Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Kris5902]

I should probably add in about the Giant Land Chickens… I have mostly sworn off of them for the time being. Unless I can have a reasonable amount of control/input into their management I cannot work with them, it breaks my heart. Two have come up lame, several are being shipped to auction. They tried to ship Gus to auction as well being such a scary aggressive bull… but his former owner was the drover and took him home instead. “Can’t figure out why they didn’t want him, he’s beautiful, great conformation, such a good temperament…???” You can clearly see the aggressive nature in this picture… no zoom, no fence, he was getting cheek scritches from DH! Lol

Circa late October or early November, 2021

 

[micstrachan]

Well?…… you have tools. And your birds call that coop “ home “

Have you seen it? It’s 12 feet tall with a 5x8 footprint. It’s not coming with us.

 

[micstrachan]

That looks nice and quality made! While it isn't as much space as they are used to, you could fence in underneath and add a pen (like second pic.), and they will then have a reasonable amount of total space, plus fully covered space (with under the coop) Just an FYI: if you fence in under the coop, hinge the front panel so you can lift & access a chicken if needed and/or rake out poop periodically. Said someone with experience! lol.

I don't know how much space they have now, but I got this (to be moveable, but you could put it on 2X4s and lay bricks, patio blocks, etc around the perimeter and or fasten wire along the base - fanned out - to make a secure run.)



I would do 3 modifications to this pen:
1) put it on 2X4 lumber base so fencing goes all the way to the bottom.
2) Use wire mesh, not the chicken wire that comes with it. (I actually used the chicken wire, folded in 1/2, as perimeter fencing - on the ground for another pen to prevent digging in)
3) added small lumber to one side so I could make a chicken pop-door & add a roost diagonally across back corner.

It makes a great pen (not a coop as they advertise). It is reasonably sturdy and a decent price...and you could get a larger one (they have a longer one) or get 2 and put them together in whatever configuration. Tarp it comes with covers whole roof, and you could wrap sides with clear for winter.

Nice! Yes, I’m looking at something like thag for a run. And yes, I’ll swap out hardware cloth.

 

[micstrachan]

I bet your hubby could also get scrap timber for doing perches, etc. And a prefab garden shed those 8x8 metal ones are likely pretty inexpensive...

As for skill my suggestion is to go on YouTube and check out how to measure, use a round saw, and electric drill which doubles as screwdriver . I learnt as a teen that if I wanted something done I had to do it myself. In fact as I got older I would get my dad these great tools for Father's Day and then I would use them more than him!

You are a strong independant woman I know you can figure out how to put in roosts, a vent, even simple windows! I love tinkering and building stuff too bad your not close by hahaha!

True. I put all the roosts in their current set up. I also buikt the second half of yhe run myself, and built a top to support the hsrdware cloth on the original run side as well as the newer side. Thanks for the vote of confidence!

 

[Ponypoor]

I was also thinking bathroom vent fans, you can get them reasonably priced and the are usually relatively quiet and will give you specs for air movement. They are also reasonably easy to install. You will probably want to add more screen/air filtration though. Maybe a boxed out window screen to help keep any debris/dust and feather dander out of the fan? That’s what the coop where I brooded the last few batches of my meat birds had for ventilation… it’s not sufficient for really hot situations (like an old, giant, single pane, south facing window… turning the coop into an oven) but would certainly help, especially if you have a passive air intake from a cooler area available.

Yes I was thinking that too, and looking on Amazon, but lean now towards just housing them in an extra stall for summer - I can then put a huge box fan in there like I have for the horses.

Oh thanks for the suggestion on the filter screen to keep feathers etc at bay never thought of that!!

I take it you had the south facing window issue? The hen house is in the northwest corner of my barn windows on West and north side but it will be a sauna in there come summer - Ontario summers are hot hazy and humid . Winter's cold snowy and overcast miserable .

Oh I can't way for summer I suffer so with the cold, my arthritis is horrible, it hilarious I am sure trying to run after my chickies when I am so stiff hahaha.

Whining tax for the weather whining:

This is Misty at a couple weeks age, now she is grown and lays lovely green/blue eggs

 

[Ponypoor]

True. I put all the roosts in their current set up. I also buikt the second half of yhe run myself, and built a top to support the hsrdware cloth on the original run side as well as the newer side. Thanks for the vote of confidence!

That's awesome! I can't wait to see what you finally put in

 

[bgmathteach]

View attachment 2985895
He was even a good guy and sheltered many of the newly weaned chicks when mama turned her back on them he would let them snuggle under his wings at night… he’s a keeper, but I haven’t found the right name for him.

I know it is a bit of an odd name, but how about 'Eleos'. It is a Greek god of kindness and mercy.

 

[micstrachan]

Ok. I'm going to ask the most important question.

Will there be a run as well or is this the only living space they will have?

These guys were are shark tank. You should you tube the episode. I have not but I definitely remember them being on. There might be some helpful information that they share there on the coop construction.

I agree, this seems very well made for a prefab. You will not find better than that. There is no roosts though. You will need to add roosts. It should not Bea problem as you have plenty of 2x4s to build off of. I like that it is elevated as well. Depending on run, you will likely need the wire covers to go around the base to keep them safe.

Oh

Ok. I'm going to ask the most important question.

Will there be a run as well or is this the only living space they will have?

These guys were are shark tank. You should you tube the episode. I have not but I definitely remember them being on. There might be some helpful information that they share there on the coop construction.

I agree, this seems very well made for a prefab. You will not find better than that. There is no roosts though. You will need to add roosts. It should not Bea problem as you have plenty of 2x4s to build off of. I like that it is elevated as well. Depending on run, you will likely need the wire covers to go around the base to keep them safe.

Oh gosh, yes. Of course there will be a run. I’m looking at one of thise metal chicken runs wheee I’ll have to swap out the chicken wire for hardware cloth and add a hardware cloth skirt.

 

[micstrachan]

I estimated 40.8 Sq feet inside. Just about the same size as my main coop.

That’s pretty tight for ten hens. They mostly use it for sleeping, though.

 

[Ponypoor]

Have you seen it? It’s 12 feet tall with a 5x8 footprint. It’s not coming with us.

My DeWalt reciprocal saw (I call him The Beast), and my pickup and horse trailer and we move it were ever you want