Cluckers in Their New Digs! New Picture of Exterior

[latebloomer]

well they're in

i'm not quite finished yet, but here are the fifteen chicks in their coop.

ray on the right delivering the stink-eye

roost area with shower sides to catch the poop

ventilation

it's about eighty square feet so i can ultimately have eight chickens over the winter

 

[chicmom]

Looks good!

 

[bryan99705]

Very nice, have you considered sand vs chips. It clumps and cleans, with a narrow tine pitch fork, like kitty litter

 

[latebloomer]

Quote:
i think i will try it

have a little more chips to go through and then we'll see.

thanks for the tip.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

Quote:
X2

I switched from shavings to sand about 3 months ago and my only regret is not having done it sooner. Each morning after I toss out treats for the girls, I use a kitty litter scoop and pick up the droppings from the house. I pick up some of the bigger ones from the yard while I'm out there and toss it all into the compost bin.

This way, I know they are breathing clean, fresh air while back in their house laying eggs later in the morning.

And those few minutes I spend each morning save me from having to muck out the entire hen house once a week which took me quite a bit of time.

 

[latebloomer]

Quote:
X2

I switched from shavings to sand about 3 months ago and my only regret is not having done it sooner. Each morning after I toss out treats for the girls, I use a kitty litter scoop and pick up the droppings from the house. I pick up some of the bigger ones from the yard while I'm out there and toss it all into the compost bin.

This way, I know they are breathing clean, fresh air while back in their house laying eggs later in the morning.

And those few minutes I spend each morning save me from having to muck out the entire hen house once a week which took me quite a bit of time.

where are you guys buying your sand?

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

Quote:
i think i will try it

have a little more chips to go through and then we'll see.

thanks for the tip.

You can save the chips you have for their nest boxes. That's what I did. And you can also scatter it in their run so they are not on bare dirt. Lace it with black oiled sun flower seeds and your girls will be busy for HOURS.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

Quote:
X2

I switched from shavings to sand about 3 months ago and my only regret is not having done it sooner. Each morning after I toss out treats for the girls, I use a kitty litter scoop and pick up the droppings from the house. I pick up some of the bigger ones from the yard while I'm out there and toss it all into the compost bin.

This way, I know they are breathing clean, fresh air while back in their house laying eggs later in the morning.

And those few minutes I spend each morning save me from having to muck out the entire hen house once a week which took me quite a bit of time.

where are you guys buying your sand?

I buy mine from Orchard Supply Hardware (I think that's a west coast store) because they will put it in my car for me.

But I've seen the exact same sand at Lowes and Home Depot. I got the kids play box sand. I think it's $7 for a 50lb bag. And my hen house is small and I think I used about 1/3 of the bag to put in about two inches. I'm sure there is cheeper sand. It's heavy. That initial effort to get it in there is work but once it's in, you should be good for a long time.

Don't forget to spike it with DE so the mites don't set up shop.

 

[latebloomer]

i have some "tube" sand from the winter

think that'll work?

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

Quote:
I'm not familiar with Tube Sand so I'll let someone else reply. But provided it's just basic sand and doesn't have any chemicals or other things in it, I don't see why it wouldn't work. Sand is by nature gritty so I'm sure my chickens do eat it from time to time. I know they explore every corner of their house each day because after I've scooped up their droppings, I smooth out all the sand so it's even. And when I go out later to collect eggs, it's covered with their foot prints.