I hope you can get some information to use for your self from this page. First things first, my name is Sandra, I'm 52, (as of today) and I have the most outstanding husband, Jamie. He spoils me like even I can not believe. I have two daughters and one Granddaughter. My youngest daughter is married and lives in Romania and my other daughter lives in Dearborn Michigan with my granddaughter Aliyah, who is 11.
My husband and I live in Lakeport Michigan. In an area that most people would not expect to have chickens. The lots are long and narrow because they either are on Lake Huron or as ours is, one cabin away from the lake with beach rights only. This is a "resort" area and though we live here year round most people do not. We do have one set of crabbie neighbors who are also here all year long. They are one, (mostly) empty cabin away. So far no chicken complaints.
About a year and a half ago I got three bantam chicks from the Farm and Family store in Richmond. One died that same day, maybe from the 50 minute drive home. Maybe from the feed store atmosphere. The other two were Roosters. Bummer. So they went on craigs list for free, and some one came right away and got them. We, ummmm no not we, I got the chicken coop for them from Petsmart. It was for rabbits.
The only good thing you can say is its cute and will make a dandy house for hens that need to be kept by their self for health reasons. So right away I decided to get more chickens. But this time I will get standard size so I can get Pullets. Went back to Richmond, this time with water and food and got three more chicks. One of those turned out to be a rooster, So thank goodness for craigs list. That means I have Millie and Maude. And while they were still in the master bath in my rubermade brooder, I made my own hen house. Yes me! With my own two hands and no help. And yes it looks like it. And yes it leaked. And most important, though I doubted my Husband when he told me this, never put animals under a large roof with no gutters. I used tons of plastic on it during the year.
By now you might wonder why my husband didn't build the trash heap (as I call it) coop. He owns his own semi truck and hauls a tanker all over the country and into Canada too. He offered many times to purchase me any coop I wanted. He also is used to and even likes the chickens now. I wanted to build a coop myself. The only problem is that the wonderful coop, the nicest one you could imagine, that I planned and sketched out and had stored in my brain, didn't make it from brain to hands to yard. So this spring my husband helped me decide to order a coop. And we also had fencing installed. And an area to keep our Dog Iz close by the house, he has a dog door.
This is Maude and Millie for whom all this is for.
This is the coop, 4'X8' and yes Jamie had an electrician run electric from the garage to my coop. This shot was taken at night with no tripod so its a bit blurry. But man, what a great playhouse for me. I so love it. Thank you Butch at Sunset Barns.
Well 4X8 for two CHICKENS!!??!! No way, you know we need more. So this spring I ordered chicks so I could get some bantams that were pullets. They are from My Pet Chicken. And gosh I was sick with worry. I work at UPS and we do not accept chicks. And I felt so self absorbed ordering chicks that might not make it alive. But thay did, they were all fine and I ordered them to come the week of my vacation so they are getting lots of attention and care.
The brooders I made from big tote boxes, and this time they are in the living room.
A second shot of the brooders, they seem to be working out just great.
So cute, not sure what color this silkie is??
This is a golden sebright bantam, The other bantams are silkies, one black and not sure what the other silkie is.
This one is a Silver Laced wyandotte.
And this is my Silver Cuckoo Maran.
My Polish, I am not sure what color she is either, clearly not a white capped Blue.
And she is my Buff Orpington.
So there will be 9 hens in the coop. The rest of the pictures are of the coop being put into location and some shots of the inside. I redid the roost to lay flat. I was able to use the roost that came with the coop. I also added a poo board, with cat litter on it. For storage I put some totes that hold the food, grit & oyster shell, and even a tote for wild bird seed that is for both hens and wild birds. I hung a small plastic container made for shoes on the wall to keep my gloves and what not in. There is also a covered cat litter box to hold the poo. I used plane clay type cat litter in the poo board. But the cat in the house gets the scented stuff that comes in buckets. I added hooks for my two cat litter cleaning rakes and my broom and the scrapers. There is a folding step stool hung on the door.
I put the grit holder in one nest box and the oyster shell holder in a second one and a food dish an a third. That still leaves 5 nest boxes.
I made the larger ladder, it hooks at the bottom so that it wont flip over and there is a hook & eye at the window and top of the ladder to get it out of the way while I clean.
You can see the small plastic box I screwed on the wall for storage.
from the pop door looking in.
The vent on the back of the coop The dogs area closest to the house
with a gate between the two areas and
and a gate into the chickens area.
The fence is about 5 1/2 feet tall. The chickens get locked up each night and if needed I can clip wings. I have put hardware cloth over the windows since I took the pictures too. And the property line has a 6 foot fence around the whole property. And the dog is able to go out when ever he wants so other animals stay out of the yard. We have motion lights in all areas of the yard and they have never came on at night since Iz has access to the yard except from Iz going out.
OMG!!!
How is this going to fit? Its how heavy?? 1000 lbs. It will fit.
Ummmm?
Almost there.
The fence runs along the sidewalk my granddaughter and I built. The sidewalk not the fence. The fence was hired out.
Did you want to see my stuff? I am so cute also.
My yard area, for only me...Iz
Me Iz, helping with the work.
Sniffing the butt. Yep she is my buddy.
Iz is an English Bulldog. He and our female bulldog Zoe, (she just died of heart problems) have been so gentle and caring of the chickens. They are gentle animals anyway and very friendly. The dogs didn't grow up with the chickens, the dogs were several years old when we got them. I know alot of people ask what dogs are good with chickens and we have found our dogs can be out with them with no problems. When Millie and Maude were in the trash heap coop Iz would climb in and sit in the lower part all hunched over just hanging out with his ladies. Its funny to see all three running down the sidewalk together. We can also leave them in the yard together and go away and there is no problem. Of course all dogs are different so use your best judgement.
