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

[smokinj]

If you're after max egg production you'll want a light and timer to make them think the days are longer.
Otherwise they'll spend the Winter partying at your expense.

You might want a couple galvanized garbage barrels to keep grain in.
It attracts mice and rats.

We used broom handles for roosts.
Some breeds need them, some will sit on the floor at night.


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I swear chicken manure beats all the others for gardening.

My dad raised broilers at one time and the local farmers would come clean out his coops and take it to spread on their fields when it was slaughter time.
I do remember once or twice shoveling them out ourselves when no one could come.
300,000 , iirc. there were a few barns.

The ammonia could be a bit overwhelming in July. Even with all the windows open.



If I could sell the eggs to pay for the grain I'd have chickens just for the manure for the garden.

Thats where I am at....Selling them will not be an issue, no real money in it but will pay for the grain.

 

[smokinj]

4X4X8 is the size I have for 6 full sized and 6 bantams. I had a small short coop that I had to crouch and bend to access. Terrible. My new coop I can walk inside. Love it. I bought a used dog pen and put that up with the coop, though they free range in the yard most of the time. My hens did prefer the old coop for laying because it's darker. They don't lay in any of the nest boxes in the new coop. They either lay on top of a spare bale of shavings, or in a rabbit cage I also have in the dog pen for a mama bantam with little chicks. It's comical to watch my big hens try to squeeze in there.

What kind of pullets?

You may need to provide heat for those pullets for a couple of weeks when the weather cools down at night.

I personally would go with the double walled idea. Mine were really hot this summer, and I worry about them when it gets below 20 in winter. Though my friend in Vermont worries not at all and hers lose toes and comb to frostbite.

As already mentioned, the best way to deal with bedding is just to keep piling it on instead of cleaning it out a lot. It doesn't get smelly because it composts and it actually provides extra heat in the winter. I keep a bale of shavings in teh coop and just toss some around when I am in there. I first cleaned my out like every week. Now only about 4 times a year. What gets smelly is the food if they have the opportunity to make a mess. Get some diatomacious earth and sprinkle it around regularly to take care of mites.

Have fun! They are addicting.

These pictures are very similar to my coop.

Yea I think I will Insulate the top and bottom. I have 4 windows going in as well to grab the sun light, and wiring it for electric. If need be I am thinking a fan pushing air in the summer.

 

[Mrs. Krabappel]

Yea I think I will Insulate the top and bottom. I have 4 windows going in as well to grab the sun light, and wiring it for electric. If need be I am thinking a fan pushing air in the summer.

Would love that for my coop. Sounds wonderful, as they will spend more time inside in the winter. Maybe try to build your nest boxes pretty covered so it feels like a darker space?


p.s. My mad face smilie was supposed to be about the hens not laying in the boxes. Anyway, I did not provide light last year and got eggs all year, but if I had electricity I probably would.


I never thought I'd have a rooster but I love mine. I wouldn't keep one that was aggressive to me or the hens.

 

[smokinj]

Yea I think I will Insulate the top and bottom. I have 4 windows going in as well to grab the sun light, and wiring it for electric. If need be I am thinking a fan pushing air in the summer.

Would love that for my coop. Sounds wonderful, as they will spend more time inside in the winter. Maybe try to build your nest boxes pretty covered so it feels like a darker space?


p.s. My mad face smilie was supposed to be about the hens not laying in the boxes. Anyway, I did not provide light last year and got eggs all year, but if I had electricity I probably would.


I never thought I'd have a rooster but I love mine. I wouldn't keep one that was aggressive to me or the hens.

I have some 1/4 cardboard 4x4 for the installation so far have gotten the shingles,2x4's wiring light and window all free-be value. Oh and deer for eggs....lol so a fun cheap project that I should be able to keep under 100.00 bucks.

Here's what I am looking to build but the lying boxs on the back and window on the side as well. Oh siding will be black walnut!

http://www.efowl.com/Daisy_Coop_Chicken_Coop_Plans_p/3502.htm

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Roos serve several purposes two of which are bully control and to sound the alarm (when not slacking off) when something bad this way comes.

But too many Roos will do damage to the hens.

Birds are classified into broad classes based upon size and the coop space needed is based upon the classes your birds are in and the proportion of time they are confined in the coop. So what works for space in a warm climate isn't close to be useful in a colder climate. What works for standard hens isn't that great for heavy birds.

This is one of the mistakes that is commonly made when building a coop.

My birds haven't lost anything due to frostbite, but frost bite can be a major problem if the birds or their coops are not dry and the birds are exposed to drafts.

Find a copy of Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens and read it. Best $18.95 you will spend to find out about chickens.

 

[smokinj]

Here is what I went with any insite is cool!


http://www.efowl.com/Silver_Laced_Wyandotte_Chickens_p/1087.htm

 

[Mrs. Krabappel]

Love them! My neighbor has a gorgeous roo for you (that I gave him as a tiny chick :shut: ) Looking forward to pics.

