Recent content by jdcallahan

  1. jdcallahan

    Need input on Run Design

    Well, I did a lot of soul searching here and re-visited the reasons I wanted to raise chickens. After discussing it with my DW I have decided to go a whole different direction. I'm gonna build a chicken tractor and a mobile run instead of a fixed coop and run. I will be staying at home when I...
  2. jdcallahan

    I need your help!

    I installed one of these, or at least one very similar to it, I got it from Lowes... I live in Abilene, TX. I just used it for a shed. It got destroyed by the wind withing a year and a half. I was not impressed by the structural integrity of it. seems to use the thin metal sheeting walls...
  3. jdcallahan

    Need input on Run Design

    Quote: Hi Pat! Thank you Thank you for the info. this is gonna be my first go at raising chickens and I'm learning that I still have a LOT to learn. The Coop is 12X8, so 96 sq feet.. the north & south runs each have 110 sq ft and the west run has 132 sq feet. I was thinking I needed 4 sq...
  4. jdcallahan

    Anyone Mix their own feed?? Internet Link??

    HI! I have 2.5 acres, I'm planning on planting about a quarter to a half acre of barley. I intend to use the barley for beer making and would like to use some of it as chicken feed. Has anyone fed barley to the chickens? I would think it's safe but I'll double check.. also in the spirit of...
  5. jdcallahan

    Need input on Run Design

    Ok, thanks to the magic of visio, here's a basic plan. I'm thinking with the sq footage involved I may even be able to squeeze 25 hens in... I'm pretty smitten with the buff orpington breed, so that's the size bird I'm looking at.. would that be too many?
  6. jdcallahan

    Need input on Run Design

    Quote: I see you have 44 chickens, that seems like a lot to manage to me. I'm planning on sticking with my 15 layers but I may pick up 25 meat chickens at a time to run in chicken tractors (Pending MAJOR discussion with my vegetarian daughter) I'm looking forward to seeing what the...
  7. jdcallahan

    Need input on Run Design

    Quote: Woah! cool coop! Mine will be not so fancy, I like the windows. Yep, that's the wire stuff I was thinking of .. good to know, I'll use that instead.
  8. jdcallahan

    Need input on Run Design

    Quote: Yup, I know where that is.. things are a tad drier out here south of Abilene Not to sound like too much of a newbie, but what the heck is 'hardware cloth' is that rabbit wire? stuff I used to make rabbit hutches out of with fingertip size squares?? thanks! Jimmy
  9. jdcallahan

    Need input on Run Design

    Quote: I read somewhere that hops were okee dokee for chickens.. I will definitely double check before planting. and I had NOT heard about the danger to dogs... so I'll change up some plans there as I do have 3 pups that will wander around the coop. What material is best for long lasting...
  10. jdcallahan

    Need input on Run Design

    Wow! Thanks Gail, it hadn't even occurred to me to use shared walls for the runs... that makes so much sense. it will make the runs larger and use less wire/posts... I lived up in your neck of the woods on Lake Texoma when I was a kid... good times. Jimmy
  11. jdcallahan

    Need input on Run Design

    Thanks Bob, I'm actually a contractor over here now. I retired from the military in 2005 and came right back as a 'overpaid' govt contractor... doing what I can to help these kids (soldiers)
  12. jdcallahan

    Does anyone JUST free range meat birds????

    an excellent book that talks in depth about this is "The Omnivore's Dilemma" By Michael Pollan. The author visits a farm that free ranged chickens in a cow pasture using chicken tractors, between the grass and the bugs/maggots they scratched out of the cow patties they got a lot of good...
  13. jdcallahan

    Need input on Run Design

    Howdy all! Thanks so much for this site, it’s a treasure trove of info. I’m in the ‘design’ phase of my chicken coop and would like to bounce my ideas off you kind folks. I am currently in Afghanistan, I have 11 more months to ponder this before I can return home and start building. My home...
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