- Mar 10, 2011
- 15
- 0
- 22
So the shelter called us about 10-13 1 week old chooks and 4 3ish week old guineas. DH and I will never again think of wanting to get into breeding, we do that, chooks show up at the shelter. Oh well, I do love my shelter chooks, and we wind up with chooks every year so far. However, debating getting into breeding did lead me to find BYC. I'm really not THAT insane. Normally.
So dragging chooks and guineas home. Think the guineas can take over the current chook coop and run and we'll build a new chook coop for the current chooks and the babies.
What we have to start with - a 16' x 27' concrete pad. It's going to be in a windy area, but we've got a wind break planted, just not going to help much for a while.
What I'm thinking of - a 16' x 16' coop that can be divided in half as needed. Then the front 8' can be a storage area (always need more storage, plus it means the chook stuff can get out of the garage), and we can have a small porch for whatever. Then behind, we can put in a nice pond for the quack pack and a big run for the chooks. What we're thinking is extending the roof out 10-15' over the run so they have a dry area for our crappy weather.
16' x 16' would be just short of room if there are 13 chooks in the group for the 10 sq ft per chook if they are in the coop only. The chooks are inside by choice in summer and winter, some days in winter when it's -30* without the windchill, it's required inside days but they are all huddled up together on one roost anyways, so I don't think they mind being a little friendly with their neighbors.
What the chooks want ---
Plenty of nest boxes, they like their own box somewhat. I'm thinking 1 box for 2 chooks. Right now they have 1 box for 4 chooks and we get some fussing about.
Insulated windows to watch the miserable weather in. Yes dears, Momma will make you those again.
Extra feeders/waterers. Ms Bossy Butt sometimes won't let the others near the feed/water, so they need at least 2.
1 feeder per chook full of treats. Sorry dears, no.
What the humans want ---
Easy cleaning. Going to use normal construction to build up off the concrete or it will be FREEZING in there. Then just use lino tacked down. Then the shavings over that.
Insulated coop. First year we didn't and we had 4 chooks and a roo inside all winter.
Enough room for the chooks, it's not big enough... But yeah, 1 months to build it, so it's going to be on the pre-poured concrete.
A secure run. The run now is on a concrete pad, so it's predator proof or as near as can be. Put hardware cloth down in the ground 2 feet - or more? - and out flat on the ground. Since it's not concrete, we're going to use electrical fence, we'll have to. The dogs keep out 98% of problems, but raccoons are stealthy.
Good air flow. Doors front/back, then vents up at the roof line have worked well for us before, so we'll keep with that.
Run electrical NOW not after. Run water there now also.
To not go insane in the next few months please.
Any other advice on quick coop builds?
Thanks!
Flick
So dragging chooks and guineas home. Think the guineas can take over the current chook coop and run and we'll build a new chook coop for the current chooks and the babies.
What we have to start with - a 16' x 27' concrete pad. It's going to be in a windy area, but we've got a wind break planted, just not going to help much for a while.
What I'm thinking of - a 16' x 16' coop that can be divided in half as needed. Then the front 8' can be a storage area (always need more storage, plus it means the chook stuff can get out of the garage), and we can have a small porch for whatever. Then behind, we can put in a nice pond for the quack pack and a big run for the chooks. What we're thinking is extending the roof out 10-15' over the run so they have a dry area for our crappy weather.
16' x 16' would be just short of room if there are 13 chooks in the group for the 10 sq ft per chook if they are in the coop only. The chooks are inside by choice in summer and winter, some days in winter when it's -30* without the windchill, it's required inside days but they are all huddled up together on one roost anyways, so I don't think they mind being a little friendly with their neighbors.
What the chooks want ---
Plenty of nest boxes, they like their own box somewhat. I'm thinking 1 box for 2 chooks. Right now they have 1 box for 4 chooks and we get some fussing about.
Insulated windows to watch the miserable weather in. Yes dears, Momma will make you those again.
Extra feeders/waterers. Ms Bossy Butt sometimes won't let the others near the feed/water, so they need at least 2.
1 feeder per chook full of treats. Sorry dears, no.
What the humans want ---
Easy cleaning. Going to use normal construction to build up off the concrete or it will be FREEZING in there. Then just use lino tacked down. Then the shavings over that.
Insulated coop. First year we didn't and we had 4 chooks and a roo inside all winter.
Enough room for the chooks, it's not big enough... But yeah, 1 months to build it, so it's going to be on the pre-poured concrete.
A secure run. The run now is on a concrete pad, so it's predator proof or as near as can be. Put hardware cloth down in the ground 2 feet - or more? - and out flat on the ground. Since it's not concrete, we're going to use electrical fence, we'll have to. The dogs keep out 98% of problems, but raccoons are stealthy.
Good air flow. Doors front/back, then vents up at the roof line have worked well for us before, so we'll keep with that.
Run electrical NOW not after. Run water there now also.
To not go insane in the next few months please.
Any other advice on quick coop builds?
Thanks!
Flick
