Colorado

[21hens-incharge]

I heard this about the Orpingtons & the Australorps when I was looking for breeds to order. Good to hear it from an actual person!

Completely unrelated, but what kind of square footage does everyone with 20+ chickens have for their coops? It's been becoming more obvious I'm not going to be physically capable of building my own coop so I'm looking into prebuilt sheds from cumberlandbuildings.com but I'm having a hard time doing the math for the square footage I'll need for a total of anywhere between 20-30 chickens. They'll have separate areas in the coop & separate attached pens, with free range time. I won't be breeding certain flocks for awhile, but if I'm going with the prebuilt I want to make sure I'll have enough room for that in the future. If any of that makes sense to anyone. I'm super tired & feel like I'm talking/writing like the Charlie Brown adults sound.

I have to say the Australorps are my favorite by far. Super mellow and super good layers.

I have an 8x14 structure for my flock. Currently it houses the 19 adults but I am replacing most of that flock with the little ones in the brooder. It can handle comfortably 28 laying hens. My run is 16x20 and that can handle up to 30 hens. With the little ones and the ones DH is to attached to to let me cull out I will be a little long on hens with 29 in the coop.
DH really likes the BO so I got him 3 new ones. They are so sweet and actually rather quiet. Chicken math hit while I was at Kiowa and I came home with unplanned little chicks making it so I cannot add but one BA this time. It is ok though since I ended up with so many Brahma and so far they are awesome.

Cumberland has some really nice looking structures.

I think this will jog your memory of the coop my ladies share.


This is of the west wall showing the windows I made.


This is the inside while it was still under construction for the windows. I added two roost boards on the wall that the sad single nest box is sitting against.
I am thinking with 29 hens I need to add 2 more roosts.

 

[uzisuzuki]

I have to say the Australorps are my favorite by far. Super mellow and super good layers. I have an 8x14 structure for my flock. Currently it houses the 19 adults but I am replacing most of that flock with the little ones in the brooder. It can handle comfortably 28 laying hens. My run is 16x20 and that can handle up to 30 hens. With the little ones and the ones DH is to attached to to let me cull out I will be a little long on hens with 29 in the coop. DH really likes the BO so I got him 3 new ones. They are so sweet and actually rather quiet. Chicken math hit while I was at Kiowa and I came home with unplanned little chicks making it so I cannot add but one BA this time. It is ok though since I ended up with so many Brahma and so far they are awesome. Cumberland has some really nice looking structures. I think this will jog your memory of the coop my ladies share. This is of the west wall showing the windows I made. This is the inside while it was still under construction for the windows. I added two roost boards on the wall that the sad single nest box is sitting against. I am thinking with 29 hens I need to add 2 more roosts.

Yes, you were the one I was thinking of! Thank you for reposting you pics. I figured I could build the roosts/poop boards/nesting boxes/more ventilation/etc, but building an actual housing structure is not something I could do on my own. Thank you so much again!

 

[21hens-incharge]

I agree that building the entire structure alone is daunting. My DH helped me with the heavy stuff but I did do most of the work on this one. I do have a TON of construction experience though so I was confident in my efforts.
Heck I build industrial equipment for a living and every house I have lived in has been remodeled by me. Kind of proud of being able to be a do it myselfer but that does not mean everyone could or should do it themselves.
I think Cumberland has some really nice structures. I just hope they do not gouge you on the price. Don't forget that Lowes sometimes has show model sheds for sale at a reduced cost and can deliver too.




Mostly I am just to cheap to pay someone to do it for me. Stubborn penny pincher that I am lol.

 

[copinkvw]

Hello all!!!
I am from Colorado springs and have had chickens before, 2 hens that layed greenish colored eggs not sure what they were but it's been about 5 yrs since and I am interested in getting silkies. My eight yr old son is wanting to raise them and possibly show them, is there anyone in the springs or close that has silkies for sale? Also is there anyone willing to have my son and I over to look at your set up? He would really like to get into a class that he can learn how to raise chickens, or maybe a club he can join to learn everything he needs to know? Obviously I will be there supervising and making sure the chickens are well taken care of. My son is a cub scout and would really like to earn some badges by taking care of and raising chickens!

Thanks Everyone!
Ashley

 

[Mtn Margie]

Hello all!!!
I am from Colorado springs and have had chickens before, 2 hens that layed greenish colored eggs not sure what they were but it's been about 5 yrs since and I am interested in getting silkies. My eight yr old son is wanting to raise them and possibly show them, is there anyone in the springs or close that has silkies for sale? Also is there anyone willing to have my son and I over to look at your set up? He would really like to get into a class that he can learn how to raise chickens, or maybe a club he can join to learn everything he needs to know? Obviously I will be there supervising and making sure the chickens are well taken care of. My son is a cub scout and would really like to earn some badges by taking care of and raising chickens!

