothing beats the company of chickens, the manger looks great I hope the sheep appreciate your work, you asked me on my blog about Hogget, it taste just like lamb perhaps a slightly stronger taste, Hogget is classed as a luxury food as most lambs are done before 12 mnths, :-)
ReplyDeleteDawn - Not much call for it around here. Seems most people just count anything over a year old as mutton. Some people LOVE mutton and some don't.It seems it is an either or type of thing in these parts. I'd like to try it myself but it's hard enough keeping the Women-folk away from the boy lambs for the 10 or 11 months before slaughter time as it is I couldn't add another 6 or so to that and get away with it :)
DeleteMaybe you could cut a 55 gallon drum in half and get enough metal out of it for two. We are starting to get the rain that came over you the other day but it is staying warm so far.
ReplyDeleteI have been feeding old freezer meat to the chickens to try and get egg production back up and the added protein seems to be helping but now I can't set foot outside with out a birds running and flying toward me in hope of getting more meat. Vultures.
Sf - HAHA that's funny. These chickens have a steady supply of meat here it seems. Every morning the two hunter cats we have always leave us a mouse or a mole and I been letting the chickens have them. Since the chickens have been having free range of the barn lot the amount of mice damage to the feed bags has fallen to almost nill too. I think the chickens have pretty much picked the barn clean though as they have been ranging much further into the sheep pasture lately.
DeleteI had those same 50 MPH winds and 4.25 inches of rain. I did a little straightening up in my shop today. I can see a little progress now.
ReplyDeleteSD - I tried straightening up the shop and got bored. Soon it will be about the only thing I have to do though so I am not pushing it too hard.
DeleteNot sure how much rain we got. My gauge goes to six inches but I have found it's pretty inaccurate after about four inches. It was over flowing so it's all just guess work after that.
We had that wind last night.... blew what snow was left into the next county over. The next storm that's coming is a cold one and snow is predicted.
ReplyDeleteManger looks good. Sheep should be happy.
hobo - supposedly it's suppose to drop into the 20's here starting tomorrow night. I started the wood furnace this evening as the wind chill was pretty cool.Guess it's gonna be full time heating for the rest of Winter here now.
DeleteDennis
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a way to keep the lid on during a wind storm. :) Those type of things love fly in the wind. Cool job you did congratulation.
Dennis - Well that is a problem with it hanging from the cattle panel it's hard to find a latch that will fit. Actually I am thinking about just taking the top off. I feed hay from the inside when it rains so I don't know. I think it's going to end up being more a problem than it's worth.
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