Been gone 10 years, but i'm back with chicken questions!

[TheRealTimShady]

Ok, long story short I use to raise quails. I had around some 250 of them or so. I've moved from SC > France > Ireland > SC and now moving up to PA in the Apollo area outside Pittsburgh.

I've scanned through the coop design threads, Honestly i want to build something that i can walk into as space isn't an issue anymore. More or less i'm interested in anyone that is raising around this area. I will be raising for pure egg production aiming for whats needed for a family of 5. What egg layers do you use, Heat sources for inside the coop during winter, Predator issues/how to work on it. Its been a LONG time(around 12 yrs) since i've raised birds. I use to use GQF watering cups inside my quail coops. Has anyone used these with chickens?

Other crazy things like does anyone ever worry about watering lines freezing during winter. As i mentioned its been a long time since i've researched any of this so i'm just trying to get a few questions out there so i can start planning and hopefully start building a coop in march/april and bring chicks in shortly after.

Thanks alot everyone and its good to be back on BYC

 

[kengboss21]

Welcome back, I see you said you’re in PA so the climate is similar to where I am NYC. You do not need a heat source for your chickens in the winter if they’re fully feathered out (4-6 weeks old+). If you’re raising purely for egg laying then you can get egg production breeds like Leghorns Legbars Isa Brown or any hybrid sex link. I have 2 Lohmann Browns (similar to Isa brown, cinnamon queen, etc they’re all around the same chicken genetics) and they’ve laid everyday for a month straight since they started. Not sure if where you live is rural or urban but if it’s rural you should build a secure coop with a run and supervised free range time. I’m urban so I don’t have a run it’s just coop and then they free range in my backyard all day. As for the water, get a heated waterer

 

[TheRealTimShady]

Yea we have 60 acres in the middle of no where but they won’t be free range because of my three dogs. So I’ll probably build a big run for them. I’ve been looking at coops and want to build something I can walk into.

 

[aart]

I use to use GQF watering cups inside my quail coops. Has anyone used these with chickens?

These will freeze in the winter.
Best to get something with horizontal nipples.
This is what I built and it had held up for ~8 years now.
There are commercial waterers like this now too.

What are your building skills?
I would recommend you build a shed with large roof overhangs all around.
Open soffits, covered with 1/2 Hardware Cloth for predator deterrence, are excellent for good ventilation in cold climates.

now moving up to PA

Welcome back!
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[TheRealTimShady]

These will freeze in the winter.
Best to get something with horizontal nipples.
This is what I built and it had held up for ~8 years now.
There are commercial waterers like this now too.

What are your building skills?
I would recommend you build a shed with large roof overhangs all around.
Open soffits, covered with 1/2 Hardware Cloth for predator deterrence, are excellent for good ventilation in cold climates.



Welcome back!
You should update your location in your profile.
Here's how:
View attachment 3683850

yea i was looking around, couldn't find it lol

 

[Krugerrand]

I'm in the Pittsburgh area. I use this to keep the water warm:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005BV1WLE/

We did have some ice over issues with it in the extended super cold weather we had last winter. It did fine the winter before. (~$45 at the time)

I have no heat in my coop, lots of good ventilation over their heads.

You'll be about 30min from Freehling Farms in Kittaning. I've heard good things about them and wish I lived closer for when I replace pullets.

 

[TheRealTimShady]

I'm in the Pittsburgh area. I use this to keep the water warm:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005BV1WLE/

We did have some ice over issues with it in the extended super cold weather we had last winter. It did fine the winter before. (~$45 at the time)

I have no heat in my coop, lots of good ventilation over their heads.

You'll be about 30min from Freehling Farms in Kittaning. I've heard good things about them and wish I lived closer for when I replace pullets.

I figured heat inside the coop would be an issue. I plan on converting a shed to a coop so I guess putting up insulation will be enough ?

 

[Penpal]

Many of us have had free ranging fowl plus dogs.

If they are free ranging Rhode Island Red are great foragers. I fed them practically nothing during the summers. RIR do not do well in confinement, but Leghorns do, as do Brahma.

 

[TheRealTimShady]

Many of us have had free ranging fowl plus dogs.

If they are free ranging Rhode Island Red are great foragers. I fed them practically nothing during the summers. RIR do not do well in confinement, but Leghorns do, as do Brahma.

I’m more worried about predators. My whole property is surrounded by woods and I’ve already seen bears and coyotes on trap cameras we have out to track deer. So I’ll be building a caged in run. Something big though as I have the land for it. I’m leaning towards the leghorns though as I hear they are good egg producers

 

[TheRealTimShady]

Once I get back I’ll be posting some photos of where I want to build and such, I’m trying to take this winter to plan out everything and start building in the spring