Chicken Coop Advice

reply to post by Gazrok


The tire because they like it! I tried planting potatoes in tires last year and my chickens where in them dusting themselves all the time. So I add fresh dirt in there for them. I do let them roam around the yard later in the evenings most days so they can get in the dirt in other places and eat the grasshoppers!

Ya we have to run a cord out to the coop right now but I am looking into some kind of solar light for the near future.

On that goose eggie thing: www.livestrong.com...

Goose eggs are more nutritional, they claim more cholesterol, but that is all a myth, and in reality you need those fatty vitamins for teeth and bones, and in this way its alot like liver and grass food organic dairy. And apparently for your immune, helps prevent cancer.

I'm really looking to geese.

reply to post by Gazrok


I did a thread on chicks before to try to find the best kinds. I learned a lot from the input I got there. I haven't quite convinced the wife we should get chickens yet, even though both of the daughters want us to get them so they can get good food. I have all the materials needed to build a big coop in stock. I am going to build the coop and pen this summer, even it it sits vacant. Maybe if it is built the wife will say ok. I've seen a lot of coops in my life, known plenty of people who raise chickens. Up here, where there is a lot of snow and long winters there are special conditions. I'm going to use an A-frame style myself so I don't have to worry about snow.

What kind of chickens are you going to get? Tractor Supply here has a lot of selection at about three bucks a pop...or should I say cluck.

Originally posted by Gazrok
Not this season, but next, I'm looking to add (build) a chicken coop to the ranch.
I've been looking around, and I think these plans are the best so far...

www.thegardencoop.com...

(The Garden Coop)

I want to be able to stand up in it, and I want to use an actual design, so I don't overbuy (or under buy) materials. But, I'm also open to any designs others may have found, or other advice for those currently raising chickens.

Primarily, these are for eggs, not meat. (though the option is there).

couple things to avoid later regret would be to use 1/2" hardware mesh for your fencing and the reason being if you go bigger the racoons can reach in and grab a bird, doing a lot of damage and even kill them this way.

another one i have found priceless is an automated coup door, if you plan on free ranging them, would be a wise investment.

other than that enjoy, i spend countless hours just watching my birds work the property as it's quite therapeutic for stress related ailments.

reply to post by rickymouse


I'd say "whichever type lays the best/most eggs"...my wife will say, "the cutest ones"...so that's my dilemma.

reply to post by restlessinMT


Solar light...that's a good idea.

reply to post by woodsmom

Ok, if you crush the egg shells and feed it back to the chickens in their feed, it will strengthen the shells on the eggs they lay, it's just recycling the calcium back into their systems.

I heard this would cause the chickens to start to eat their own eggs. I went ahead and did it anyway (and still do making sure to crush the shells well) and have had no problems with them cannibalizing their eggs.

Just thought I'd add that, lol.

peace

My first go around with chickens was a blast with very few problems. Ended up with too many roosters. The local hatcheries didn't exactly classify them as male or female. You may end up eating them after all.

My chickens were free range on a very large property. Easy peazy. Open the door in the morning and they get themselves in by dark. I thought that was the neatest thing.

Free range can kinda suck when you have too many also (I had 75 of a few different types). Chicken Chit all over my carport. Had to teach the dogs not to kill them, etc.

Never again. If it were today, I would do it like you are. Start small and keep em secured at all times. But hey, I never ran out of eggs and when I collected them....the colors were so different you thought it was Easter everyday.

Boy was I a novice. Sold the chickens with the property.

reply to post by SinMaker


I have dogs, cats, horses, etc. I have to keep them contained.

reply to post by Unity_99


Just be mindful of how mean they are. I still have a scar on the back of my leg from ours growing up. We always had let all the birds free range. Then the geese decided to nest in the field beside our house. The dang male chased me all the way to the back door and I couldn't open it fast enough!!! They were great guard "dogs" though.

OP, I'm doing the same thing this year. Building the coup this fall, getting the chicks next spring. After 3 years, I finally got a yes out of the hubby! I think we are going with the smallest "shed" design, with a large outdoor fenced in area. I have one of "those" neighbors that will freak out if there is a chicken in their yard, plus he sprays his grass.

