Chicken coop Prodject for labar day weekend....Help and in-put + parts list

Probably going to start, planing boards down next week should have plenty when that happens.

I will take it! Unless its walnut, forgot cant use it.

I sold some broilers this year to help offset the feed costs but I will never do a batch larger than 25 again.

Ok explain that please?....lol That is my next step and was thinking 70 birds.

The cornish x broilers do nothing but poop and eat. 50 started to smell and I couldnt keep the tractor moved often enough to prevent it. I would personally rather do two small batches than 1 large one.

jdc - how many acres do you have? do you think larger runs would help alleviate the problem?

Thats what I will do....

We have 5 acres. They are in movable pens that get moved to fresh grass as many times a day as I feel is necessary. I have done freedom rangers and cornish crosses and the rangers were definately easier/more pleasant to work with. Over the course of the 4 weeks that the cornish x were outside we used a half an acre of pasture. I am not an expert but you want to balance the amount of exercise the birds are getting so that they do not burn off all of the expensive feed and use it to grow. That is where the pasture pen (tractor) comes in as it allows fresh forage/no cleanup but does not allow them to burn calories.

Thanks - we have just under 2 acres and are considering trying a small batch of broilers next year. We just got 8 laying hens this year.

Done for this season. Chicks are 6 weeks old.

That chicken wire is absolutely useless as predator protection, it is good for exactly one thing keeping the chickens on one side of it.

The predators and pest section of BackYardChickens gets all kinda of sob stories about Ms. Prissy getting her head ripped off by a Raccoon trying to work Ms. Prissy through the fence. That is followed by others telling Ms. Prissy's owner all about how useless chicken wire is, then others saying to start trapping and relocating/dispatching which is followed by the folks having a fit about whatever is done about removing the predator.

Yea I gave that some thought. If the predator gets past the two wild @spellchecked_word">ss cats and the pit bull. Then they earn it.....Oh, I am also on the 2nd store 3 windows looking right at the coop. 22 is sighted at that distance. (with motion light set-up) If they get one they darn sure earn it! 4 week in the pen now and all is good. Have not seen any signs of life (game) out here for a couple years though. Neigbors also have 3 big dogs on a 4 aces invisible fence.

I use traps and firearms to go with everything else, when it comes to protecting my critters and garden I have no trouble at all using what's availible.

The only thing that would pose a large threat to my coops would be bears, however I think one of my neighbors who has bees is more apt to have a problem, so far I haven't run into any bear sign in my walks around.

lol, Bears I better get a bigger gun. One other thing i thought of and try to keep in mind is, two different people free ranging there chicken's for year now. Both with in a mile. I think the dog and cat population in this area keeps things at bay. Dogs are all on there own property and the cats hold there area well.

A woman here in Standish took out a bear with a 22 this past summer.

'On May 22, in Standish, an elderly woman heard something outside and, walking out on her porch, a sow bluff charged, according to Game Warden Mike Pierre. "The woman returned to fire a warning shot from a .22 rifle and she accidentally shot the sow between the eyes," he said. The sow was immediately killed; there was "no suffering," he added.'

Then I have a chance! lol sure wouldn't want to hunt one with it, but 17 mag rounds may make me faster than him. Some days you get the bear and some days the bear get you!

LOL, I consider them to be under powered for a large animal even though with a well placed shot they can do the job.

Looks good smokin.


zap

Lots of detail still need to be done....Trim work for example, but got enough time in it I have to walk away for a while. I darn sure know its not going anywhere. :cheese: Studs are 12 inch on center. 2x2's Cornrs 4x4

Looks great. We use straw bales to cut the wind for our goats.

Thanks JDC,(For all your help and smokey) its was a lot more to all the details then i hope for. Still got a long ways to go, but I think they will be fine for the winter. Ventlation is set-up correct and no drafts after 4 tubes of calk and one can of foam. The chix's are doing very quickly. Next the Meat Chixs.

Everything that we do turns into an extravaganza with all of the details. My woodstove install is turning into a remodel at the moment complete with 8 new windows in new openings in the family room.

Yes it gets big! Its pouring out right now and all the chixs are still in the run. Guess the coverd run was worth the extra effort.