 

[smokinj]

Love them! My neighbor has a gorgeous roo for you (that I gave him as a tiny chick :shut: ) Looking forward to pics.

Starting to see where the roo is important...Build will start next weekend and finish by labor day weekend..(This is how I spend long weekends) I pic up some more free stuff today. Budget of this prodject is looking good should be the only black walnut coop anywhere! I hope.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Here is what I went with any insite is cool!


http://www.efowl.com/Silver_Laced_Wyandotte_Chickens_p/1087.htm

I've never had a Wyandotte chicken, I started out with a dual purpose flock and have since gone to a hybrid layer. I still have 3 of the dual purpose birds from my first flock here. I have a freind who swears by barred rocks, they are being raised to produce eggs and as meat birds. They keep three of the current flock, start a new flock, and send the unlucky ones off to freezer camp.

My current birds will get to live out their lives and not go to freezer camp, even the miscreant named Buttons.

I will decide next year if I will raise another flock of layers or maybe some meat birds (there's a limit to how many I want to deal with on the butchering side).

My mixed flock, had White Rocks, Buff Orpingtons, Production Reds, Gold Comets, and Jersey Giants.

Of those five the one with the best temperament was the Jersey Giants, these are very large birds. The best egg layers were the Gold Comets which like the Production Red are a smaller bird.

Each bird and each breed is different as you will discover.

Good luck.

 

[smokinj]

Here is what I went with any insite is cool!


http://www.efowl.com/Silver_Laced_Wyandotte_Chickens_p/1087.htm

I've never had a Wyandotte chicken, I started out with a dual purpose flock and have since gone to a hybrid layer. I still have 3 of the dual purpose birds from my first flock here. I have a freind who swears by barred rocks, they are being raised to produce eggs and as meat birds. They keep three of the current flock, start a new flock, and send the unlucky ones off to freezer camp.

My current birds will get to live out their lives and not go to freezer camp, even the miscreant named Buttons.

I will decide next year if I will raise another flock of layers or maybe some meat birds (there's a limit to how many I want to deal with on the butchering side).

My mixed flock, had White Rocks, Buff Orpingtons, Production Reds, Gold Comets, and Jersey Giants.

Of those five the one with the best temperament was the Jersey Giants, these are very large birds. The best egg layers were the Gold Comets which like the Production Red are a smaller bird.

Each bird and each breed is different as you will discover.

Good luck.

Wow really didn't know it could go so deep but that really adds to the fun...Next week I should have some pics on the coop, probally over kill it but thats just my personality to a degree...Your expertize is better than I have found anywhere! Thank You....

 

[Mrs. Krabappel]

Was thinking about this thread while puttering around my coop today. I could seriously have only one or two nest boxes, as they all lay in the same spot. It's roost space that I could use more of. They all want to roost up high. I have a 2x4 with a ladder, but a fat bossy hen likes to perch right at the top of the ladder and block the wimpy-er hens.

So---plenty of high roost space with a couple of access points.

Only my ridiculous roo spends the night in a nest box because he is like a weeble and cannot navigate vertically.

 

[smokinj]

Was thinking about this thread while puttering around my coop today. I could seriously have only one or two nest boxes, as they all lay in the same spot. It's roost space that I could use more of. They all want to roost up high. I have a 2x4 with a ladder, but a fat bossy hen likes to perch right at the top of the ladder and block the wimpy-er hens.

So---plenty of high roost space with a couple of access points.

Only my ridiculous roo spends the night in a nest box because he is like a weeble and cannot navigate vertically.

LOL...Went to the State fair yesterday I know why they did that now.....Also notice the top and bottom was insulated and fan in the window.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

I started out with a tiered roosting arrangement and changed it last year after I did my butchering to a single 2 x 4 running the length of the coop. The change worked out just fine, no more birds getting pooped on from above and a lot less roosting squabbles.

About the nest boxes I swear you only need one after they have all started laying, but when they are just starting out they tend to want their very own nest. You have to admit it comical to look in the coop and find four birds at a time in a nest box.

 

[smokinj]

I started out with a tiered roosting arrangement and changed it last year after I did my butchering to a single 2 x 4 running the length of the coop. The change worked out just fine, no more birds getting pooped on from above and a lot less roosting squabbles.

About the nest boxes I swear you only need one after they have all started laying, but when they are just starting out they tend to want their very own nest. You have to admit it comical to look in the coop and find four birds at a time in a nest box.

We walk through the chix barn at the St. Fair. Lot of good lookng birds...Funny one too!

 

[JDC1]

The chicken version of Hearth.com is www.backyardchickens.com

They have a ton of useful info and coop ideas in their forums.

We have a coop inside of our barn for our flock, and I usually do a batch of meat birds every year in a movable pen. One thing to consider is that if there is alot of snow, they usually will not go out much in the winter. If they are too cramped, it will cause issues such as egg eating and feather picking that are hard to stop. They are great for fertilizing the lawn and tick and bug control if you let them free range for a few hours a night. They will go right back to their coop at dusk and you close the door. If you decide to keep a roo make sure to handle it as much as possible while it is a chick to make sure that it doesnt get mean. We have out 4 yo daughter raise our chicks and they are very friendly. Good luck, there is nothing better than an omelet w/ eggs and veggies that you grew.

