Consolidated Kansas

[Ivywoods]

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There is someone to the northeast of you that has some really nice silver laced wyandottes. Correct me if I"m wrong, but I believe it's Katie her on BYC. Barred rocks are pretty easy to find, and there are a few WCBP's around. I'm not too sure about the speckled sussex.

 

[tazcat70]

Yes Katy has wonderful silver laced and blue laced red wyandottes. She also has Orps.

 

[OzawkieBantams]

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Ozawkie's post office will not allow shipping of birds either side until fall because of the heat. Great practice IMHO!

 

[chicken danz]

Aw who cares about your opinion???

Just kidding of course! I hooked up with someone who has some more Lady Amhurst from last summer. I'm going to buy a couple more hens. This is exciting.

 

[chicken danz]

Hawkeye, Just keep your eyes open. I am sure you will find the chicks at a good price, especially the nearer to fall you get. Get to work on that coop! Time flies faster than you think when you are doing these projects. I have two pens and two coops I need to have done right now and I haven't even started.

 

[Ivywoods]

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.....and I've got a barn to build HOPEFULLY before the snow flies! I've got the old one pretty well cleaned up but haven't even started the new one. If I don't get it done, things are going to get awful crowded this winter! I don't really want that.

 

[chicken danz]

Well my big chicken house project and pens that were supposed to be done last summer haven't even been started yet. I really need to hire someone to do it for me but then there's this problem called money. I spend all my money on feed which leaves nothing left for building projects. I'm great at finding bargains and recycling products to work for me but I lack time and strength. My better half is tired of my projects and says we need to slow down. That doesn't make the need disappear however.
Winter is going to hurt because I won't have chicks to sell and the birds can't find much to forage for if I let them out like I do now.
Downsize? Not a chance!

 

[Ivywoods]

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Sounds familiar. We have so many projects going that we haven't made the new poultry barn a priority. We like to do things ourselves, and we try to save a little money on things like this since they are essentially a hobby project. We are pretty good a adaptive re-use and recycling. It does take longer that way, though.

I'm hoping once I get the new barn done it will simplify some of my chores. At least then I will be able to keep everything in one place, rather than chickens in 3 or 4 different places, feed somewhere else, water about 100 yards away, etc.

 

[Hawkeye95]

I must be losing my marbles over here, because last night I dreamed of chicks! Chicks everywhere! My coop was finished, too. Definitely a dream. We're headed out the second week of July to go on vacation and my DH doesn't want to start anything before then. (such a downer) So funny listening to you all banter back and forth about your up coming projects! The more I look at the chicks for sale, I find myself talking myself into "one more". I'm going to do an 8X8 coop- that should be big enough for 10 chicks, yes?? Could it hold more? (and a turkey of course) How long should the run be?

BTW- are Lady Amherst pheasant? I had to google them to see what they were. They didn't look like chickens, to me!

 

[chicken danz]

Lady Amhurst are pheasants. It's one of these fevers. You start with one type bird and the fever spreads. Pretty soon you have all kinds. That's why you always need to think bigger when you are building.
An 8 X 8 is a nice size and will give room if you want to add a few more chickens. 2 sq ft per chicken is the rule for housing adults. But remember if you build roosts and stuff that also adds square feet going up. This works if they have plenty of outside room to run as well. My chickens only use their houses for laying, sleeping, occasional shade, and winter weather. They all prefer to be outside and it also helps the feed bill. As far as the run goes, make it as big as you can. More space means less maintenance and better health for your birds.
Ivywoods,
I have purchased about $300 worth of automatic watering system parts to go in my new building. I'm working on a large feed system but haven't figured it out yet. I'd like to feed from a central location. Don't want to spend more money though. And that would be great but I have extra pens of special chickens that have their own little houses and pens. Then I have 3 kinds of ducks, and guineas and now 3 kinds of pheasant that all have pens elsewhere. I can't fit them all into one central area because they have different needs and different atmospheres.
I guess I have shot myself in the foot, and I occasionally think of downsizing. Then I see something else I just have to have. So I guess until I can't pay to feed them any more I'll probably continue to have more projects.