For the MINIMALISTS - those who think less is more in chicken keeping - Please help

[3KillerBs]

Would it be wise to purchase an adult rooster so you know his personality and sound?

It can be -- though there are some potential biosecurity hazards and there is no guarantee that the bird won't act differently in a new environment.

My previously reliable flockmaster, the fellow in my avatar, developed an attitude problem this winter that very nearly put him into the crockpot. He's calmed back down, but it might easily have escalated into a full-on attack.

Maybe after we figure out what the hell we're doing ha ha.

This. Get the hens and enjoy them alone for a year to smooth your learning process.

How often do you get a mean rooster?

Good question.

Sometimes aggression is in the blood -- the bird simply comes from a line of bad actors and there's nothing to be done about it.

Sometimes a bird that has potential to be aggressive or not will learn aggression or not due to the environment it's raised in. Some people swear that handling your males as they grow will turn them aggressive because they lose all fear of humans. Some people swear that it will build their trust so that they never lash out.

It's often the bold, "friendly", chick -- the favorite pet -- that becomes the unholy terror when the hormones hit but it's not inevitable. No sound answers, no guarantees.

I do not feed medicated feed. I keep the brooder dry to not allow the protozoa to breed uncontrollably. The third day that they are in the brooder, I take a scoop of dirt from the run and feed it to them so I can introduce the protozoa and they can develop the immunity they need to the strain they need to develop an immunity to. Since I keep my brooder extremely dry and the water clean the protozoa can't reproduce so every three days I give them more dirt from the run so they get more protozoa and can develop immunity. I don't lose chicks to Cocci when they hit the ground.

I do feed medicated feed (mainly because getting the unmedicated is extra trouble and cost in my area), but I adopted your recommendation as soon as I started raising the second batch of birds.

*Maybe* there's no dangerous protozoa on my land, which has never had chickens before, but by doing this and continuing the medicated feed for a week or two after I put them into the integration pen in the main coop for the past 2 years I have yet to have a problem with my youngsters.

 

[fuzzi]

Sometimes aggression is in the blood -- the bird simply comes from a line of bad actors and there's nothing to be done about it.

Sometimes a bird that has potential to be aggressive or not will learn aggression or not due to the environment it's raised in. Some people swear that handling your males as they grow will turn them aggressive because they lose all fear of humans. Some people swear that it will build their trust so that they never lash out.

It's often the bold, "friendly", chick -- the favorite pet -- that becomes the unholy terror when the hormones hit but it's not inevitable. No sound answers, no guarantees.

This is helpful. I have been handling my chicks since I got them as 3 day olds. I've read different takes regarding what makes a rooster mean, and was belatedly wondering if I had done the boys a disservice by letting them sit on my lap.

 

[3KillerBs]

This is helpful. I have been handling my chicks since I got them as 3 day olds. I've read different takes regarding what makes a rooster mean, and was belatedly wondering if I had done the boys a misservice by letting them sit on my lap.

@Mrs. K has much wisdom about cockerels and roosters.

 

[fuzzi]

This discussion is for the MINIMALISTS - those who think less is more in chicken keeping.

Hi all, I am new to chickens. I want to create the most efficiently run coop possible with the least amount of work. I am not lazy but I am generally efficient in my life and I know that running a backyard chicken gig can be too, like anything else. Since I'm new though, I need some guidance. I am okay with putting in a little extra work in the setup to make it easier on myself as I go. Do you have any tips to keep things simple or can you share your setup if it is similar?

Here is some info pertaining to my situation:

I'm in New Jersey.

We're building a henhouse for 5 hens (see photos)
- Henhouse 11.5'w x 9'd x 8.5'h
- Coop 11.5'w x 3'd
- Integrated enclosed/covered run 11.5'w x 6'd

Coop
- I am hoping to use course sand so it is scoopable. I have read that it doesn't really need to be changed out completely but more may need to be added as you go.
- Our structure is wood but we were thinking of attaching vinyl to the inside of the coop to it's easily wipeable
- Is it possible to do the coop poop cleanup 3 days a week instead of every day and not cause problems?
- I have heard of the droppings boards but I don't know how to add it to my setup (see photo of coop) or if it's even needed for my situation.
- We were thinking about using removable sanded PVC bars in the coop and run so they are easily wipeable and they hold up.

Run
- We have grass now but I know it will become dirt quickly. Can it stay dirt? Will it be gross and harbor bacteria?
- I can throw down a little bit of some kind of material but I don't want something that needs to be changed out more than once a year or needs maintenance.

Food
- We researched using a large trash bin and adding feeders (see photos) so it only needs to be refilled periodically and it stays neat.

Water
- Rain barrel so it's basically automated.

Nesting boxes
- I have no plan for this other than I was told to use something that is soft and can be removed to be cleaned.

