Barn into open air coop conversion

[henless]

We're about an hour from Shreveport. Your up not far from Paris. We used to have relatives up there. May still do. Been so long since I've seen any of them.

 

[tatertot]

Awe...
cute little chickies...15 will get u about a dozen a day...I long for spring and brooding more chicks...I spent lots of time with mine...they are not cuddly except one..but they are all friendly.
What breeds did u get

 

[henless]

I couldn't decide on any one breed, so I got a mixture. I thought it would be pretty, plus let me see which breeds I like the best. Of course next year, I'll have to get different ones again, just to see how they are, LOL!

I got 3 each of the following:
Australorp
Rhode Island Red
Easter Egger
Barred Rock
Golden Comet

I really wanted some Buff Orps and Wyandottes, but the feed store wouldn't have those for another month. I got the BRs and Comets instead. Two days later I was at another place and picked up these:

Buff Orpington
Silver Lace Wyandotte

So I ended up with 6 extra. Which is ok, since some may end up being roos and I may loose some to predators. I wanted 15 and ended up getting 21.

 

[tatertot]

Great choice on assortment...I have 4 Easter eggers...and the mint green eggs are fun...your golden comets will be your first layers...and laying queens they are.
With the set up you have and your dog maybe u won't lose any to beasties

 

[tatertot]

Does all your Rhode island reds have a thin line on their heads?

 

[henless]

Does all your Rhode island reds have a thin line on their heads?

If you go back and look at the pic of them in this thread, there are two at the green feeder. First ones the one on the right that is standing in the shavings and eating out of the green dish. The second one is the lighter one at the top of that group just coming in to eat. The third RIR is the third one to the right at the metal feeder, between the Comet and the Australorp. These are hatchery RIR.

Going back to the green feeder, I think I have a Barred Rock roo. My first BR is in the feeder. She has a smaller spot and darker wings. The one I think is a roo, is at the top of the green feeder. His spot is larger and he has a lot more white in the wings. Even now, that they are older, two of my BRs are very dark, and the one is getting more white on the wings.

They are supposed to all be pullets, but I figure I'll get 1 or 2 roos out of the bunch.

 

[tatertot]

Its to hard to see on my phone screen...rir pullets have a thin line on their heads.
or so I gather

 

[henless]

All 3 of them have lines on their heads, but I wouldn't call them thin. They are pretty wide.

 

[henless]

Time for an update on my coop progress.

This cold/wet weather has really put a damper on our coop progress. Even though it was cold here this past week, at least by our standards, I was able to finish painting the inside of the coop.



I found some "oops" paint at Wal-Mart last weekend. I have no idea what color it is, since it doesn't say, but I think it makes the nests look darker. Specially against the white walls. I put Kilz on the walls and nest boxes first.



Here they are with my black dish tubs in. Makes them look even darker. I hope my hens will like them. I'll let ya know in about 5-6 months!




Here is how it looks now. All interior walls have had a coat of Kilz and then semi-gloss white exterior paint. I was going to get a different color, but the place I went to buy it, their paint mixer was broke so I went with the white.

Tomorrow we start on the roost and coop brooder.

 

[aart]

Looking GOOD!!