Chickens, and things related

[DIRTROAD]

I have always heard that each hen needs its own nesting/laying box. If this is true, then why do all of my hens lay in the same box?

 

[PineRidge]

I read somewhere 4-5 birds to a nesting box. I had originally planned to make 8-10 boxes for 18 birds but modified my plans.

 

[Patriotic Stabilist]

Wow, what gorgeous chicken coops, you guys are building the premo ones that's for sure. Mine is a concrete block building with a cement floor, maybe 10 X 10, not sure. It's stuccoed inside and out with 2 big holes and a very thick wire over each. I nail plywood over them in the winter and put insulation inside. Have to cover it with something different, the chickens ate the styrofoam inside when up on the roost. The chickens never liked the roost I had so I just put a wood pole across with a piece of metal rebar for them to climb to it on. Then they fly up and roost in the rafters, ok by me and I guess they felt safer. Hubby did put a new metal roof on it and built me a new door when the other one sort of rotted. But those beauties put it to shame.

I only have 1 chicken right now, just so the dogs stay used to some running around. I've been to busy and planning several trips to mess with them for awhile. Miss chicken is on her own, haven't even been shutting the door, I know I'm playing with fire as raccoons will find it and I will be sorry. I need to let her in and out, only way you can keep them from being eaten. But I will get more. My favorite are the Rhode Island Reds, they are a good layer, good eating chicken, and also pretty docile. You are making me want to buy more and I'm not ready.

Got me a new brooder and haven't even used it yet, it only holds about 36 chicks though. I put a heater out there in real cold weather and a fan at night it it gets in the 80's. Think our chickens have it made!

I'm very impressed guys, those are beauties. Need to show hubby, but he doesn't share my emthusiasm for chickens.

 

[PineRidge]

The wife spotted a color video camera with see-in-the-dark capability in the Harbor Freight catalog that comes to the house on a regular basis. With cable, power supply, and camera it was still under 40 bucks.

So this weekend I hooked it up so she can keep an eye on her birds in the coop from the TV in our office. Pretty good picture if I do say so myself. I'm kinda curious to see what's been turning on the motion sensor floodlights at night anyway.

 

[Patriotic Stabilist]

That's hilarious, Chickens Gone Wild

 

[Mike Costello]

Here's a chicken coop I built for my wife. It's almost finished, but still needs siding and trim installed. It's 12'X28' divided into 3 sections, run area, roost with nest boxes, and storage room. Eggs can be gathered from the storage room by opening the panels behind the nest boxes. I layed down and buried wire completely around the coop to keep the usual preditors at bay. So far, none have been seen or have investigated but they're out there. I also plan to gravel a small perimeter around the coop and landscape it as well. The storage area will be graveled as well to stop any freeloaders from dining on the chicken feed.

 

[TBDonnelly]

Great Job Mike Costello!

Pineridge: You'll finally know what's going on at the Chicken Ranch....er......in the Chicken Coop! .......and for the price of....
............well.....chicken feed.

Don

 

[PineRidge]

Mike that's really a great looking coop!

Don, chicken ranch?

 

[Patriotic Stabilist]

You guys are awesome makes my chicken house look like, well a chicken house, not the Ritz!

 

[Mike Costello]

Thanks everyone for the comments! Its been a fun project so far...still some more stuff to do, but the birds are happy.