California - Northern

[Miss Molly]

I gave a bunch of roosters to my "Rooser Guy" a couple of months ago. Yesterday, I brought him more and while there I looked to see how the last batch was growing out and saw one of the coolest looking Swedish Roosters I have seen yet. I had not seen him since he was 8 weeks and now he is just about 4 months. What cha think? Should I spare him from Freezer Camp?

He is very pretty. If you have room, hang on to him and see.

 

[Miss Molly]

Coop building has started! Yeah! It will be a coop/run combo. 12'x6' with the coop portion being 1/3 of the structure at 4'x6'. Front wall is 7' tall and back is 6'. It looks super tall because of the extra 18" of block in the front. The hens will have a view of Mt. Shasta. First hole being dug. Day 1 (Feb 3, 2013): Dug eight holes. Put in sonotubes. Mixed and poured concrete into tubes. Set metal post brackets in wet concrete. Covered them up with multiple layers of cardboard/blankets/etc and a tarp over it all to prevent the concrete from freezing before it had time to set. Day 2 (Feb 9, 2013): Dug down about 6-8" between concrete. Leveled the bottom of the trench with sand and set concrete blocks all around to get a level perimeter. Front is about 18" higher than the back over 6' distance. End of second day. Day 3 (Feb 10, 2013): Framed up main structure in garage. Predrilled and precut everything. Moved the front and back walls separately and then started attaching the rafters. Attached plywood and tar paper. Then mocked up the tin roof. It isn't attached yet. Just held on with clamps for the moment. Since it is used roofing that was a find, it needs to come down to have my husband do his metal magic to fix the holes. Mock up in the garage. Plywood going on roof. End of third day. I am thinking at the rate we're going that we might actually be done by the time the eggs get here on the 20th. If not, then soon after. What do you guys think? Rachel

It looks Awesome!

 

[redriver]

real nice. maybe make sure it does not drain into your coop. A small version of a french drain on the backside would work good. Or even a trench with weed block on the bottom and rock

Honestly, the area where the coop is being built is so rocky that I am not worried about it being wet other than getting a gutter and downspout on it. We had to use our Pulaski to chip out a bunch of rock just to get the blocks level. It is also pretty much the high point of the surrounding properties (or, really the back fence is the high point). However, all that being said, we are planning on putting some landscape fabric behind some sections of the block.

 

[redriver]

It looks Awesome!

Looks great!!!   Congrats. 

Thanks! I meant to get some hardware cloth installed in the eaves today, but my two kiddos woke up with crummy tummies.

 

[OR4-hmom]

That really does look like a little girl!

So far I'm 8/8 feather sexing them.

 

[OR4-hmom]

crazykfarms looks to be selling single shipping boxes, about 20.00 for single bird size?

 

[Ali707]

I have done several things with the cockerels that I have ended up with.  I've given the purebreds away to friends, sold some on craigslist, given them to a rooster rescue, processed them with a friend for eating, and, most recently, taken them to a friend's farm where we are going to start a breeding program.  This same friend and I are trying different breeds to see which dual purpose breed will be the best for us.  We are willing to take any extra cockerels anyone has as long as you understand that they will probably be used for meat.  They will have a good life being fed and free ranging on a 10 acre farm until processing day.

Hi PetRock-

Thanks for this insight. I wish I could get to the point of eating my own chickens. At least I know what they have been fed and how they lived prior to becoming my dinner. But...... I am just not there yet. I hope to get there soon though . Until I do I am happy to have someone raise them humanely and then make a tasty dinner if that is what they wish to do. .

Gosh I was goofing off at work for just a few minutes today to post that question and I log back in tonight and there are 6-7 more pages to this thread already. Busy group!!!!

I am so happy that this forum exists. Everyone else looks at me like I am nuts. I may be nuts but I found a bunch more people that have the same chicken affliction I do. They make it seem like a guilty pleasure or something....... Kind of like listening to 80's hair bands!!!

 

[liz9910]

Hi PetRock-

Thanks for this insight. I wish I could get to the point of eating my own chickens. At least I know what they have been fed and how they lived prior to becoming my dinner. But...... I am just not there yet. I hope to get there soon though

. Until I do I am happy to have someone raise them humanely and then make a tasty dinner if that is what they wish to do.

.

Gosh I was goofing off at work for just a few minutes today to post that question and I log back in tonight and there are 6-7 more pages to this thread already. Busy group!!!!

I am so happy that this forum exists. Everyone else looks at me like I am nuts. I may be nuts but I found a bunch more people that have the same chicken affliction I do.

They make it seem like a guilty pleasure or something....... Kind of like listening to 80's hair bands!!!

Hi, everyone I know thinks I'm nuts too, because I'm always talking about my chickens like they're people or something, "Mama chicken did this" etc etc lol.

 

[MrsMoonCat]

Hi, everyone I know thinks I'm nuts too, because I'm always talking about my chickens like they're people or something, "Mama chicken did this" etc etc lol.

Speaking of "mama chicken", how is the Broody and her little eggs?

 

[OR4-hmom]

Still in need a bantam pullet/hen, for a showmanship class!

onafixedincome is looking to re-home some bantam BBS orpingtons to specialized in seramas. If interested, just send her a PM. If she has any left when I get down that way I hope to bring some back with me.