It's funny when the breeds stick together.
Has anyone used large branches for roosts? I mean 2-3" diameter.
Chicken Coops
i have a friend who does. me, i would just be banging my head on them. i used someone's old pordch rail turned sideways and screwed into the front of the nesting boxes... so they use it as a ladder to get into the nesting boxes, my fault. LOL
My chicken breeder uses large branches. I have branches for some of my ladder rungs, broom handles for some. I use bamboo poles for one of my roosts.
Yes, it is funny when the breeds stick together. I'm wondering if my 9 youngsters stick with that trend when they are old enough to leave their yard.
Zeppy I love your chicken house - would that be Mr. Zeppy and Young Mr. Zeppy, assisting with the project?? They look like real keepers!! Chickens keep a family busy and together. Your chickens are going to be spoiled rotten with all that room, they will have lots of space to expand. One month ago, I had 8 chickens. Then I brought home three young adult reg size hens, and 4 'wild' Bantams, and two silkies, that makes 17. As of right now, we have 10 brand new baby Bantams and there might be more. Of course, that makes 27. I remember saying that 6 would be all I'd ever want. I'm finding out it's easy to run outta room in a hurry with chickens.
Tam that's a great use for the old porch rail, were they far enough apart or did you have to remove every other rung??
they seem just right! about 8" apart. i will get a picture soon. i think i need to tack something over the nesting boxes to keep them out.
when i had the birds in separate boxes, i had the breeeds mixed on purpose. but as they have integrated, they are defintiely "sticking together"!
tf
My breeds, though raised together from egghood, seemed to separate themselves. But lately they don't. No idea why.
Regarding the coop. I was a bit worried they wouldn't "take" to it, and we're still getting the yard built (they destroy all my garden beds in no time if not at least partly contained) so I haven't got them in yet. But a few nights ago I was letting them range a bit before bed, and when I got out there to put them into their tractor, one of the red hens was missing. She goes to bed early, and the tractor had been closed, so I figured she was in a tree, but couldn't find her. Next day she was wandering around, so I let her back into the tractor. When I went into the new (but not quite finished) coop to put up some latches and stuff, there was an egg in those outhouse nest boxes, and some chicken droppings on top of the box. She'd roosted in the new coop, and laid an egg in the box. It felt like a christening. :)
Now if we can just get those roosts up and the yards built, we'll be good to go.
Our banties did the same thing Zep, laid eggs and sat on them while we were renovating their coop from a former dog house. OTOH, our reg sized chickens were totally ho-hum about their new quarters. I they are nice, especially the three, new chickens, but the older ones, just don't have the personalities of the ones from the lady that breeds chickens. I'm not sure why, except the chickens from the chicken breeder got much more attention than the one's given to my hubby's mom....
That has to have something to do with it. Our girls are the nosiest, most opinionated moochers ever. They follow us everywhere, making little "may I have a treat" or "will you turn that rock over for me" noises. It's not like they haven't got tons of food and aren't fat. They have, and they are. But chickens raised around people who like chickens, well, I guess they think that's how it should be. :)
Digging a new garden bed is much more fun when you have a crowd of hens waiting eagerly to see what you're going to uncover. Very motivational. They must think I am the greatest scratcher in the world. hee hee
SherryLike, yep, that's dh and son in the coop pics. Princes among men!
Hey Y'all, Now this is probably a first for you. When my assorted bantam chicks arrived from McMurray I kept them in the guest bathroom in their own little plastic 2by 3 ft ,storage container with a light over it , They did very well. They soon graduated to a 6 ft. plastic pool on the porch. They had their own little umbrella Tipi,for shelter. They out grew this evn with a screen top added. So they were still to small at 5 weeks for they regular chicken house so I bought them their own one man camping tent filled the bottom with play sand and added a tiny 3 ft long roost. We put up a tiny little chicken wire fence surrounding their campground inside another fenced in 4ft by 4ft dog enclosure( no dog). They have a safe yard and an even saver snake proof house!
We still zip them up at night with there little night light for extra heat , but now they have all their grown up feathers the night light will be taken away!
We are hoping they will be big enough for the main chicken run in about anther 4 weeks.
Wow, you go all out. My DH dosen't have it that good. He loves to go camping and wants a new tent.........too bad. I'll have to tell him your chickens got one !! LOL
I would think that at that age they should be old enough to go out, unless they can squeeze thru the chicken wire. I put mine out at about 2 to 3 weeks.............I had all I could stand of their company in the house by then. Them and their heat lamp and the whole deal, box and all, out the door !
