California - Northern

[zooweemama]

Wow! What a lot of work you've done! Looking great! Personally, I like the top configuration because it looks simpler to build, and the roosts are at the same level, so less squabbling. You could add a broody box along another side, but then would have to deal with chickens trying to roost on it. Maybe a storage cabinet on top?

Thanks. We underestimated how dilapidated the coop was until we started really tearing it apart. It's coming along and with some strategic planning it can last us a couple years at most. The bottom is being lined with a hard ware cloth floor- using 2x8 and 2x4s and attached the hard ware cloth to it then laying it inside the coop to keep out critters. We have a few little spaces to block off (like above the door and put hard ware cloth on the door and we should be able to move them in and add a temp roost while we build the boxes and poop board. I like the idea of a broody box with a shelf on top. We are trying to make everything removable so when we build bigger and better next year or the year after- we can re-use these things. I am trying to squeeze the most of the space. I think I can technically get 5 laying boxes below and I could section 1 off to be a broody box maybe.

I need to figure out how many chickens can fit on the poop board/roost. The coop is 8 feet across...doing the math I can fit up to 16 chickens in an 8x8 coop with 10x10 run. So I am wondering if the 7/8 feet of roost bar will be enough for them all or if I should do it 2 roost bars deep?

Anyone?

 

[ronott1]

Quote: I am down to 38 from 46. I will be selling a couple of FBC Marans pullets on Monday and it's time to process the Marans Cockerels soon. I am hatching for Megan, so won't be adding to mine(ok, I might get a couple of pullets from the Marraduna Basque eggs

). Hopefully I will get down to my breeding and laying pens soon.

 

[zooweemama]

I am down to 38 from 46. I will be selling a couple of FBC Marans pullets on Monday and it's time to process the Marans Cockerels soon. I am hatching for Megan, so won't be adding to mine(ok, I might get a couple of pullets from the Marraduna Basque eggs

). Hopefully I will get down to my breeding and laying pens soon.

Whew! Sounds like you are gonna be a busy guy soon! LOL Which breed do you have more of?

 

[ronott1]

Quote: Put in two roost bars of 8' each. 16 will be fine in there since you have the run area and you will be free ranging them some of the time.

Great Job on fixing up the old coop!

Ron

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Thanks. We underestimated how dilapidated the coop was until we started really tearing it apart. It's coming along and with some strategic planning it can last us a couple years at most. The bottom is being lined with a hard ware cloth floor- using 2x8 and 2x4s and attached the hard ware cloth to it then laying it inside the coop to keep out critters. We have a few little spaces to block off (like above the door and put hard ware cloth on the door and we should be able to move them in and add a temp roost while we build the boxes and poop board. I like the idea of a broody box with a shelf on top. We are trying to make everything removable so when we build bigger and better next year or the year after- we can re-use these things. I am trying to squeeze the most of the space. I think I can technically get 5 laying boxes below and I could section 1 off to be a broody box maybe.

I need to figure out how many chickens can fit on the poop board/roost. The coop is 8 feet across...doing the math I can fit up to 16 chickens in an 8x8 coop with 10x10 run. So I am wondering if the 7/8 feet of roost bar will be enough for them all or if I should do it 2 roost bars deep?

Anyone?

The general advice is 12" per bird, but mine all cram themselves together, so you can probably get by with less. 9 pullets are currently using about 6' of roost space (out of 16' available in ladder style setup-- everyone wants to be on the top level!)

 

[zooweemama]

The general advice is 12" per bird, but mine all cram themselves together, so you can probably get by with less. 9 pullets are currently using about 6' of roost space (out of 16' available in ladder style setup-- everyone wants to be on the top level!)

Ok so if I do it 2 roosts deep there is plenty of room being offered to a possible 16 chickens. My chickens will be big. Big ole Orpingtons and BC Marans. Specially those puffy Orps. LOL I will have more of them it looks like. Thank you so much!

 

[ronott1]

Quote: It's a tie between the Heritage RIRs and the EO Basque at seven each. I am not keeping the RIRs as breeders. I will have three EO Basque pullets and one or two cockerels of those, so they will be the most. I will be breeding the Cream Legbars and currently have three cockerels and two pullets of those. I am going to hatch out a batch of the CLs as soon as I can and try to get four pullets. I should keep two cockerels for breeding. I plan on keeping two of the Heritage RIRs and selling two of my Hatchery RIRs.

Sadly, the Sherriff(Mary from Auburn) lost her breeding rooster last night. She now has to get another one and due to bio security, she wants to hatch her own from eggs, so it will take a while for hers to get going again. She can grab eggs from her pullets for a couple of weeks, so she could get some going now, but it is late in the year for getting production going. The new rooster would be ready in 5 or 6 months.

Quite tragic and sad for her....

Bye

 

[zooweemama]

It's a tie between the Heritage RIRs and the EO Basque at seven each. I am not keeping the RIRs as breeders. I will have three EO Basque pullets and one or two cockerels of those, so they will be the most. I will be breeding the Cream Legbars and currently have three cockerels and two pullets of those. I am going to hatch out a batch of the CLs as soon as I can and try to get four pullets. I should keep two cockerels for breeding. I plan on keeping two of the Heritage RIRs and selling two of my Hatchery RIRs.

Sadly, the Sherriff(Mary from Auburn) lost her breeding rooster last night. She now has to get another one and due to bio security, she wants to hatch her own from eggs, so it will take a while for hers to get going again. She can grab eggs from her pullets for a couple of weeks, so she could get some going now, but it is late in the year for getting production going. The new rooster would be ready in 5 or 6 months.

Quite tragic and sad for her....

Bye

Oh no!!! That's awful! What happened to him??

 

[ronott1]

Quote: He got an infection that did not get better so he was culled to end his suffering.

Quite sad.

Ron

 

[zooweemama]

He got an infection that did not get better so he was culled to end his suffering.

Quite sad.

Ron

Aww that is very sad. Sometimes things happen so unpredictably with animals. That stresses me out about all of this. I hope she has good luck with her first hatch!