Hope any one who stops here enjoyed it.
My husband and I live in Lakeport Michigan. In an area that most people would not expect to have chickens. The lots are long and narrow because they either are on Lake Huron or as ours is, one cabin away from the lake with beach rights only. This is a "resort" area and though we live here year round most people do not. We do have one set of crabbie neighbors who are also here all year long. They are one, (mostly) empty cabin away. So far no chicken complaints.
About a year and a half ago I got three bantam chicks from the Farm and Family store in Richmond. One died that same day, maybe from the 50 minute drive home. Maybe from the feed store atmosphere. The other two were Roosters. Bummer. So they went on craigs list for free, and some one came right away and got them. We, ummmm no not we, I got the chicken coop for them from Petsmart. It was for rabbits.
The only good thing you can say is its cute and will make a dandy house for hens that need to be kept by their self for health reasons. So right away I decided to get more chickens. But this time I will get standard size so I can get Pullets. Went back to Richmond, this time with water and food and got three more chicks. One of those turned out to be a rooster, So thank goodness for craigs list. That means I have Millie and Maude. And while they were still in the master bath in my rubermade brooder, I made my own hen house. Yes me! With my own two hands and no help. And yes it looks like it. And yes it leaked. And most important, though I doubted my Husband when he told me this, never put animals under a large roof with no gutters. I used tons of plastic on it during the year.
By now you might wonder why my husband didn't build the trash heap (as I call it) coop. He owns his own semi truck and hauls a tanker all over the country and into Canada too. He offered many times to purchase me any coop I wanted. He also is used to and even likes the chickens now. I wanted to build a coop myself. The only problem is that the wonderful coop, the nicest one you could imagine, that I planned and sketched out and had stored in my brain, didn't make it from brain to hands to yard. So this spring my husband helped me decide to order a coop. And we also had fencing installed. And an area to keep our Dog Iz close by the house, he has a dog door.
This is Maude and Millie for whom all this is for.
This is the coop, 4'X8' and yes Jamie had an electrician run electric from the garage to my coop. This shot was taken at night with no tripod so its a bit blurry. But man, what a great playhouse for me. I so love it. Thank you Butch at Sunset Barns.
Well 4X8 for two CHICKENS!!??!! No way, you know we need more. So this spring I ordered chicks so I could get some bantams that were pullets. They are from My Pet Chicken. And gosh I was sick with worry. I work at UPS and we do not accept chicks. And I felt so self absorbed ordering chicks that might not make it alive. But thay did, they were all fine and I ordered them to come the week of my vacation so they are getting lots of attention and care.
The brooders I made from big tote boxes, and this time they are in the living room.
A second shot of the brooders, they seem to be working out just great.
So cute, not sure what color this silkie is??
This is a golden sebright bantam, The other bantams are silkies, one black and not sure what the other silkie is.This one is a Silver Laced wyandotte.
And this is my Silver Cuckoo Maran.My Polish, I am not sure what color she is either, clearly not a white capped Blue.
And she is my Buff Orpington.
So there will be 9 hens in the coop. The rest of the pictures are of the coop being put into location and some shots of the inside. I redid the roost to lay flat. I was able to use the roost that came with the coop. I also added a poo board, with cat litter on it. For storage I put some totes that hold the food, grit & oyster shell, and even a tote for wild bird seed that is for both hens and wild birds. I hung a small plastic container made for shoes on the wall to keep my gloves and what not in. There is also a covered cat litter box to hold the poo. I used plane clay type cat litter in the poo board. But the cat in the house gets the scented stuff that comes in buckets. I added hooks for my two cat litter cleaning rakes and my broom and the scrapers. There is a folding step stool hung on the door.
I put the grit holder in one nest box and the oyster shell holder in a second one and a food dish an a third. That still leaves 5 nest boxes.
I made the larger ladder, it hooks at the bottom so that it wont flip over and there is a hook & eye at the window and top of the ladder to get it out of the way while I clean.
You can see the small plastic box I screwed on the wall for storage.
from the pop door looking in.
The vent on the back of the coop The dogs area closest to the house
with a gate between the two areas and
and a gate into the chickens area.
The fence is about 5 1/2 feet tall. The chickens get locked up each night and if needed I can clip wings. I have put hardware cloth over the windows since I took the pictures too. And the property line has a 6 foot fence around the whole property. And the dog is able to go out when ever he wants so other animals stay out of the yard. We have motion lights in all areas of the yard and they have never came on at night since Iz has access to the yard except from Iz going out.
Ummmm?
The fence runs along the sidewalk my granddaughter and I built. The sidewalk not the fence. The fence was hired out.
Did you want to see my stuff? I am so cute also.
My yard area, for only me...Iz
Me Iz, helping with the work.
Sniffing the butt. Yep she is my buddy.
Iz is an English Bulldog. He and our female bulldog Zoe, (she just died of heart problems) have been so gentle and caring of the chickens. They are gentle animals anyway and very friendly. The dogs didn't grow up with the chickens, the dogs were several years old when we got them. I know alot of people ask what dogs are good with chickens and we have found our dogs can be out with them with no problems. When Millie and Maude were in the trash heap coop Iz would climb in and sit in the lower part all hunched over just hanging out with his ladies. Its funny to see all three running down the sidewalk together. We can also leave them in the yard together and go away and there is no problem. Of course all dogs are different so use your best judgement.
Hope any one who stops here enjoyed it.