Thanks in advance for any info you would be willing to share with me. I'm grateful.

I've not read all 40 pages yet, so excuse me if this has already been addressed: slide/barrel bolts such as the ones shown in your photos can be manipulated by raccoons. On advice offered here I switched to hasps with carabiners, which apparently are raccoon proof.

ETA: link to my door is here https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/fuzzis-chicken-journal.1550586/post-26572834

 

[AnnPann]

Great, on the cat litter alternative. Do you have any suggestions on how to adjust the plans to accomodate a better set up? We'll probably be building them today or tomorrow.

We originally built the nest boxes almost exactly to his plan. I used them for a couple of months and yes the hens slept in the top 2 boxes. And yes, they slept on TOP of the boxes (which I'd planned to use for storage). So no, you cannot use that area for storage unless you want all the stored stuff pooped on. So now I have the top blocked off AND the top 2 boxes blocked off. Complete waste of space because my hens were so stubborn about sleeping in/on them. I hauled the whole structure out and replaced with the cat litter boxes from Target and am much happier with it. I have 4 litter boxes (2 on each end, as I have 2 of these coops, mirror images next to each other) and 14 hens. Some of my pullets lay under the poop tray, but not a big deal.

I'll take some photos this afternoon and attach them.

 

[AnnPann]

I've not read all 40 pages yet, so excuse me if this has already been addressed: slide/barrel bolts such as the ones shown in your photos can be manipulated by raccoons. On advice offered here I switched to hasps with carabiners, which apparently are raccoon proof.

ETA: link to my door is here https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/fuzzis-chicken-journal.1550586/post-26572834

AGREE - when we built it, we didn't use the hardware recommended but instead use something like these on both the run door and the egg door. I hang the key outside the coop on a clip so I don't have to remember to take it with me.

 

[AnnPann]

Yes, please please photos! Thank you!

Here's some photos of our coop on the areas we modified.

Doubled it: 2 of them, mirror images. I have removable dividers in the middle of run/coop for when I need to separate groups (like with new chicks last fall). We also put the run doors on front instead of sides. Used solid metal roof instead of clear/polycarbonate because we don't have any natural shade and would get too hot here for clear roof.

You might be able to make out the small pieces of wood along the studs. Those rotate to hold in place winterizing panels (not shown) I made out of 1x2s and clear vinyl.

Moved pop-door (since we moved the front door). Added Omlet autodoors. Did not add the full length roost bar in the run. Instead added branches in the corners.


No ceiling panels - just open to the metal roof. Instead closed off gaps with HWC.


Added clean out doors to the back of henhouse. I only open these when I'm doing a deep clean and removing all the coop bedding. However, I have not been through the heat of the summer with this coop yet, and I might swap out these solid doors for "screen" doors made with HWC to help keep it from getting too hot. TBD on that.


Swapped out the 2x2 nesting boxes for cat litter boxes. Also added trim on egg doors to help with drafts. View from inside coop:

View from outside, looking into egg door:


Adjusted henhouse roost (shorter length - it's just under 7'), added poop tray and a ladder up to the tray (for one of my older hens who can't jump).


Built a wind break in the run out of leftover scrap siding/lumber. Behind this panel is one of their favorite hang out/nap spots. It's not anchored to anything in the ground - just attached to the underside of the henhouse.


Hope that helps! I loved these plans (I've posted on here before about how great they were - for anyone else following along, the plans are from this website: https://www.thegardencoop.com/). The only thing I disagree with in the plans is the # of hens it can support. I would not put more than 7 or 8 in one (I have 14 because mine is doubled, but I feel like any more than that would be too crowded unless they were free ranging all day, EVERY day).

 

[Folly's place]

Nice coop!
I think the hardware cloth needs more attachments, either more screws, or wood screwed over the seams.

 

[AnnPann]

Nice coop!
I think the hardware cloth needs more attachments, either more screws, or wood screwed over the seams.

thanks! good advice! it’s hard to see from photos, but HWC is stapled all around (to the point of absurdity lol), then has the washers + screws (i think in the photo it looks like all that’s holding it to the studs is the washers).

 

[GetFitWithKrista]

I've not read all 40 pages yet, so excuse me if this has already been addressed: slide/barrel bolts such as the ones shown in your photos can be manipulated by raccoons. On advice offered here I switched to hasps with carabiners, which apparently are raccoon proof.

ETA: link to my door is here https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/fuzzis-chicken-journal.1550586/post-26572834

I've heard this. Crazy. We definitely need a better solution for the door. Thanks for including the link to your door. I'll check it out.

I really like the carbineer idea. My friend has a lock and they have to try to remember to bring the key out each time they go into the coop. It would be taken and shoved somewhere by my 6 year old terror.