MARYLAND THREAD!

[20736]

We live behind Northern High School. Love chickens. Had 'em 30+ years here.
Welcome.

 

[Shewholovesducks]

Does anyone near southern MD or in the DC area have composted chicken manure they wanna sell/get rid of?

 

[SunnySkies]

Thanks for all the welcomes. The nice weather this weekend has been good for starting the construction on the coop in the backyard. Mrs. HandsomeRyan has proven herself not only beautiful to look at but also quite the construction apprentice. We got the cinderblocks that the coop will rest on set and leveled (well, level enough) and we've got the first two walls completely framed. I didn't bother to buy plans but my neighbor has 2 coops (one bought and one built) and he lets me hop the fence and get measurements off his to give me an idea of what to build for mine. 

Now I need to frame out the other two walls and the nest boxes. We already picked up the siding for the coop portion but I haven't gotten the framing or galvanized roofing yet. 

We've still got some money to spend before we're done but based on the cost estimates of some of the similar coops I see here I was expecting to spend $1300-1500 but I think we should be closer to $600-750 all said and done. We did score some killer deals on some of the materials at Community Forklift (a window, door, some hinges). If you live in centeral maryland and are building a coop you should certainly stop by and check out their doors/windows/lumber/etc.

I'll try to get some pics posted once we get the walls raised but

Where is that place? I have plans for a large coop that calls for 2 windows, but prices at Home Depot made me go eek. A friend is giving us framing lumber and other sundries, and I find the siding from HD that is around $20/sheet works; we built our barn with it, and it looks nice and has held up well.

Cute babies!

 

[HandsomeRyan]

Where is that place? I have plans for a large coop that calls for 2 windows, but prices at Home Depot made me go eek. A friend is giving us framing lumber and other sundries, and I find the siding from HD that is around $20/sheet works; we built our barn with it, and it looks nice and has held up well.

Cute babies!

Directions to Community Forklift can be found @ http://communityforklift.com/directions.cfm

If you are on facebook I recommend 'liking' them so you can stay informed about the sales they do. I'd have gladly paid their asking price for the window I just bought but I went during a sale and got half off the price of the window. The place is sort of dirty so don't wear your finest clothes when you go but it is a really cool store. There are a couple similar stores in B-more but I still like CF the best of the ones I've visited.

 

[SaltyPaws]

Howdy and welcome.  I'm also from Calvert County.  I just got my chicks last summer.  Bought 6 pullets, ended up with 5 pullets and a roo!  All five gals are now laying and I'm starting to look at incubators.....shhh, don't tell my husband!

We live behind Northern High School. Love chickens. Had 'em 30+ years here.
Welcome.

So cool to have some local peeps on here!

Do either of you know of any bantam and call LF chicks and call ducklings available locally? I just lost a batch of chicks that I picked up in Western MD. I'd really like to be able to observe them before buying. I realized that my chicks were showing symptoms of being 'off' when I bought them... should've just walked away but we had come so far... hindsight is 20/20 I guess

 

[BossyHen]

T

I'm in Maryland near Pasadena.  Does anyone know a place in MD or near the MD/PA border (83N) that sells food grade DE?


thanks,

Wanda

The TSC (Tractor Supply Co) that I go to has it but I don't know if there's a TSC in your area. Good luck!

 

[SunnySkies]

Directions to Community Forklift can be found @ http://communityforklift.com/directions.cfm If you are on facebook I recommend 'liking' them so you can stay informed about the sales they do. I'd have gladly paid their asking price for the window I just bought but I went during a sale and got half off the price of the window. The place is sort of dirty so don't wear your finest clothes when you go but it is a really cool store. There are a couple similar stores in B-more but I still like CF the best of the ones I've visited.

Excellent. I will look them up on Facebook!

 

[crazgypsyblond]

Howdy everyone. I'm new, I moved to Maryland and bought a place in Anne arundel county a little over a year ago. I've had a small flock while living in Texas and was sad to part with it when I moved here. I've just put in an order for about thirty day old chicks from Murray's hatchery and am excited to get my birds come the second week of April. I've built them a small structure to go inside my workshop until I can get some laws changed or I'll have to take them to my parents place up in PA. I've started writing my local councilman about the ridiculous zoning laws.mis anyone part of a movement I can join to get this changed? I'd hate to have to move to PA and commute.

 

[mdchickenlady]

Hello from Harford County. We started out with chicks last year about this time, we have 16 hens total, 6 different breeds. I am looking to get 2 or 3 chicks within the next few weeks....I'm addicted! :cd

 

[HandsomeRyan]

Construction update on the coop: I have both side walls and 95% of the front wall framed out and ready to go. This afternoon I need to frame out the back wall and pick up framing and roofing materials. This weekend is the coop raising party and I have a few friends coming over to help move the walls into place, get them connected, and hopefully get a roof and maybe even some siding onto the coop!

The total dimensions are about 12' wide by 6.5' deep with the coop portion being 5' x 6.5'. I will be covering the openings on the coop portion with hardware cloth but I'm using chicken wire on the run part. I know I'll catch heat for this but my next door neighbor has kept chickens for years in a chicken wire run and never had any trouble so I just can't justify spending another $100+ on expensive hardware cloth to proect against predators which have never been a problem in this area. Calculated risk I suppose, and I can always add hardware cloth later if needed.

The front has a 22x32" window and the framing above it will be a vent opening. The door is an insulated metal skinned door I picked up for $5 at the salvage place I was talking about earlier. I figured I can't build a door for less than $5 so why not have a fancy one. There is another stud installed on the right side after this pic was taken.




Here is pic of Mrs. HandsomeRyan holding the left (west) wall up. That opening in the middle will be the blow-out for the hens nesting boxes.




Looking forward to getting it put together and eventually getting the ladies all moved in!