 

[smokinj]

The chicken version of Hearth.com is www.backyardchickens.com

They have a ton of useful info and coop ideas in their forums.

We have a coop inside of our barn for our flock, and I usually do a batch of meat birds every year in a movable pen. One thing to consider is that if there is alot of snow, they usually will not go out much in the winter. If they are too cramped, it will cause issues such as egg eating and feather picking that are hard to stop. They are great for fertilizing the lawn and tick and bug control if you let them free range for a few hours a night. They will go right back to their coop at dusk and you close the door. If you decide to keep a roo make sure to handle it as much as possible while it is a chick to make sure that it doesnt get mean. We have out 4 yo daughter raise our chicks and they are very friendly. Good luck, there is nothing better than an omelet w/ eggs and veggies that you grew.

Stop and bought 4 dozen off a guy last night and did just that. The flavor just tasted more like an egg if that makes sense... ;-)

 

[JDC1]

People always comment on how dark orange and firm our yolks are. We feed kitchen scraps and sunflower seed in addition to their layers ration and scratch grains. If I get a round that has ants in it it goes straight to the chickens. I also will take a piece of cardboard or wood and put it in their pen. After a few days, I lift it and let them eat the worms.

If you are going to keep them inside a run, I would recommend putting sand or gravel in to keep the mud down.

 

[smokinj]

People always comment on how dark orange and firm our yolks are. We feed kitchen scraps and sunflower seed in addition to their layers ration and scratch grains. If I get a round that has ants in it it goes straight to the chickens. I also will take a piece of cardboard or wood and put it in their pen. After a few days, I lift it and let them eat the worms.

If you are going to keep them inside a run, I would recommend putting sand or gravel in to keep the mud down.

Going to keep it portable and move it often. I have a couple 88,000 sqft of grass. I like the idea of the bug in the wood that happens often. Lots of worms where I am at as well.

 

[JDC1]

You will notice that the laying hens barely go through any feed or water in the summertime as they are great at providing for themselves. Even the day old chicks will scratch and peck in the grass. For our meat birds its another story. I raised 50 to 6 weeks and was going through 10 gallons of water a day and towards the end 100+ lbs of feed a week.

 

[smokinj]

You will notice that the laying hens barely go through any feed or water in the summertime as they are great at providing for themselves. Even the day old chicks will scratch and peck in the grass. For our meat birds its another story. I raised 50 to 6 weeks and was going through 10 gallons of water a day and towards the end 100+ lbs of feed a week.

Do you butcher them yourself? If so what kind of time does it take?

 

[JDC1]

We are in the original farmhouse that sold the majority of its property to a golf course. I have about 15 cords stacked 30 yards from the 13th green. The community that surrounds us is pretty upscale and I am surprised at how they have embraced our bees, goats and chickens. I think that if we butchered here, it would be a touchy subject. It is also just like everything else depends on the tools and proper equipment that you have available. I take mine to the amish and pay $2.00/ bird to have it done. We drop off in the evening and pickup the following day. If you have access to a plucker and scalder, I dont think it would take that long to do a large batch of birds.

 

[smokinj]

We are in the original farmhouse that sold the majority of its property to a golf course. I have about 15 cords stacked 30 yards from the 13th green. The community that surrounds us is pretty upscale and I am surprised at how they have embraced our bees, goats and chickens. I think that if we butchered here, it would be a touchy subject. It is also just like everything else depends on the tools and proper equipment that you have available. I take mine to the amish and pay $2.00/ bird to have it done. We drop off in the evening and pickup the following day. If you have access to a plucker and scalder, I dont think it would take that long to do a large batch of birds.

I like the 2.00 a bird thing...lol Still just about throw up guting a deer. Always have....

 

[JDC1]

Deer dont bother me so much anymore since I got one of those gerber zippers to gut them. With the chickens, even after I have someone else do the processing, I still cant eat chicken for about a week after I am done getting them ready for the freezer. It always rains on the day that I take them and I get grossed out just putting them in the transport crates. We drop off the chickens and then pick up meat in plastic bags it is great.

 

[smokinj]

Deer dont bother me so much anymore since I got one of those gerber zippers to gut them. With the chickens, even after I have someone else do the processing, I still cant eat chicken for about a week after I am done getting them ready for the freezer. It always rains on the day that I take them and I get grossed out just putting them in the transport crates. We drop off the chickens and then pick up meat in plastic bags it is great.

I think this is something I want to do aswell. How big the coop need to be for 50 meat birds?

 

[JDC1]

Fifty birds was alot to do at once. I had them in an 8x10' coop and moved it 2-3 times a day. Last year we did 25 slow broilers in the same coop and it was alot easier to do. Check out Joel Salatin's books and backyardchickens.com for ideas. It is very easy to do. I dont know if you save any money but you do know exactly what you are eating.