As with everything in our home, it starts with me saying " I want to start....." then I let my husband take over with the big stuff..... ha ha ha.
This time it was I want to start getting chickens so we can collect eggs. That was a few months ago, and he reminded me of the fiasco we had about 8 years ago when I got some chicks at TSC and then started with the coop. This time I am playing it smart and put the thought in his head and let him think on it before I started to make my plans.
Chick will be delived in June. It will be hot here in Georgia, and I am worried about how the chicks will handle the travel. But to get the breed we both agreed on, that is the best delievery date I could get.
He started on the coop this weekend. I will post photos when I can find the camera. It is not close to the house but is visable from the backside of the house. The coop will be build connected to the shop so I can have power (lights, heater, fans...) Water I have two options, there is a spigot about 30 feet, or if I ask sweetly I could have him connect to the waterline, but that would require digging and more work than I think is necessary..
The outside measurements of the coop are 19 by 11, divided into three sections, 8 x 11, 7 x 11 and a 4 x 11 in the middle for storage and a brooder for the chicks.
What should the floor be?? we are thinking pea gravel or dirt but I wanted suggestions from pros.
I have been doing a lot of reading about coops and have gotten what looks to be some good suggestions. There was one where a shelf was build under the root and covered in Sweet PDZ to make cleaning up dropings easier.
Been looking at a form of gravity water system, we can set up a water tank in the 4 x 6 area and run the PVC along the back wall under the roost.
Is there a good plan for feeders so the chickens don't knock them over, spread feed around?
Also starting a mealworm farm now so I might have treats for them by summer or fall. Been looking at a pond so I can grow duckweed.
I am hoping we have about 6 to 12 viable hens after taking into consideration all the things that could go wrong. How big do the nesting boxes need to be? Should we build several small nesting boxes or a couple of larger nesting boxes?
I know I will have many more quesitons as we get closer to the chicks arrival, but these are the first ones and will determin how we configure the coops.
