- May 2, 2011
- 2
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- 7
Wow - I am sooo ready to start this journey - as it ultimately leads to bigger and better things for us, i.e. our "forever home". My fiance and I were both raised under a more rural upbringing and mindset. We have spent many nights sitting in our urdan house talking about our next move, our forever home, the property we want etc., so when he turned to me and said "I want to build a coop and raise some chickens in the backyard," I wasn't too surprised. It has been coming for a while.
I never knew that BYC were so popular, and Rightfully so -for so many wonderful reasons. We were soo excited, first we spent time researching studying and learning, then we spent more time looking around trying to find the best chickens to fit for our needs as well as ones we just fell in love with. Then we hunted around for a coop, and finally bought a handrcrafted cedar coop made of reclaimed fencing. Lesson to other "firsties" make sure you determine where you are going to get your chicks/pullets. It is good to know what the MINIMUM purchase amount is, as it helps you figure out what size coop you will need BEFORE you buy one. ha ha - needless to say we bought a really cute coop - well crafted but only fit 3. Our area farm stores sold them in mins of 6. Soo we tucked the coop in the garage and started rooting around on the net for alternatives. I think I can make a coop out of just about anything now with all the ones I have looked into. Everyone had designs but they wanted you to buy them, and the ones that were on the free video posting sites didnt give you enough details (he needed dims etc, I was ready to wing it and even drew 3-4 different plans of my own)------ Another helpful hint------->>FOUND FREE COOP designs on the internet. Due to terms and conditions I wont post the site details etc, but they are out there.
We printed the plans - made a few astetic modifications....and after a few trips to Lowes we have about 3/4 of the material and are building a larger coop - houses 8-9 comfortably depending on size. We have already scoped out the area in the yard and will spend next weekend leveling and getting the coop and run footing all set and ready. This thing is heavy. We have the floor, upright posts, roof and most of the nesting box all built in pcs. each is HEAVY so if you find this design - build in parts and put together onsite. Anyway - so that is where we are at right now.... The coop is just about ready to go up, our pullets are in there little box all comfy and active....WOW how they grow....they have been in there for about a week and have doubled in size, the feathers are soo gorgeous I can only imagine how the eggs will taste LoL.....here are our girls - since we are new we can not post pics yet but we will put some up.
RIR - named Redbone - "Red" <~~~ so far the sweetest lil girl ever!!!
SL Wyandotte - named Amy 'Wyan'house - "Amy"
GL Wyandotte - named Gopher - she is a digger - constantly digging to the bottom of the brooder
Bardrock - named Dottie - she has a perfect white dot on her lil black head
Bardrock - named Pigpen - she is the only one we have had to "clean" to allow proper poopage!! - poor girl
Golden SL - named Sweet Suzie Q - "Suzie"
I never knew that BYC were so popular, and Rightfully so -for so many wonderful reasons. We were soo excited, first we spent time researching studying and learning, then we spent more time looking around trying to find the best chickens to fit for our needs as well as ones we just fell in love with. Then we hunted around for a coop, and finally bought a handrcrafted cedar coop made of reclaimed fencing. Lesson to other "firsties" make sure you determine where you are going to get your chicks/pullets. It is good to know what the MINIMUM purchase amount is, as it helps you figure out what size coop you will need BEFORE you buy one. ha ha - needless to say we bought a really cute coop - well crafted but only fit 3. Our area farm stores sold them in mins of 6. Soo we tucked the coop in the garage and started rooting around on the net for alternatives. I think I can make a coop out of just about anything now with all the ones I have looked into. Everyone had designs but they wanted you to buy them, and the ones that were on the free video posting sites didnt give you enough details (he needed dims etc, I was ready to wing it and even drew 3-4 different plans of my own)------ Another helpful hint------->>FOUND FREE COOP designs on the internet. Due to terms and conditions I wont post the site details etc, but they are out there.
We printed the plans - made a few astetic modifications....and after a few trips to Lowes we have about 3/4 of the material and are building a larger coop - houses 8-9 comfortably depending on size. We have already scoped out the area in the yard and will spend next weekend leveling and getting the coop and run footing all set and ready. This thing is heavy. We have the floor, upright posts, roof and most of the nesting box all built in pcs. each is HEAVY so if you find this design - build in parts and put together onsite. Anyway - so that is where we are at right now.... The coop is just about ready to go up, our pullets are in there little box all comfy and active....WOW how they grow....they have been in there for about a week and have doubled in size, the feathers are soo gorgeous I can only imagine how the eggs will taste LoL.....here are our girls - since we are new we can not post pics yet but we will put some up.
RIR - named Redbone - "Red" <~~~ so far the sweetest lil girl ever!!!
SL Wyandotte - named Amy 'Wyan'house - "Amy"
GL Wyandotte - named Gopher - she is a digger - constantly digging to the bottom of the brooder
Bardrock - named Dottie - she has a perfect white dot on her lil black head
Bardrock - named Pigpen - she is the only one we have had to "clean" to allow proper poopage!! - poor girl
Golden SL - named Sweet Suzie Q - "Suzie"
