Building my first coop! - progress thread

[K0k0shka]

Nice!
I that 19ga 1/2" HC?

It's 16ga 1" HC. I got a test roll back when I thought 1" would be cheaper. But I dug deeper on Amazon and realized it is not... Should've gotten 1/2". But it was a small roll and I'm almost done with it. I'll get 1/2" for the run, where it's more likely that something smaller than 1" might squeeze through. These vents are 8+ feet up and the walls are pretty smooth. If a mouse manages to get up there, it has earned itself some feed

 

[aart]

It's 16ga 1" HC. I got a test roll back when I thought 1" would be cheaper. But I dug deeper on Amazon and realized it is not... Should've gotten 1/2". But it was a small roll and I'm almost done with it. I'll get 1/2" for the run, where it's more likely that something smaller than 1" might squeeze through. These vents are 8+ feet up and the walls are pretty smooth. If a mouse manages to get up there, it has earned itself some feed

Oh Geez...I shoulda remembered that!

 

[K0k0shka]

Oh Geez...I shoulda remembered that!

It's okay. It's been so long between posts that I forget what I've written, too

 

[K0k0shka]

I just pre-ordered my eggs for April!

I'm getting three kinds of Orpingtons (as pictured below) - silver laced, jubilee, and lemon cuckoo, as well as silver laced Barnevelders. Getting 12 eggs total, so with the hatch rate on shipped eggs, plus any other issues, and some of them being roosters, if I end up with 3-5 hens I'll be happy.

The coop is about 95% done, but winter has halted all progress, so I'll have to finish it in the spring. The chickens won't be going in it until end of May, so I have some time. Getting really excited about those beauties!

 

[K0k0shka]

The ground hasn't thawed yet so I can't start building my run, but I'm starting to plan out the brooder. Might see if I can start everything sooner than previously planned. With everybody stuck at home indefinitely, what's a better time for hatching chicks than this? I'll be home to check on them a million times a day... they'll never get this kind of attention otherwise.

So I'm thinking of ordering a dozen eggs. The breeder said he'll send a couple extras. His reviews are great and people are having good hatch rates even on eggs shipped cross country. I still don't know how many chicks to expect, or what size brooder to prepare... I have a cardboard appliance box that's 3' long by 2' wide by 2' tall. Would that be big enough, if the chicks will only spend 2 weeks in it? I'll have it in the upstairs hallway, and after the first two weeks, the chicks will go out to the coop (with their heating pad).

 

[aart]

I have a cardboard appliance box that's 3' long by 2' wide by 2' tall.

Good start, can always add on more boxes.

 

[K0k0shka]

Good start, can always add on more boxes.

Very true. I have another box that's about half the size, I could join the two.

Actually, I have yet another box from a chest freezer that's 5 feet long and can fit several of me inside, too, but that might be pushing it with the household's tolerance of my urban zoo
(also, I like collecting boxes).

 

[cmom]

I have used melon boxes as brooders.

 

[K0k0shka]

I have used melon boxes as brooders.View attachment 2054503View attachment 2054504View attachment 2054507View attachment 2054514

Yeah, that looks very similar to the size box I have. I'm just going to put it up on a table though, and cut a window in the front side to cover with mesh and use for access, so I'm not spooking the chicks reaching down from above.

 

[aart]

Here's the refrigerator box I used one year.