Coop of the Piedmont

[Roxbird]

By the 17th of March, we nailed down the roof using 12ft long sheets of 2ft 5V metal siding. This is the same type of material that we would later use for the walls of the coop. We also put up the middle frame around the structure as well as the frame for the door. On the 18th we put up the first wall on the back of the building. There are lots of predators around here. Known predators around here include red and gray foxes, black rat snakes, raccoons, opossums, striped skunks, neighbor dogs, hawks, owls and coyotes as well as mice and rats. It could be possible that we may even have weasels and bobcats, but I've never seen/heard any around here. Supposedly there have even been sightings of black bears on our very road, but I hope if there are, they're wary enough to stay away from human dwellings. Considering North Carolina recently established a bear hunting season in the central part of the state (beforehand, bear hunting seasons only existed in the mountains in the West, and the coastal swamps in the East), that will likely be the situation. As an anti predator measure, we buried the bottom few inches of the sheet metal down in the ground to impede burrowing predators from digging under the coop. The eaves of the roof create a gap large enough for anything that managed to get up the wall to easily get through so we covered this gap with hardware cloth. I'd rather cover it with wire than with something solid because it could get pretty stuffy in there in the summer. This will close the gap but still allow plenty of airflow.

 

[Roxbird]

On the 29th of March we put up the front wall of the coop. On the front wall the sheet metal only reaches halfway up the wall. The other half was covered with more hardware cloth to create a large window for lots of airflow in the muggy summers. When it gets colder I'll cover up part of it with plastic sheeting or something similar to keep in some warmth. Again the front eave creates a gap that we covered with hardware cloth. On the 2nd of April we put up the wall opposite the door. Now all that was left was to put up the door and the final wall.

 

[Roxbird]

On April 5th, Easter Sunday, we pretty much finished the coop. We first set up the three panels of sheet metal the required minimal trimming, bringing the final wall almost all the way to the door. For the door we simply made a rectangle of 2x4s with a 5th piece of 2x4 going through the middle. We covered the bottom half of the door with a sheet of scrap plywood I was able to pick up from the local lumber company for free, the top we covered with more hardware cloth to make another window. A simple pair of hinges and latch and the door was ready to go. After we hung the door we covered it with sheet metal and then cut the final piece of sheet metal in half and trimmed it to cover the two small gaps on either side of the door frame. Finally we simply nailed a 2x4 to the center frame to make a roost and it's basically ready to go. There were a few more things to touch up before we began working on the next coop.

 

[Roxbird]

Last weekend we put a little addition onto the roost. The original roost is a little high so hopefully this will give them a sort of stepping stone to the roost. Today my first babies were introduced to the coop. Things didn't go quite as planned, but you know how that is. Our local Southern States was supposed to be offering turkey poults today which was my day off. However the poults never arrived so I was unable to get any turkeys so it looks like we won't be having any this year. But, every cloud has a silver lining. I was determined not to let the day be a total loss. I went over to Tractor Supply Co. and picked up 15 chicks, 5 Leghorn pullets and a mix of red and white broilers. So at any rate my first babies are here now. It probably works out better this way anyway. Since turkeys are little harder to raise than chickens, I have a chance to get my feet wet and then maybe next year I'll get turkeys. Now I just have to wait a few more days until my order comes from the hatchery and I'll have the rest of my chickens and my ducks and geese.

 

[aart]

I think you're going to need more ventilation.....
will be curious to see how hot that metal building in full sun in NC gets.......put a thermometer in there.

 

[Roxbird]

It will get hot in the summer, however, when the birds are older, during the day the door will be left open to allow the birds to roam in their pen where there will be some shade and to allow more airflow into the coop. Not to mention there is an opening around the entire ceiling for hot air to move up and out. None the less I will certainly be keeping tabs on temperature.

 

[Roxbird]

Well, thank the LORD, I was able to get some turkey poults after all. A friend of a friend of a friend had some week old heritage turkeys for sale and I was able to get 1 Narragansett, 1 Spanish black, and 3 Royal Palms. I was hoping to put them in the same brooder with the chicks I already had, but it seems they were already too big for the turkeys and they kept pecking at them so I had to move them to the second brooder. I have three brooders set up and I was planning to use the second and third brooders for the chickens and waterfowl respectively that will be arriving next week. Now it seems I'll have to put the chickens and the waterfowl together in the third brooder. I think it will work though as long as I stay on top of cleaning. Just a few more days and all my birds will be here. The image inserter is acting funny for me right now so I'll have to upload pictures later.

 

[21hens-incharge]

NICE! I am glad you managed to get some turkeys.
Keeping ducklings with chicks can be tricky. I would put together another brooder myself. Messy ducklings can make the brooder very wet.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/to-brood-or-not-to-brood-baby-ducks-and-chicks-together

This has some good information on it. Ducks grow VERY fast too.

Royal Palm are my favorite turkey breed. Nice that you have found 3. Are you planning to breed them if you got a male and female?

 

[Roxbird]

Thanks for the link, that was pretty helpful. I simply don't have the materials at the moment to set up a fourth brooder, though I can get them together if I must. We'll play it by ear and if I have to separate them I can. As far as the turkeys go, I was really hoping to get some bronze turkeys this year (standard size bronze if I was going to breed any), as that is my favorite color variety. I do like some of the other breeds



including Royal Palm, but to my eyes, most of them are no improvement over the original wild coloring. I think Narragansett might be my favorite breed after bronze. None the less, when I found out he had 3 Royal Palms i certainly gave it some thought that if I got a nice looking Tom and hen, I might save them from slaughter and try to breed them for next year's flock. It's just one of those things we'll wait and see.

 

[21hens-incharge]

You may find some bronze yet. It is still early in the year.
You could also put a divider in the existing brooder if the ducks make it to messy.
I have brooded ducks and geese but it has been many years ago. I do remember the bedding always seemed wet and they would get a drink then sling water all over. Just wanted you to be prepared for possibly needing to change the bedding a LOT.