June 24, 2018
Beginning Flock
Well, our beginning flock is very different from our dream flock (see "beginning thoughts" below). A friend, and chicken owner, is moving and needed to downsize her flock and asked if we could adopt a few. Of course I said YES! So thanks to her we have 2 Dominiques and 2 Golden Wyandottes! All are about 2 years old. So far, they're laying about a dozen eggs a week.
Here they are with a new "toy", a bug-filled log.
The coop is built from the Garden Coop plans. We're gonna call it "The Egg Plant" and so painted it appropriately.
The rocks around the bottom were an "upgrade" after something (a fox we think) attempted to dig under. The hardware cloth extends about a foot down past the base boards and it didn't clear that thankfully. After repeated attempts at the back side, I added another bit of hardware cloth that extends about the same amount along the ground and under the mulch. It's stapled to the coop too. I'm calling it the "ruffle".
Still want to do some trimming and decorating but that will have to wait until another payday.
I don't have a flock, yet. But I am a bit bed ridden at the moment and need something to focus on. So here I am dumping my thoughts. Please do leave comments! Nothing's been purchased yet so anything is possible!
My starter flock:
Hoping to minimize the number of roos we need to rehome with this configuration.
Where I'm going to get them: Cackle Hatchery. We can drive there to pick them up.
Coop of choice: The Garden Coop. I think something I can stand up in would be best. Easier on my back but harder on the wallet. Sigh. Even shipped that would be cheaper by a couple hundred if I did that math right.
We live about a mile outside the city limits and have just about every predator. (except bears and bobcats) Not to mention roaming pet dogs. So I'm concerned that I can't even make a coop/run predator proof enough.
Brooder thoughts: if we get the coop built first, wonder if I can build in a brooder with MHP somehow.
I'll update this as things change or (hopefully) happen.
Beginning Flock
Well, our beginning flock is very different from our dream flock (see "beginning thoughts" below). A friend, and chicken owner, is moving and needed to downsize her flock and asked if we could adopt a few. Of course I said YES! So thanks to her we have 2 Dominiques and 2 Golden Wyandottes! All are about 2 years old. So far, they're laying about a dozen eggs a week.
Here they are with a new "toy", a bug-filled log.
The rocks around the bottom were an "upgrade" after something (a fox we think) attempted to dig under. The hardware cloth extends about a foot down past the base boards and it didn't clear that thankfully. After repeated attempts at the back side, I added another bit of hardware cloth that extends about the same amount along the ground and under the mulch. It's stapled to the coop too. I'm calling it the "ruffle".
Still want to do some trimming and decorating but that will have to wait until another payday.
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Beginning ThoughtsI don't have a flock, yet. But I am a bit bed ridden at the moment and need something to focus on. So here I am dumping my thoughts. Please do leave comments! Nothing's been purchased yet so anything is possible!
My starter flock:
- Bantam RiR (daughter's choice, good layer), 5 pullets
- Bantam EEs (pretty eggs!, different color feathers), 5 SR
Hoping to minimize the number of roos we need to rehome with this configuration.
Where I'm going to get them: Cackle Hatchery. We can drive there to pick them up.
Coop of choice: The Garden Coop. I think something I can stand up in would be best. Easier on my back but harder on the wallet. Sigh. Even shipped that would be cheaper by a couple hundred if I did that math right.
We live about a mile outside the city limits and have just about every predator. (except bears and bobcats) Not to mention roaming pet dogs. So I'm concerned that I can't even make a coop/run predator proof enough.
Brooder thoughts: if we get the coop built first, wonder if I can build in a brooder with MHP somehow.
I'll update this as things change or (hopefully) happen.