They are a lot tougher than you think once they are a couple weeks old. I just kept the light in the outside chicken house on all the time so they could get under it if chilled. This was about a month or so ago, and they're doing great. It got pretty cold a few nights, but they huddle together under the light and keep warm.
Good luck with your new chicks. I know you're going to really enjoy them. Sounds like they are getting lots of good care. Have fun. Lucky chickens !
This message was edited Apr 30, 2006 7:58 PM
"But chickens raised around people who like chickens, well, I guess they think that's how it should be. :)" Ain't that right Zeppy!
It helps to have a friendly breed though. The Buckeyes are very friendly, so much so, that i cannot take a step without risking stepping on a toe. Seems i mess up and don't look down at least once each day. After a little coddling and cooing they decide they aren't so hurt after all! And I have named YET ANOTHER unknown sexed chicken. "Friend" kept getting out of the box a few nights ago and "calling" me away from the ocmputer. Now, that late, they should be in bed. I could not figure out what was wrong! The next morning, we had a different chicken that had been pecked, and i moved him to a separate warm place, but he didn't make it ;-( anyhow, the reason i found him, was that morning "Friend" was out peeping loudly again, and when i went to put him back in i saw one crowded by the water away from the light that had been pecked. So i don't know if Friend was trying to help the other bird or not, but it seemed so...
Then i learned, i think from DuckWingMtn, that the pecking coudl be just one bird, that is tends to be genetic. So i observed behavior for a while, and though i saw no pecking, i removed a few of the bigges birds who also kept looking at me like they were wating for me to leave so they could resume pecking. It didn't tkae long to see that one was innocent, and i put her back and took the other out to integrate into the flock Friday morning [i think].
Friday night when i was tucking them all in at the outside chicken house, this one bird with a familiar face stood at my feet, and instead of pecking at them or getting under them, just looked up and kept on peeping... yep, it was friend. i had not recognized him when i moved him out [and he wasn't named yet either]. so i picked him up and talked to him, then put him over on a roost to resume my duties. in a couple of minutes, he came flying over right onto my should, then tried to hide under my hair!
needless to say, he came back in the house. i put him in the hospital box till i could be sure nothing was wrong. he moved himself back to the runt box! apparently he either missed his friends, or was concerned for his safety with the suspect peckers, esp if they found out he was an informant!!!
so, now he is named, "Friend". hey, i was getitng tired of the names my kids pick, Tiny Tetey, Petey, Comby, Likes, etc.... it was MY TURN to name a bird LOL
I am counting on most of the named birds to be pullets ;-) cross your fingers for me.
OTOH, the Leghorns, no matter how much attention they get, don't like to be caught, or picked up, or held. They just want to be admired from afar. And let me tell you, if you have not seen a Brown Leghorn, you are missing out on ONE BEAUTIFUL BIRD!
Eufala, i have to second what Peggy said, "Lucky chickens !"
tf
Yep, they are that, and I think they know it! Oh to make myself clear!, they were in the bathroom only 1 week, then out to the porch in the pool , for another week, then they graduated to the yard enclosure,with the tent. I only zip them in at night, and they only get their lamp when the temp drops down in the upper 40's now.
Hopefully they will be in their 'tractor"soon!
Before spotting this thread, I put up a new one with a "pre-fab" Chicken coop/tractor I found on the web. Since we are only going to share our backyard with a few chickens, this was a perfect solution for us (getting on in years, as they say)
http://www.omlet.us/homepage/homepage.php
I'd been waiting for years for the Omlet to come to the U.S. I really wanted one. But found the price to be way too much for what you get, imo.
How do you like yours? I think they're so cool looking. And love the fact you can move them around too.
Gwen
Hey Y'all, with my baby girls help I got a picture of my chicky babies temporary home for yall to see. Aint it cute. Hee Hee!
......and they come with their own security guard, pretty swanky , Huh!
WOW, looks like they are loving it! How old are your babies???
tf
Good Morning Y'all, and a special Mornin' to you Tamara, My babies are 51/2 weeks now. I know rhey are pretty self sufficient now but I'm determined that they stay protected til they are fully grown. we have too many stray dogs here!
You're smart to do this, eufaula. Can't tell you how many sad stories I've heard of stray dogs attacking chickens. Stray dogs are why I fenced my yard...
Thanks for the tent idea. I've got my old backpacking tent just laying out there in the yard, ready to go to the rummage sale. It'll give the peeps much-needed space.
