Recent content by KatieSwindler

I just installed a gravity watering cups system run off a 50 gal rain barrel I’m filling up with a hose. Do I need to add anything to the barrel to keep the water from getting gross? What’s safe for chickens?

We haven’t even gotten chickens yet but it seems a few rats have already moved in to the space under our half-built coop! 🤦🏻‍♀️ We’ve been building the coop slooooowly over several months. I feel like a dummy leaving space under the coop - just like 2-3 inches since the coop is up on corner...

So I had intended to have our coop ready about now and get our very first set of chicks in early spring. Due to some life stuff and family stuff getting the coop set up is taking waaaaaay longer than I thought. it might actually be late summer at the earliest before we are actually chicken...

Chicago Live Poultry on Western. Look for Halal butchers in your hood. They are all over the place in Chicago.

The light especially in winter was my main thought for why we’d go clear. Maybe a removable summer shade solution is the way to go.

Should I use a clear roof on my coop? I’m in Chicago. I’m building a coop in an extremely shady corner of my yard. The design I’m using has both the coop and the run under a single pergola-style roof. (Hobbit chickens!!) Here is the work in progress of the coop. As you can see it sits...

Oh! What’s the difference between these?

VINYL! Thank you! That's the search term I was looking for! I kept searching for linoleum or laminate and getting the wrong thing. I found what I'm looking for now! And looking at their scraps to start is a great idea! Thank you!

I'm looking for something to go on top of the plywood floor of my raised coop that is easy to clean and can stand up to deep litter in the fall/winter (planning to use deep litter method to add a bit of heat for our Chicago winters), but easy to clean in the hot summer months when we'll be...

Thank you! I was a theater major once upon a time and learned the basics of modeling for a set design class. I always loved it and was happy for the excuse to break out the foam core and exacto knives again!! This exercise was as much about figuring out my construction methods as much as making...

Thank you for your kind words, and yes, it will go back to the fence.

Yeah 6 is an absolute max for us. We just don’t have more space to give. Surprisingly Chicago doesn’t regulate flock size, just no roosters. So we’ll have to exercise some self restraint!! LOL

Because of the pergola style roof with open eaves at front and back (covered with hardware cloth of course) there should be something like 10sq ft of venting at the roof line. Do you think that will be enough? I’ve heard the rule is 1foot per bird?

Just sharing this scale prototype I made of my future hobbit-themed chicken coop - my husband and I start building this weekend! Let me know what you think so far! The coop will be 5’ x 5’ and about 7’ tall at the peak. The run is about 10x10. There will be two doors on the coop - one on each...