DRotblatt
In the Brooder
New to Chickens and this forum...Hello!
Though I've thought about raising chickens for some time, it was prodding from my 14 y.o. son who pushed me to take on this project. We built a coop and run this summer as a joint project.
Of course 3 weeks ago, about a week before it was done (right after we got all the screen on the run), we are driving down the hill into town, and what do we see on the side of the road? Yup...a chicken (and a very beautiful one at that). We live in coyote country, so a loose chicken is dinner so we stopped to catch her. It was around 6:00, and she led us on a merry chase for the next hour. I finally used my brains, and remembered that they are easy to catch when roosting, and since she kept jumping into a low scrub oak and seemed to want to roost, we chased it into the tree then my son and I went out to dinner and I returned at 9:00 to find her snoozing on the branch. I just grabbed her off the branch, easy as pie. Put up some posters, but no one has claimed her, so she was the first of our flock. Turns out she is a Grey Silver Dorking (or Silver Grey Dorking) - somewhat a rare breed now
Last week we got our 5 pullets, had to divide the run to separate the Dorking, now named Bella (for Isabella Bird...look it up, we are naming our birds after notable women from history). We got a variety of breeds (Barred Rock, Buff Orpington, Rhode Island Red (Lucy - Lucille Ball), Easter Egger (Frida - Frida Kohlo), and a Black Austrolorp).
We built a 4x4 coop with an 85 sq ft run, all fenced in with hardware cloth (We live in the hills in Los Angeles area, in Topanga, and theres lots of Wildlife: coyotes, hawks, raccoons, opossums...). I love making stuff, so I put in an automatic watering system and made a feeder from sewer pipe. Both work well. I also made a automatic door to the coop so it closes and opens at dawn and dusk since I like to sleep in.
I'm off now to get some mulch to cover the bottom of the run with. I'm using the deep litter method in the coop, so far there's just pine shavings and a little DE and some chicken poop.
The biggest challenge so far is teaching the stupid birds to go into the coop at night. They are starting to get it. Last night I put a flashlight in the coop before sunset (they have such poor night vision that I figured it was just looked like the black hole to hell for them). 3 out of 5 went in. I think the two stayed on the door ledge cause it was so hot....over 100 degrees F here yesterday and today.
Ah well....Cheers All and Hello! Your site has been the best resource I've found so far!
Dan and Dave (my son)
Here's Bella:
The Coop and Run:
Though I've thought about raising chickens for some time, it was prodding from my 14 y.o. son who pushed me to take on this project. We built a coop and run this summer as a joint project.
Of course 3 weeks ago, about a week before it was done (right after we got all the screen on the run), we are driving down the hill into town, and what do we see on the side of the road? Yup...a chicken (and a very beautiful one at that). We live in coyote country, so a loose chicken is dinner so we stopped to catch her. It was around 6:00, and she led us on a merry chase for the next hour. I finally used my brains, and remembered that they are easy to catch when roosting, and since she kept jumping into a low scrub oak and seemed to want to roost, we chased it into the tree then my son and I went out to dinner and I returned at 9:00 to find her snoozing on the branch. I just grabbed her off the branch, easy as pie. Put up some posters, but no one has claimed her, so she was the first of our flock. Turns out she is a Grey Silver Dorking (or Silver Grey Dorking) - somewhat a rare breed now
Last week we got our 5 pullets, had to divide the run to separate the Dorking, now named Bella (for Isabella Bird...look it up, we are naming our birds after notable women from history). We got a variety of breeds (Barred Rock, Buff Orpington, Rhode Island Red (Lucy - Lucille Ball), Easter Egger (Frida - Frida Kohlo), and a Black Austrolorp).
We built a 4x4 coop with an 85 sq ft run, all fenced in with hardware cloth (We live in the hills in Los Angeles area, in Topanga, and theres lots of Wildlife: coyotes, hawks, raccoons, opossums...). I love making stuff, so I put in an automatic watering system and made a feeder from sewer pipe. Both work well. I also made a automatic door to the coop so it closes and opens at dawn and dusk since I like to sleep in.
I'm off now to get some mulch to cover the bottom of the run with. I'm using the deep litter method in the coop, so far there's just pine shavings and a little DE and some chicken poop.
The biggest challenge so far is teaching the stupid birds to go into the coop at night. They are starting to get it. Last night I put a flashlight in the coop before sunset (they have such poor night vision that I figured it was just looked like the black hole to hell for them). 3 out of 5 went in. I think the two stayed on the door ledge cause it was so hot....over 100 degrees F here yesterday and today.
Ah well....Cheers All and Hello! Your site has been the best resource I've found so far!
Dan and Dave (my son)
Here's Bella:
The Coop and Run:
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