Eastern Tennessee Thread

[tnchickenut]

I agree. They look small, difficult to clean, not much ventilation & did not see windows for light. It looks like it would make a better play house than a chicken coop to me.

the company makes playhouses... coops were a afterthought (obviously)... they also make sheds and you don't want to know the price of those!!

 

[littlechicklet]

What do you think? I think she could stand to be a bit more "plump" or rounder chest, depending on how you talk chicken. Still her plumage is outstanding. She is a bantam Barnevelder, btw... and they are a breed I don't see ever cutting out.

Her plumage is outstanding. I like a rounder chest personally. I don't know anything about bantams but some of my LF developed more heft in their breast with age (maybe because they were getting old?)

 

[littlechicklet]

the company makes playhouses... coops were a afterthought (obviously)... they also make sheds and you don't want to know the price of those!!

We usually find something we like & do our version of it. By our version I mean: cut costs, use what we have & improvise. At our house we call it cobbling something together. I am completely rethinking coop designs. I am beginning to wonder why I want one I can walk in and am considering building lower height with doors to access inside for cleaning. I am thinking as long as they have the square footage they need why does it need to be 6-8 feet tall?

 

[Lunar]

Evening folks!

Might I have a newbie moment??

I was wondering if I can get a few of you to tell me what brand of feed you use? I have a limited list of brands and such and was wondering what to use. I have a Tractor supply with the usual Dumor, but they also sell Manna Pro in the medicated chick feed. Is that a good brand? I used to use it for my Guinea Pigs and it was a good food, but since I am a rookie on chickens, I am asking first.

I also wondered about the plastic totes/tubs everyone is using for brooders...do you still need a 250w bulb in that indoors? My tote is 32"L x 19"W x 13"H. I am going to try for 3 Golden Buff chicks (unless I can talk the hubby into a couple silkie chicks as well

) I drool over Partridge Silkies.....but back to the task at hand. I can't seem to find a thermometer anywhere right now, so I can't test this tote yet. I don't want to cook them, but since its a bit large and there will only be 3, I don't want them to get chilled either. I raised button quail in this tote and they did fine with less heat, but they had mom in there. So you tell me.

Thanks for any/all info I can gather from you pro's.

 

[littlechicklet]

Evening folks!

Might I have a newbie moment??

I was wondering if I can get a few of you to tell me what brand of feed you use? I have a limited list of brands and such and was wondering what to use. I have a Tractor supply with the usual Dumor, but they also sell Manna Pro in the medicated chick feed. Is that a good brand? I used to use it for my Guinea Pigs and it was a good food, but since I am a rookie on chickens, I am asking first.

I also wondered about the plastic totes/tubs everyone is using for brooders...do you still need a 250w bulb in that indoors? My tote is 32"L x 19"W x 13"H. I am going to try for 3 Golden Buff chicks (unless I can talk the hubby into a couple silkie chicks as well

) I drool over Partridge Silkies.....but back to the task at hand. I can't seem to find a thermometer anywhere right now, so I can't test this tote yet. I don't want to cook them, but since its a bit large and there will only be 3, I don't want them to get chilled either. I raised button quail in this tote and they did fine with less heat, but they had mom in there. So you tell me.

Thanks for any/all info I can gather from you pro's.

Others can probably answer you questions better than I can but I will tell you what I do.

I went to Lowe's & got a dishwasher box, cut it down to the size I wanted, taped up the seams, put a panel from a large indoor dog crate on top, hung the light from the panel, used a regular 100w bulb with a dimmer switch, also bought a $2 thermometer at Lowe's in the garden center & dropped in the box under the light. I personally think a heat bulb would be too much. If you use the dimmer switch you can adjust to get the temp where you want it and you can also raise or lower the light & change wattage to get temps corrected. If you go to my profile page & click the Orp folder you can kinda see it.

As far as food goes I use either TSC Dumor or Purina because they are available & close.

BTW:

& welcome to the E. TN thread.

 

[tnchickenut]

Her plumage is outstanding. I like a rounder chest personally. I don't know anything about bantams but some of my LF developed more heft in their breast with age (maybe because they were getting old?)

She is about 5 months old. I'm hoping she gets a little more round... she is kinda round but not like she swallowed a ball.

