Chickens, and things related

[Tororider]

No problem Tony, I thought you might be interested as you said you didn't want too many chickens, like myself. Have you decided for sure what kind to get?

I was going to get a deflector for the heat lamp, $8.25.
250watt infrared heat bulb $4.97
30lb feeder $21.40
5 gal waterer (plastic) $32.68
Starter feed 50lb $14.29
Grit Feed $6.25

I am sure I am missing things now, but I think that is a pretty good start. Obviously I will be building the coop, roosts in the coop, nests for laying/hatching, etc. Like I said I have a bunch of 2x4s, but will need to buy the other dimensional and plywood, windows and doors. I am hoping to get as much as possible used from the habitat for humanity resale yard.

Sounds like a plan Eddie, although I am hoping to get some of the mesh 6 foot tall and bury it 6 inches. I was then thinking I would put some poultry mesh over all or at least some of the run to protect against hawks and other birds of prey. I would probably put a couple posts 7-8' tall in the middle of the netted area and kind of tent the net up so it would make it easier for me to walk around. Anyone have thoughts on doing like half of it, is it worth it or if I don't do it all is it going to be a waste. Or is putting netting over the top necessary at all?

I am thinking that if I get a rooster I may keep him around. That would enable me to hatch more chicks much easier if I get a broody hen, and apparently buff orpingtons are supposed to be really good mothers, so we will see.

 

[Tororider]

On HD website they have 14'x45' poultry netting for $19.67. Tractor Supply has a roll of 72inchx50' chicken wire for $43.99 and a roll of woven wire fence 72in x 100 ft for $198.99.

Tractor Supply Company - Red Brand Non-Climb Horse Fence, 12.5 ga 100 ft 72 height

That may be one of my larger expenses. I will definitely be checking out the salvage yard.

 

[shvl73]

We've never had a problem with coyotes digging under the fence or birds of prey from above. our fence is 5' 2x4 mesh and it is not buried nor covered. The only problem we've had is the neighbors dogs when the birds are let out of the pen. I moved the coop and made a larger pen so hopefully she doesn't feel the need to let them out much anymore. We also started our chicks in the basement with a heat lamp. I wasn't sure if they would get too cold in an unheated area w/ just the lamp. if she lost one of the little chicks, she would be upset. Kind of like pets to us, though I still find chicken tasty, it isn't ours.

 

[4720 OWNER]

Home Depot has the 14 gauge welded wire that comes in 100 ft rolls. The 3 ft rolls are $39.30 and the 4ft rolls are $58.60. I'm thinking about a six foot fence with the bottom three feet being the welded wire and the top three feet being chicken wire. A 150 roll of chicken wire at Home Depot is $47.90.

My thought is that with a six foot fence, the turkeys will fly out when they are ready and be on their own. Then I'll just keep buying more chicks and adding to the population.

Eddie

Interesting concept. Whatever can fly out can also have fly in, owls, hawks, non-edible critters from the human stand point. Also coons and possoms can climb pretty much as well. I had some advice when built the first chicken run for the layers and put a wire roof on it, now the cats can sit up there and sun and keep the other predators away.

If using these materials for a chicken tractor generally keep every thing as light as possible if you want to be able to move it by hand.

Chicks are more draft sensitive than temp. They can self adjust to a certain extent as long as do not pile up on each other. Can start sprinkling a little grit in the feed after about a day or so, they will get the idea on their own after a bit. It is nothing to lose a chick or 2, especially at first try so do not be disappointed if it happens, it may not even have anything to do with what you did or did not do.

Both dogs i have had around the chicks were extremely good. They would actually sniff them when taking them out of the shipping box and giving them their first drink. Later they would check them over and if any were missing they would know which one it was and look for it until they found it. Had to actually show them any deceased ones so they would stop looking for it.

A kid plastic swimming pool works good for a while (week or 2 or put a board so they can get back in to food and water when fly/jump out). Easy to clean when the chicks move on to the next living quarters. (For the meats, it would be the chicken tractor). About palm sized on up, meats or layers, they love to check out and eat the weeds from the garden. Have about 20 layers and they get about a 5 gal bucket of weeds a day.

By the way, watching the chickens is more fun than watching tv. We call it Redneck Reality TV!!

 

[Tororider]

I am thinking about putting a flimsy section on the top that will just flip down if something tries to climb up the fence. I think if I cover it, it will be with the netting, I think the wire would be way too expensive for a pen that is 30x20, although whats another $200 bucks in the big scheme of things. Another thing to think about.

I am not going to make the whole thing mobile, just the coop. I can always set up fence someplace else easily enough.

 

[Tororider]

4720,
Did you use the pool as the brooder? How high do the sides have to be? I hadn't thought of using a kid pool, but if the sides would be tall enough that would be ideal. Big enough and easy to clean out. Thanks for the great info.

 

[4720 OWNER]

Depends kind of, what type of chicken raising. For meats you just cannot beat a chic tractor. Food, water and no clean up, plus free lawn fertilizer. For layers eventually you need a fixed sheltered area, have seen ch tractor plans for layers, but here the girls are shut up in the winter anyway so not a lot of advantage there, they just get their weeds delivered to them.

 

[4720 OWNER]

4720,
Did you use the pool as the brooder?
Yep. Depending on cold, have used 100 w incandescent lite bulb, chicks bunching underneath lite...too cold. Bunching on the sides...too hot.

How high do the sides have to be?
Think cheap plastic, 10" or so. After a week or so they start exploring, not a big deal, just show them the board(s) access points and they will find their own way in for food and water.


Our dogs would sniff each bird when they came out of the shipping box and getting the first water. Later they would know if a bird was missing and go and find it!! Had to make sure showed them any deceased (not unusual to have 1 or 2 although have not lost any in the last 4 batches) so would not go looking for it (HOURS).


I hadn't thought of using a kid pool, but if the sides would be tall enough that would be ideal. Big enough and easy to clean out. Thanks for the great info.

Watching chickens is our Redneck Reality TV. No commercials and way more interesting!!

 

[davitk]

...dare I ask what the rooster channel is called?

 

[4720 OWNER]

The Cooking Channel. There are nice roosters and there are pot roosters.