FLORIDA!!!!!ALWAYS SUNNY SIDE UP!!!

[N F C]

We had a very successful swap. Most people sold what they brought. I sold all of the birds I took. Should have taken more birds, I could have sold them. I'm taking my culls unless someone specifically asks for a show quality bird. Most people are looking for egg layers. I do have a lot of nice potential show quality. I will be showing at the CFPBA Poultry Show this next weekend in Inverness, FL, at the Citrus County fairgrounds auditorium.

Congratulations on a great day at the swap!

 

[Ajensen2713]

If you don't have a coop beware of aerial predators. I have had hawks and owls kill birds in the past. Now all of my pens are covered with heavy duty netting and have not lost any birds since I put up the netting. You may be able to see it in some of the pictures. The one picture with no tarps over the open side was taken before I put the netting and I was loosing birds out of them. I put my game camera up and that is how I discovered it was an owl killing them. Good luck and have fun...

It will be completely enclosed run with a permanent roof, I only have 3 hens but I'm building it for up to 6 since I wont be able to let them free range. I'll post pictures once I start building. I am having a lot of fun designing and planning
Thanks again for the advice!

 

[adjduncan]

These are our coops. They have automatic water system that keeps fresh water to the birds. I'm so lucky to have a handy husband who will build my chickens these lovely homes.

 

[Seatrout00]

These are our coops. They have automatic water system that keeps fresh water to the birds. I'm so lucky to have a handy husband who will build my chickens these lovely homes.

These are our coops. They have automatic water system that keeps fresh water to the birds. I'm so lucky to have a handy husband who will build my chickens these lovely homes.

You are indeed, blessed!

 

[Seatrout00]

Welcome to Florida chickens.

I"m a Melbourne'ite and as I saw in other posts, I have a "cold weather" coop and am building a run where I expect they'll be most of the time in the summer. My run and coop is in the back yard with little shade so, I'm planting a Crape Myrtle (fast grower) inside the run and sunflowers around the outside. Sunflowers will be dual purpose: shade and food.

Have fun with yours. Ask questions. We're all pretty friendly.

This may be a no brainer, but I just wanted to remind you that the girls need to stay dry. A wet coop is a breeding ground for disease of all kinds, not to mention magnifies the smell. That said, if you can keep your coop-run area dry without enclosing it, I think you'll be good to go. Predator proof is a toughie too - hardware cloth is absolutely the way to go. Don't forget the critters that know how to dig under your coop-run area and get into the fencing and eat what they like - use paving stones or rocks (if you can find some in Florida) to block off the ground along your fencing.

 

[nanasacres]

These are our coops. They have automatic water system that keeps fresh water to the birds. I'm so lucky to have a handy husband who will build my chickens these lovely homes.

That is very nice! What are the dimensions of coop and run? Could we see inside the coop? Just what I've been looking for.

 

[cmom]

These are our coops. They have automatic water system that keeps fresh water to the birds. I'm so lucky to have a handy husband who will build my chickens these lovely homes.

Looks great. All of my coops have auto waterers. I love them too. I do squirt them out once a week because they do get sand in them from the birds pecking around in the sand and it gets on their beaks and it gets into the water bowls. Hopefully all of the pictures we post will inspire others who are considering getting their own birds and give other people ideas who are going to, or are building coops and runs/pens. Good luck and have fun!!!


This is an old picture and we have added 3 more coops since this was taken, and added shade/rain tables on all of the pens, but all of the coops have the auto waterers.
There is a bracket attached to the pvc pipe to make it more ridged. the pvc is 3/4" pipe.

 

[ICB42]

Where did you guys get the automatic watering bowls... We need something else for our birds and I'm interested in that!!

 

[cmom]

Where did you guys get the automatic watering bowls... We need something else for our birds and I'm interested in that!!

Here are a few places. They are made by Little Giant. Most every hatchery carries them. They are the best things. I used to use 5 gallon waters in all of the coops/pens. Originally I had the auto waterers inside the coops until I had a couple malfunction and had water all over the floor in the coops they were in. Since I have put them all outside the coops but left the pipes inside and drilled a hole in the wall and put the pipes through the walls. I have a shut off valve also in each of the coops so I can shut off the water to that particular coop if I need to. I posted some links at the bottom. Good luck and have fun...

The 5 gallon Double Wall Fount






http://www.amazon.com/Little-Giant-...303&sr=8-2&keywords=automatic+chicken+waterer
http://www.strombergschickens.com/prod_detail_list/Automatic-Founts
https://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/automatic_water_bowls.html

 

[cmom]

This is also some I have. I always keep some waterers handy in case something happens to our well. These just take the lid off and fill but they have to be level. Tractor Supply Company has them. The best thing about them is if a little dirt gets in the water, it can't get back into the bucket. The water can only go out of the bucket so the water inside the bucket stays clean.
http://www.amazon.com/Harris-4234-5...006ZJHDNM/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

I also have these and to me they are a bit of a pain since I have several coops. Wouldn't be bad if I just had one coop.