 

[tnchickenut]

We usually find something we like & do our version of it. By our version I mean: cut costs, use what we have & improvise. At our house we call it cobbling something together. I am completely rethinking coop designs. I am beginning to wonder why I want one I can walk in and am considering building lower height with doors to access inside for cleaning. I am thinking as long as they have the square footage they need why does it need to be 6-8 feet tall?

most of mine are shorter. You can stand bent over in them. It saves costs, but also in winter they don't lose heat in the ceiling.

That said, if I could have whatever I wanted I would have a building... literally a building with foundation and all, with drains in the floor and rooms that are really the "coops" like a chicken barn. Now I said it outloud and someone will copy. LOL!!!! If I won the lottery that is what I would do for my breeding birds.

 

[Lunar]

Thanks for the info littlechicklet! I am gonna try the stuff I have and if that doesn't work, I will back up...and punt. I will see how it goes. I have a few different bulbs to try.

BTW, I love your mini coop pix. I am converting a huge dog house that was given to me. It was built for a Saint Bernard, but could house a family of 4. It has floor space of 4' x 5'. I have added 3 nest boxes to the back side and roosts inside. I am hoping to get it painted and we drilled a hole to run a strand of rope lights around the inside of the roof and if needed, a heat lamp. I have also been looking at some coop heater mats. I am intending to start with 3 Golden Buffs/Comets, so they should have more than plenty of room in this thing. We put a sliding door on the front to cover the entrance at night and we cut a couple vents and covered them with wire. This thing has almost new 30yr shingles on it and has a porch that sticks out about 2 feet on the front. So they can sit outside and be out of the weather. We are building a run to attach that is also covered and pretty spacious. My little girls will have room to roam. If I can find a place that sells that few at a time.



@ tnchickenut your Barnevelder is pretty. I keep seeing these diff breeds and ooo-ing and ahhh-ing over and my hubby says nooooo and nahhhhh

 

[littlechicklet]

most of mine are shorter. You can stand bent over in them. It saves costs, but also in winter they don't lose heat in the ceiling.

That said, if I could have whatever I wanted I would have a building... literally a building with foundation and all, with drains in the floor and rooms that are really the "coops" like a chicken barn. Now I said it outloud and someone will copy. LOL!!!! If I won the lottery that is what I would do for my breeding birds.

LOL. You and me both. I would have one of those really nice steel buildings built complete with concrete floor w/drains, windows, fans, etc. I would also buy lots of property. A girl can dream right?

 

[tnchickenut]

Evening folks!

Might I have a newbie moment??

I was wondering if I can get a few of you to tell me what brand of feed you use? I have a limited list of brands and such and was wondering what to use. I have a Tractor supply with the usual Dumor, but they also sell Manna Pro in the medicated chick feed. Is that a good brand? I used to use it for my Guinea Pigs and it was a good food, but since I am a rookie on chickens, I am asking first.

I also wondered about the plastic totes/tubs everyone is using for brooders...do you still need a 250w bulb in that indoors? My tote is 32"L x 19"W x 13"H. I am going to try for 3 Golden Buff chicks (unless I can talk the hubby into a couple silkie chicks as well

) I drool over Partridge Silkies.....but back to the task at hand. I can't seem to find a thermometer anywhere right now, so I can't test this tote yet. I don't want to cook them, but since its a bit large and there will only be 3, I don't want them to get chilled either. I raised button quail in this tote and they did fine with less heat, but they had mom in there. So you tell me.

Thanks for any/all info I can gather from you pro's.

I use Dumor (Dumor IS Purina... save the money and just get Dumor - just like Great Value milk is Mayfield. Fact. I know people who work on the line at Mayfield) Anyways... manna pro might be good food but MY GOD does chicken poo stink on it!! Plus, unless you just have one or two chickens, it's not cost effective. That is up to you, though... but I feed about 100 chickens, so Dumor is good.

As for brooders.... I have used cardboard, I have used metal troughs, plastic troughs, rubbermaid containers and my first chickens were in a baby pool. It does not really matter so long as they can't get out and they have a way to get away from the heat.... and you have a way to clamp the light so you don't burn the house down.
Which way was my favorite? The baby pool with cardboard walls around that. Why have I only done that once then? Because I didn't think it through and couldnt' get the pool out without making a mess. LMAO TRUE STORY!! I use black plastic troughs more often than not... they are high enough to keep them in for the first month. You'll be surprised... they get their wings, but then their tail feathers allow them to LIFT... then you are in trouble. LOL