Ex holiday cottage as new family home.

[adam2]

Met two members of this household in the local pub.
Generally going well.
Oldest son has found employment on a nearby farm, despite no experience in this sort of work. Assisting with a large herd of cattle. "pays no better than other jobs, but is much more interesting"

The Rutland wind turbines have performed excellently in the windy weather, regularly producing rated output for a day or more.
The very cheap PV modules seem fine.

Keeping free range chickens has been a failure, most of the birds simply vanished ! in broad daylight.

[Vortex2]

Err, there is a creature called the fox ..... who quite likes snacking on chicken.

There are two legged foxes too.

[vtsnowedin]

Keeping free range chickens has been a failure, most of the birds simply vanished ! in broad daylight.

If at first you don't succeed try try again. A coop that lets the birds roost safe from foxes at night is a must and now you have the possibility of raccoons in the UK. Also some breeds are much better at self preservation then others. The white meat birds are as numb as a pounded thumb while Rhode Island Reds retain predatory heritage handed down from velociraptors.

[adam2]

It is possible that foxes took the chickens, but no noises of alarm, no remains of any dead birds is a bit surprising.
They are confined a in secure run at night.

I suspect that they flew away. Chickens are not good flyers, but most breeds can fly a little bit, and perhaps aided by a strong wind went too far away to return from.

They were "common fowl, ideal for free range farms" brown with white speckles, large and heavy.

[vtsnowedin]

It is possible that foxes took the chickens, but no noises of alarm, no remains of any dead birds is a bit surprising.
They are confined a in secure run at night.

I suspect that they flew away. Chickens are not good flyers, but most breeds can fly a little bit, and perhaps aided by a strong wind went too far away to return from.

They were "common fowl, ideal for free range farms" brown with white speckles, large and heavy.

A vixen will grab a hen by the neck and run with it back to her den to share it with her kits. The hen might not get out even one squawk but the rooster if you have one usually puts up quite a fuss about it and will even attack a fox if he sees her approach before the pounce. Dawn and dusk are prime hunting time for the foxes.

[adam2]

Update time.
More chickens purchased, these also vanished. The new CCTV shows two of the stupid birds struggling to reach the shed roof, from which they flew away, downhill and aided by a strong wind.

Probably the rest did the same.

The wind turbines and PV have produced ample electricity.

The garden remains almost useless "a windswept pile of rocks, interspersed with gravel"
The water supply has proved ample. Not fit for drinking without use of a gravity ceramic filter.
On a recent visit I drank about 2 pints of untreated water from the kitchen tap without thinking. I am still alive.

After a trial to see if it got on OK with cats, the family have adopted a "failed sheepdog" The farmer paid a high price for the puppy believing that it would make a fine working dog. It was too nervous and generally silly. Nice pet dog though.

[BritDownUnder]

I always like to hear updates about this project. Please keep them coming and also the other projects you work on. It is reassuring to know that even nervous dogs can get a second chance.

It looks like the chicken mystery has been solved.

[kenneal - lagger]

.....The garden remains almost useless "a windswept pile of rocks, interspersed with gravel"......

Sounds like raised beds are called for.

[adam2]

Update time.
I was recently invited to a meal.
Generally going well, ample electricity from renewables. Water supply just adequate, requires treatment for drinking.
No heating needed yet.

Lighting continues to be a problem, 24 volt fluorescent lights seem to have a very short life. I do not think that ANY of the original 13 watt fittings have survived. And several of the expensive 36 watt fittings have now failed.

Replacement 24 volt, 36 watt ballasts on order from America, these at least have a 5 year warranty.
The garden is pretty much a lost cause. Nothing much grows. Except in the new green house.
Cats, dog, and children all happy.

[kenneal - lagger]

Sounds like a shelter belt of trees and/or shrubs is called for, Adam, and then raised beds.

[clv101]

Why are they using 24 volt fluorescent lights instead of 24V LED?

[adam2]

Greater availability when a good spread of light is required.
Many rooms are lit by 24 volt LED "filament" bulbs and these have generally worked well.
However in the food preparation area, ceiling mounted fluorescents were preferred. Also wall mounted fluorescent lights over beds for reading in bed.
Fluorescent lamps also have better colour rendering provided that good quality lamps are used.

[clv101]

Many rooms are lit by 24 volt LED "filament" bulbs and these have generally worked well.

When did you buy the 24V LED filaments from? I haven't seen any, only 12V.

[adam2]

24 volt LED "filament" bulbs are not common but do exist. IIRC, the ones to which I refer were obtained from this supplier.

https://www.12vmonster.com/pages/about-us

[adam2]

Update following a recent visit.
Some damage from extreme winds, roof blown of one outbuilding.
Hen house blown over, hens all survived.
Greenhouse destroyed.
Wind turbines survived just fine and produced record output.

Numerous trees down in the area, "firewood for years to come"

Cats, dog, and children all happy. Heating found adequate in recent conditions.
The older son had to stay overnight at the farm where he works as even local travel was deemed dangerous during the worst weather.
Younger children were off school due to bad weather.