Since we got our chickens we have made a few project for our chickens. 1st project the station. I wanted a place to put their feed and water but also wanted it to be off the ground and be covered. (we get a lot of rain here). Off the ground so the mud wouldn't get in the feeder or the water. But we didn't want to spend a lot of money on it either. So we went with recycled wood. By that I mean down the street from us is a fence supply company that sets out all of their used wood for free pick up. so this is the route we decided to go. I also found habitat for humanity store not to far from us and was able to pick up some shingles and nails for just 2 dollars !!!! So my husband and I went to work. Drove around the corner and picked out some good pieces of wood. We got 2"x4"'s 1"x4" and even a few post that were 4" x4" and some particle boards. We already had the power tools we would need. They had been setting in the shed not being used since we bought them 2 years ago!!
Measurements: front to the back it is 24" and 36" wide and 32" high in the back and 36" high in the front just enough of a slant so the rain falls off. The slants on the floor are spaced apart so that when we wash it down the water falls under it to the ground instead of laying on the wood. these boards are from an old fence that they took down and the top is 2"x4" that we laid the particle board on top of and we covered with the roof shingles.
Was at a second hand store the other day and found an old chicken feeder going to clean up and put a hook on one of the 2"x4" and hang the feeder from. As soon as we do that will add on to this post what the final project looks like.
Update
We did a lot of trial and error on ours 1st year we hung the chicken feed in a metal 3 gallon feeder and added the water bucket with the cups. But chickens are messy and they had chicken feed every where and the rats loved it. They built a home right under the planks for the floor I mean why not they didn't even have to go out for dinner it just fell from heaven above. When we did the floor we had put spaces between the wood so that when we washed it off the water would just drain off was our thoughts, which it dose. But with the hanging feeder there the chickens always scattered it and the feed would also go down the slots. Hence feeding the rats.
So we got rid of the feeder and then rats.
We now only use the station for water. and have added on a broody palace on top of it as well.
Measurements: front to the back it is 24" and 36" wide and 32" high in the back and 36" high in the front just enough of a slant so the rain falls off. The slants on the floor are spaced apart so that when we wash it down the water falls under it to the ground instead of laying on the wood. these boards are from an old fence that they took down and the top is 2"x4" that we laid the particle board on top of and we covered with the roof shingles.
Was at a second hand store the other day and found an old chicken feeder going to clean up and put a hook on one of the 2"x4" and hang the feeder from. As soon as we do that will add on to this post what the final project looks like.
Update
We did a lot of trial and error on ours 1st year we hung the chicken feed in a metal 3 gallon feeder and added the water bucket with the cups. But chickens are messy and they had chicken feed every where and the rats loved it. They built a home right under the planks for the floor I mean why not they didn't even have to go out for dinner it just fell from heaven above. When we did the floor we had put spaces between the wood so that when we washed it off the water would just drain off was our thoughts, which it dose. But with the hanging feeder there the chickens always scattered it and the feed would also go down the slots. Hence feeding the rats.
So we got rid of the feeder and then rats.
We now only use the station for water. and have added on a broody palace on top of it as well.
