new chicken coop build...

[woodsman23]

I am building a chicken coop with some free wood, we have 8 chicks. I hope to finish soon,any ideas would be a great help. It will have log siding and is 4x8x6h

4

 

[woodsman23]

 

[heat seeker]

Lookin' good! All I can suggest is plenty of ventilation, and make it critter-proof. Our chickens slop a lot of water on the floor, so we put a rubber mat under the waterer. Wet wood and chickens don't mix well.

32 square feet should be enough for those birds - enjoy the eggs (when they get started)!

I assume you'll have several roosts for them, and some nesting boxes. Ours were breaking the eggs because we could not keep hay in the boxes - they'd scratch it out and drop the eggs onto the wood. Some Astro-turf like matting cured that.

Chickens are a blast to watch. We let ours out occasionally and enjoy watching them take dirt baths and chase bugs. Too many predators around here to leave them out. Several of our neighbors tried that, and lost every bird in short order.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Hey enjoy the chicks they are a barrel of laughs. As for heat seekers advice please take it. They need a secure place some of the predators are both very smart and strong.

I always have traps set and have lucked out so far, but have had a few close calls.

The neighbors now know to keep their animals on their property.

 

[Defiant]

Nice start, my buddy built one last year and put a linoleum floor in, he read it was easier to muck and maintain.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

When I built one in 2009 Home Depot had some ceramic tiles on sale for a reasonable amount (well under $1.00 per square foot) so the girls got a ceramic tile floor. My wife did the tile job.

The other coop built in 2010 just has pine flooring boards, I don't expect it to last but so far so good. Second coop is basically a ranch on posts. Make certain you can get at the mess that will be in the coop in quick order.

 

[lukem]

That thing looks strudy. True 2x4's and everything.

My FIL and I just got 43 cornish X and 15 rhode island reds....we have about 30 others that should start laying any day now.

 

[woodsman23]

 

[woodsman23]

here is the coop mostly done.

 

[heat seeker]

Nice!

 

[woodsman23]

the chicks are in....

 

[firefighterjake]

Looks good . . . heck, I think I could live in there and be happy.

 

[Ncountry]

Looks good . . . heck, I think I could live in there and be happy.

Nice job , move over girls I wanna take a nap.

 

[heat seeker]

Both birds and coop are lookin' good!

 

[davmor]

Good job, we have been thinking about building a coop too. We get alot of free eggs from my wife's freinds though. Nothing like fresh eggs .

 

[Eatonpcat]

That's a real nice job!!

 

[woodsman23]

Thanks...

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

How many birds and how much ventilation is there in that coop?

The coop looks plenty sturdy. The birds will be happy with it.

 

[woodsman23]

How many birds and how much ventilation is there in that coop?

The coop looks plenty sturdy. The birds will be happy with it.

I have 8 birds and plenty of ventilation up top

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

I have 8 birds and plenty of ventilation up top

I was wondering what you had done for ventilation they can produce a lot of moisture just being chickens.

 

[heat seeker]

Agreed, ventilation is very important!

Smokey, what happened to the miscreant hen?

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Agreed, ventilation is very important!

Smokey, what happened to the miscreant hen?

Miscreant hen is still doing her thing but I lost one of the 14 good hens so I gave her a promotion and shortened my sig a bit.

Between all of the moisture and ammonia ventilation is critical.

Since I mentioned losing a hen, it isn't unknown for a bird entering her heavy molt and exiting it to have trouble with egg shell formation, this can lead to loss of a bird. The one I lost had just about gotten all of her feathers back and she went down due to egg laying issues.

I've noticed that the Gold Comets seem to go through a long slow molt which can be hard on them.

 

[lukem]

Good looking birds.

Our Cornish X's should be ready in two weeks. They are U-G-L-Y, but they sure do taste good.

 

[Crane Stoves]

wow....talk about building something as strong a "brick shyt house" LOL.... this thing will be standing long after your family home, lucky chicks indeed! I feel sorry for the poor fox who has to live near you hahaha!

 

[save$]

Very nice, We did that several years ago. Was a good thing until I got an idea in my head that more was better. Then it all went bad. Now that I have more options with my time, I would like to get back into it. But my "other half" is objecting. I am liking the idea of more products you have better control over. These birds and eggs you raise won't have chemicals in them unless you feed it to them. Good luck with the chicks and your eggs.