1st Chicks And Coop In Progress

[nancypo]

We have just started building our first chicken coop! Since we do organic gardening/some permaculture on our city lot in Boise, I really have wanted to do this for a while. Finally talked my husband Dave into it. My goal was to recycle and buy as little as possible. We had a "garage" for our previous recycling bins outside, but the city changed and now we can mix it all. Since it was nice and sturdy, 4x4's, nice siding, plastic roof, etc. my hubby (who initially HATED the idea) suggested we convert it, great idea! The coop is about 80% complete: re-used some leftover cedar picket fencing for the nesting area floor and back (will line w/plastic chicken netting) , scrap wood, took doors off front of garage to re-use as the walls, will add lower and side run areas. We will also build a seperate "tractor/run" to move around the yard. We'll build a pvc hoop or rectangle area with netting.

Our 3 new "girls"- a "Pru"- a Black Australorp, "Sarah"- Red Sex Linked (?), and "Rosie". They are busy growing in our spare bedroom. Cute! They have all fallen asleep in my hands the last day, so sweet...

 

[Soaring Chicks]

Very cute! Best of luck with your chicks.
I hope your coop will hold heat for the winter. It looks like it will be nice. We reuse stuff around here too.

 

[nancypo]

I'm going to see how they do. The main coop area with the nesting boxes is pretty tight, 1/2" wood, with the floor having slats for ventilation. I may cover the netted area with plastic for more heat retention. If needed, I can run a cord out with a bulb. Other Boise folks said they don't add extra heat, just add more straw for extra insulation. Will keep an eye on, it's dry here, little snow and sunny a lot in the winter

 

[nancypo]

I should add- it will be up on 4" posts, with an opening roof, a couple of bottom doors too, for easy access, remving some plywood on the other 1/2 of the roof for more light to get in, with a deep litter floor. When the weather clears, will be back to building. Am enlarging our little temp home in the next few days for the chicks to a much bigger box....

 

[nancypo]

And now I found out the larger chick is a Golden Penciled Hamburg.. didn't think it looked like a Red Sex Linked....

 

[Soaring Chicks]

Well I wish our winters were like that. It looks and sounds like you are good to go then. I hope you like wht eggs.
Still a nice looking chicken though. Best of luck to you.

 

[nancypo]

I took the Hamburg back this morning, will get another chick tomorrow, too high strung...

 

[Morgan7782]

Recycle, Reduce, Reuse! Amen to that. I am the same way, my coop is made from wood gotten for free from contractors and such. Plus, being creative is so fun

 

[nancypo]

Yes we do that a lot too. My hubby got some scrap metal strut from his job for a cross piece to hang the feeder/waterer from. It will support a lot of weight!

 

[nancypo]

I'm so ecited- I just got a wee Rhode Island Red (rigt coloring this time), the only one that survived the local stores shipment. She's only a day or two old, drinking, eating, chirping. Will post a pic. She's so little compared to the other 2, but they're being nice to her so far...