Mine turned 6 weeks on Monday! They are still protected too! Roof and all. THe guy who helped me finish it said all it needs is some razor wire and a security camera, and it would be a high security area LOL.... i can just see a tower for the doves to keep watch, and the quail on ground guard patrol... OK, i didn't get enough sleep last night...
anyhow, i am off to move the runts to their new cage in the poultry house, so they can integrate more slowly and carefully... when that is doen the hospital chicks will be the last to go out! Then life will be so much easier with all the chicks in ONE PLACE!
and i have promised myself not to order any chicks or keets until after Memorial Day weekend, this "chicken momma" needs a break!!!
my problem is not the strays as much as it is the nieghbors letting their dogs run loose...
Zeppy, haven't seen any pics lately!!! HINT HINT
;-)
tf
Hey Y'all are we chickaholics or just crazy! My hubby and I dont even eat eggs, maybe one a week in cooking!
I'm already thinking about guineas and turkeys,Hmmmmm! first of May now.....Ummm! McMurray reduces the cost the last of May...... 25 keets......... postage down.....mmmmmmm. oh , 'scuse me , just had a brain freeze there!
you need to join a twelve step program for poultry. when you find one, would you please sponsor me in? ;-) tf
Count me in on the baby chick momma break, this hatching, etc, it not as easy as it sounds. I cannot imagine how the chicken lady near me takes care of all her stuff - she has a bunch of pure bred chickens, all in separate housing, what a job!!!!
shall we all het together for Memorial Day for a break? nah, we will just sit around and tlak about them, and get tired all over again LOL
Have any of you used round wire cattle panels to make chicken shelters and housing?
What's the mesh on those (inches?)
Here's my five-minute outdoor setup for my 3 wk old babies. Easy to move, and keeps the dust and stinky out of the house during warm days at least.
Love your dog!! My Golden thinks our baby chicks are his, he loves them! I have a temp pen for babies, one with hardware cloth, made to fit a large, wire dog crate (I'm a Golden breeder) and I have a large, portable, wire x-pen that I will use when the grow into it. I have lotz of dog stuff I'm using for the chickens. Now that I have all the Bantams setup, it is time for me to turn my attention to my hubby's mom's chickens, six lg hens & a rooster. I need a large shelter for those seven. My pen has to be, of course, larger and I want it covered. I thought if I used round wire cattle panels (sometimes used for hoop houses) that it would be just perfect and I could wire the back and make a wire door in the front so it will be cool in the summer and safe. I'm not having any luck finding the round/wire cattle panels, so I guess I'll have to get regular ones and bend them into a half circle. I'm just sure it would work but I've never seen one...thanks for your pic and post!! Happy Friday...
love that picture Zeppy!
http://www.angelfire.com/falcon/thecitychicken/tractors.html
Check out this link. I think I linked to THIS site from that site but I can't remember now.
Yes, I am new and a chickenoholic! I have 12 adult chickens (just got rid of another 12 adults to make room for chicks!)
12 Welsumer chicks, about 6 weeks old, with 4 Amer. Bantam chicks and 4 mutts from my flock - roo is a Splash Orpington and mom is either a Gold Laced Wyndotte or a Blue Laced Red Wyndotto or Maybe a Partridge Rock? lol
I am getting about 6 Black orpingtons, some dark brahma and salmon faverolle chicks this week. I am making or trying to make a chicken tractor for the chicks so I can keep them seperate from the flock. I am going to use an old dog house and hope to move them around so at night they are back by the dog pen so the dogs can guard them.
I live in Mid Michigan and also have 12 Holland Lop rabbits (four are bred) 2 Pygora goat wethers and 4 rescue dogs all on one wee acre. I love to garden and bird watch. My day job is a preschool teacher. I have done an incubator hatch every spring for 5 years.
Nice to meet other folks with the poultry bug!
Diane aka MrsB
Sorry folks. I missed this tread and posted my "new coop" story on Poultry and Livestock. If you missed it on Poultry and Livestock, here it is again. There are pictures below.... ~:>
6/13/06
~~ Well, I am very excited that my very first chicken coop is completed and my 8 chicks have moved in!! (2 Rhode Island Reds, 2 Ameraucanas, 4 Silkies - which I got for Mothers Day) Thanks to my wonderful husband, it's pretty much a penthouse with a view!! ....He's a "good egg"!! Let me give you a tour.... :)
Note: I'm printing off 4 pictures together and then scanning the final picture, which I will post below. If they end up too small to see, I'll post them separately.