Thanks Everyone!
Ashley

and this CO thread! I am sure someone from the CS area will get you set up. Good luck and it sounds like a wonderful plan for your son.

 

[ColoBecky]

Hello, I have an order of bantams chicks arriving April 3. They are sexed bantam pullets from Cackle Hatchery. I will have a few extras of the following: Dominiqe, Rhode Island Red, and Golden-laced Cochin. I will sell them for $10 each, which is same price I paid for them. Let me know if you are interested. I am located in Denver.

 

[COChix]

Nope, I have the Swedish flower hens.

Thanks, I thought I might have confused it.

That's a bummer. This is what I'm getting worried about with my 4 eggs. I keep expecting something to go wrong next week when they're supposed to hatch since nothing has gone wrong yet. Obviously, my expecting the worst all the time wasn't affected by my brain trauma like everything else. Did you, or anyone else on the thread, have any issues with your humidity for lockdown? We are super dry out in our area and while thus far it hasn't seemed like an issue I know that the humidity should be raised for lockdown and, of course, I'm worrying ahead of time about it.

There is a link in the Natural Thread ( I believe) about hatching and that really humidity hasn't played apart for them...I will see if I can find since I scribe to the thread.

Tonight at 8:00 is 21 days that my eggs have been under my broody hen. She was just out taking a break, and I snuck a peek in the nest... An egg has pipped! The hen switched nests earlier this week while I was away having dinner, and when I got back the eggs were all cooled off, and I was worried they had all died. So far, just one pip, but I'm hoping for more tonight!! And here is my new foster mom. She was a little too shifty, and kept changing nests, so I transferred her eggs to another broody and gave her a little clutch of chicks. She took to them immediately, and is making a great mom so far. She was recently named Big Mamma.

Love it, thanks for sharing. I am hoping to have a couple broodies soon, next couple weeks.

Hey Peeps. Hope you're all doing well. I haven't posted here in quite a while. Something called life keeps getting in the way. I'm getting 4 Buff Orpingtons from Kiowa on April 4th and I'm wondering if any of you have an opinion of the breed. Everything I've read says they are good layers, cold hardy and docile. When I researched Barred Plymouth Rocks they said the same thing but they forgot to mention mischievous. My BR's are always getting into the garden.

We have a Buff Orph roo and we started with two. They are very docile, never challenged me or my BF. We can catch fairly easy and they are easy to handle once he is caught. Loves to eat BOSS out of our hands. Mellow personalities.

Bought 4 three month old EE today!! So excited to see what color their eggs are!!

Yea can't wait.

I have to say the Australorps are my favorite by far. Super mellow and super good layers. I have an 8x14 structure for my flock. Currently it houses the 19 adults but I am replacing most of that flock with the little ones in the brooder. It can handle comfortably 28 laying hens. My run is 16x20 and that can handle up to 30 hens. With the little ones and the ones DH is to attached to to let me cull out I will be a little long on hens with 29 in the coop. DH really likes the BO so I got him 3 new ones. They are so sweet and actually rather quiet. Chicken math hit while I was at Kiowa and I came home with unplanned little chicks making it so I cannot add but one BA this time. It is ok though since I ended up with so many Brahma and so far they are awesome. Cumberland has some really nice looking structures. I think this will jog your memory of the coop my ladies share. This is of the west wall showing the windows I made. This is the inside while it was still under construction for the windows. I added two roost boards on the wall that the sad single nest box is sitting against. I am thinking with 29 hens I need to add 2 more roosts.

Love it.

and this CO thread! I am sure someone from the CS area will get you set up. Good luck and it sounds like a wonderful plan for your son.

Sorry screwed up quotes, meant for person who asked it. What about @trsturself in Parker or Elizabeth might have silkies. PM her as she is notnactive on the thread. Google Flaming Arrow blog or web Colorado. Probably be able to email her from there.

 

[Double Kindness]

Well.. it looks like i now have started hatching ee x ayam cemani chicks 2 hatched a couple days early.. i thought these would be the last covered by my salmon favorelle x wellsummer x light brahma roo, but black faces, black skin, black feet out of blue shelled eggs. Anyone wanna buy some chicks?

 

[swift081702]

I have 18 Black Australorp eggs in my Brinsea Eco20, I purchased from a show breeder in Florida. Anyone interested in these for their home flocks or 4H? I'll sell most of these off, just wanting a few for myself. We're in Kiowa, but can meet in Castle Rock, Parker or South Denver.

Also, looking at trying our hand at meat birds. Does anyone know of a processor near Parker/Elizabeth/Kiowa? What are the best birds for meat? This is all new to us!

Thanks!!

 

[Double Kindness]

Mountain Mom did meat birds last year in ft collins I process my own birds (roos only so far and drakes) and I admit, I need a plucker. It's on the short list.

Most common meat birds are cx or rangers. I raise white bresse, which are more of a fancy meat breed taking longer to mature.