Look forward to seeing how it all turns out. Luckily, I can get free pallets right here at work!

reply to post by Gazrok


Good idea gaz.... And when WW3 happen's you'll find me knockin on your door

Hrmmm, you seem to have a good grasp on what your building.... What other information do you need?

I would make it radiotion proof..... As if something happens... Nuclear Fallout or whatever you don't want radioactive eggs....

reply to post by sulaw


Knockin on your door as...... I know who has food =p

reply to post by sulaw


Hehe. If we get nuked, we do. Luckily, if even the biggest bomb hits the primary targets nearest me, I'll be out of the outer circles even, but really, I think we're pretty done for. You couldn't build a coop that is radiation proof...that still gets circulation and light, at least not on a budget.


Mostly I posted this for the other ideas that came up so far, like the tire, cooling pool, mister, light, removable nest boxes, etc. that kind of thing.

We have a standard coop right now, but we are looking into making a mobile version so we can move it around. They adore grass and we want to be able to easily move it around so they can get their fill of grass and creepy crawlies.

We also let them out of the coop when we are outside. You just have to be sure you haven't fed them yet, or you won't be able to get them back in! Once they recognize their food scooper (or whatever you are using), they will follow you anywhere.

My kids love farm fresh eggs for breakfast!

reply to post by daryllyn


Good tip.

Basically, I'm slowly but surely focusing on how to add on some renewable food sources, and eggs provide a way of getting protein. The garden of course, is another. We have one person (well two, until my stepson gets a job) home all day at the ranch, so we have people who can tend to things while we both work in the city. I figure if we can build up some home-canned veggies, have chickens laying eggs, and have food stores in bins, etc., we'll be ok if anything crazy happens at some point, as long or as short as the crisis may be.

reply to post by Gazrok


I had horses at the same time as well. I had a lean to, not a barn. The chickens were great a cleaning out the stalls. Dogs and cats I fully know too well.

reply to post by Gazrok
Chickens are pretty easy to care for, though they are pretty messy. We have really enjoyed them.

Ours aren't back to laying just yet. You can force them to lay throughout the winter months, but, I like to let nature do her thing. If they aren't supposed to lay, I won't make them.

You will have to watch out for roosters in the mix depending on where you get your chicks. Some places are more accurate than others. If you get them locally and not from a store that gets them from places that employ people that check them, you have a higher chance of roosters. We had no idea we had one in there until he started crowing (which can happen before its obvious in other ways).

Our rooster (who just runs outdoors) comes to the door and crows until you give him a treat. If you end up with a rooster... do not under any circumstances feed him treats from your front step. You will be sorry if you do!

reply to post by Gazrok


DO NOT USE chicken wire, use hardware cloth.
Many critters can just walk through chicken wire.

Put a real lock on your coop, predator critters are TERRIBLY clever and defeat simple locking mechanisms.

Last but not least, get a super modified choke for your shotgun!
Nothing worse than to go out to save your chickens and going all NYPD on your hen house.

reply to post by Gazrok


I started with these plans: Barn Geek's Chicken Coop because they're mostly visual and that helped me understand what he was talking about and make modifications before I started building. I used all repurposed materials and added windows.

I'd suggest you investigate dual-purpose chickens like Orpingtons (which are lap-chickens, totally pet-able), Barred Plymouth Rocks, Wyandottes, or Speckled Sussex. The more standard Rhode Island Reds are also dual-purpose. I really don't know much about the eating part of the purposes, but in researching breeds for my flocks, I like heavier chickens because they make it through the winters here better, but that wouldn't be an issue in Florida.

reply to post by Halekoch


I just got two baby white orpingtons along with others and the orpington's are very placid and lovey! Love having different kinds. I miss my leghorns. They are so smart and have a lot of personality but would keep wondering out of the yard! Luckily my neighbors love my chickens too!

Also added 2 turkens, 2 Rhode Island Reds and 2 Barred Plymouth Rocks! Love Cochins too but they are so dumb it is cute!!!!! ;0

The mobile coop works great and will fertilize your garden spot in the winter months.
Also they make a bug zapper that drops the bugs on the ground.