So you wanna have chickens, eh?

[irvingj]

More progress. Actually, chickens are now --as of yesterday-- moved into their new house! Have to take some more pics, but I've been laid up with --the flu? Strep? Don't know.....

They seem to enjoy their new space, with a lot more room. Still have to complete the hinged cover for the nest box(es); right now it's just temporary. Electric is done- a switched (or timered) light, and a 4X outlet in the ceiling for water heater, etc- whatever comes up....

A few problems, though- although some are using the 2x4 roosting area (flat side up, which they seem to like), they're hopping/flying up into the "rafters" to get higher, which puts them within pecking distance of the syrofoam in the roof; looks like I'll have to cover it all up....

On the other hand, with the food & water now hanging abover the floor, they're no longer getting filled up with wood chips every night!!

 

[Mike Costello]

Irvingj- Your project is looking quite nice and coming along well. Chickens like height at night due to a sense of security. So you will have to devise a way to keep them off the rafters by not allowing them to get a toe hold. They will then move to the roosting bars you designed for them. Perhaps some sort of baffle on each rafter would do the trick. Mike.

 

[parallel]

Nice job! My mother in law would kill for that.

 

[irvingj]

Parallel- I think that's the nicest compliment I've heard!

Here's some "final" shots-- all that's left is to fabricate the nestbox hinged lid (and some more red paint!)... and a few other minor finish-up details.

The design idea I had for the windows seems to work well- some cheap slide-type lid supports and some thumb screws, and now I can open the window up to any point shy of 45 degrees and hold it in place there. Because of the foam rubber gasketing material on the inside edges of the window frames, a good amount of pressure applied against the window allows the hook locks to snap in place. Seems real secure, and should shut out any drafts.

Still have yet to devise a way to reduce or block gable vents... the "girls" spent their first night outside last night. They were pretty well huddled together this AM- it was only about 29 degrees here; looks like there's a few snowflakes on the roof, too! "OOOH! Look! Bread!!"

Oh, Mike- A piece of hardware cloth tacked up from the center tie-beam to the rafter has blocked their access to the rafter. Not so much of a problem being up there, but when they came down they were crashing into (and spilling) the water & food dishes. Better to prevent access altogether, I think.

 

[Mike Costello]

Great solution! Now, those chickens have all the comforts of home. You've brought new meaning to the word "spoiled"!!


P.S. Is that Corsair in your postings radio controlled? I fly radio controlled planes (whenever I can) so that's why I asked.

 

[irvingj]

Mike- No, that was a Guillow's kit, done for display.

I helped out an old duffer who had done ships but never airplanes. Guillow's kits are amazingly detailed and accurate, but they're very complex and because of the die-cut manufacturing technique ("die-crushed"), many of the parts have to be repaired or toally replaced from scratch. The F4-U is also one of the more complex models to make, as you probably know, due to the inverted gull wings. He also wanted to cover the thing with Monokote, but had never done it before. In short, he was in way over his head!

There was a lot of repair I had to do to it, including fabricating an entirely new empennage. He also wanted all the control surfaces and flaps to hinge.... Took quite a while, but we finally got it done.

I do some RC stuff, but not much lately. I do, however, teach an elective --Model Aviation-- at our local middle school, mostly indoor rubber FF. Still a gas to see the look on a youngster's face when something he --or she!-- built with their own hands actually flies into the air. Priceless. A number of my students have gone into careers in engineering and aeronautics. I'd like to think I had some positive influence there!

 

[irvingj]

Found some pics, Mike-

 

[irvingj]

Finally, the hinged nest box lid is on (man, am I slow!!).

One of the girls laid her first egg last week, think it was the smaller of the two Americaunas, as the egg was bluish. Should have a nice supply of fresh eggs soon! Artist grandson had to commemorate the event with a sketch.

So, other than a few details, I guess it's done. Now on to OTHER projects that have been put on hold all summer & fall....

Thanks for all the advice & suggestions! (Now, we'll see how well my work holds up...)

 

[jimmyj]

Awesome. Cute little pic by the grandson too!

 

[chrisdvorak]

thats a really nice coop you built! i love the idea of putting it on a trailer to be easily moved, the chickens also look very happy here is my coop, i just made a top for it and now it is hopefully critter-proof it does not have any bells and whistles, but it works for my 13 chickens