~~ We built the chicken coop under a huge lean-to, against the back of our garage. The 4' X 8' coop sets 30 inches above the ground, which makes it easier for me to reach inside for the waterer, chickens, hanging feeder, etc. The 1/4" screen floor lets their droppings fall below where I have the ground covered with a 4' X 8' piece of landscaping fabric. When the fabric gets sufficiently "soiled", I'll just lift the hinged sidewall, remove the soiled fabric, bag it and throw it away, and replace it with a new piece of landscaping fabric. The landscaping fabric is cheap and works like a big "diaper" for the whole coop. ...A great idea that someone suggested on different poultry website.
~~ The coop has 3 nesting boxes; each nest has its own door in the back so that when I collect eggs, I only have to deal with one hen at a time. There are 3 roosts - one is 24" above the coop floor, one is moveable (intended for my Silkies) and is 4" above the coop floor, and the other roost is 19" above the coop floor - in front of the nesting boxes.
~~ On the doors to the coop we used a 19 gauge - 1/2" wire screen. The screens are attached with (long, heavy) construction staples that go in my husband's pneumatic nailer.
~~ After hearing about the fox's raid and slaughter of my neighbor's chickens last week, I decided to dig under the base of the coop, along the perimeter, and bury several stacked cinderblocks and large boulders, just as a precaution in case any digging predators try to dig their way under the coop. Any predator is going to have to dig halfway to China before he can start digging his way back up under the coop! Granted, the chickens are already 30 inches above the ground, but I do not want them to have to experience a predator (underneath) them. ....Sounds too frightening to me - I can imagine what my chickens would think about that!
~~ This detail is hard to explain without a picture, but the coop is located up on an elevated area - up on an 8-foot high retaining wall, under the lean-to. The lean-to actually covers the backside of our entire garage where the land goes down hill to our alfalfa field. The sloping away of the land makes for a great unique space under the lean to. Having the coop 8 feet in the air - up on the area at the top of the retaining wall gives the chickens some added protection from predators and weather. We access the coop area from the west side of the lean-to where the land is at the coop level. You can't see it in the picture but the large opening in the side of the lean-to has a new 4-1/2 foot wide cross-buck door that my husband built. It's has black hardware and is beautiful!
~~ My husband also added a new vinyl (barn) window from Menards and gave the chicks a great "view". They LOVE setting in the window and looking outside.
Once the chickens have settled into their new home, we'll try letting them outside to graze. What fun! Our 6 grandchildren think that the chickens are the greatest things and come to see them daily! What wonderful memories they'll make here on "the farm". …Thanks for taking a tour and allowing me to share my excitement with you!
Glenda
Then I posted a reply… 6/13/05
Thanks! Yes, I am very excited. I have wanted my own chickens for a long, long time. All 6 of our grandchildren are 5 years old and younger, live within a couple miles of us, and are having a great time with the chickens, which I knew they would. They're only little once and I want them to have "old fashion", clean, wholesome fun, and make lots of great memories. Gotta have chickens then, right!? :)
My husband (is not) an "animal person", but (is) crazy about me ;), so he really went above and beyond the call of duty for me. Our two daughters surprised us (both), and everyone else who was there for Sunday dinner, when they gave me my 2 Ameraucanas chicks at the dinner table on Mothers Day. I think that when I screamed "OH! My chickens!!" he knew it was a done deal. Our oldest daughter then announced that a wise man once said, "It is easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission." ....That wise man is her father. My husband just looked at her and her sister over the top of his glasses and shook his head. What could he say? (That) is how I got my first chickens. The rest of the chicks came a week later, from a sweet friend of ours who knew how badly I wanted chickens.
Life is good, and we are truly blessed.
Thanks for taking the "tour". It's always fun to share happy news with folks.
My fenced in area is old dog run fencing that are put together with clamps. I used to have them for penning up my female dalmatians when they were in 'season' so 'stray dogs wouldn't breed them. I don't have the dalmatians anymore and had the fencing taken apart and leaning against a machinery shed. Been wanting to have 'lawn decoration' for some time and figured, hey, that fencing will work. And so I've started. Have to get more color. Right now all I have is black, white and black/white combined. My temperary shelter for the 7 week old ones that I bought as day olds is my youngest girls' little tikes play house. My youngest girls are now 10 and 12 so they don't need it any more. I've started opening up their area so that they can 'visit' with the silkies and they can all become acquainted. My silkie babies -6 that are 3 wks old, 14 that are 2 wks old will need their area soon.