What a great site, we have learned so much and have got so many great ideas here! We are amazed with everyone's creativity.
We are working on our hen house and hope to have chicks soon. After designing our 12' x 8' hen house and then pricing out new material we opted to use recycled, reclaimed wood & materials and any freebies we can scrounge. We are using the sawzall and cutting pallets apart like crazy (an idea we got from here) for the outside siding, which should fit in nicely with our outside decorating as we love wood, metal & rock, and the rustic look of old western decor.
We both work full time for our county's Sheriff's Office which often times includes overtime, so our pallet progress is not going as fast as we would like. We live in the hills outside of Billings so we usually get more snow in the winter than Billings and are cooler in the summer. So insulation will be part of our building plans. We are planning a fenced in run, but will let the girls out to range & pasture while we are home to help them keep an eye out for predators.
My growing up years were on an Iowa farm and my partner grew up in the city, so I supposedly know what I am doing being talked into this after saying "no" for several years. As a kid we had chickens, milk cows, beef cattle, pigs & sheep and farmed many acres. She grew up having a pool pass and swam her summers away. I told myself after leaving the farm....that was it, no more chores! Now in my mid 50's I find myself going back to those days, enjoying making jam & jelly, stocking the freezer & pantry with things from the garden which seems to get bigger and bigger! Growing & preserving food is something she is really enjoying learning and can't wait to expand her farming experience with chickens.....I will absolutely put my foot down if she starts talking milk cow!!
Ok, it is a day off and supposed to be really nice today, and we hear the pallet pile calling, so time to get back at it. A big thank-you to everyone who have shared their pictures and ideas on this site, the detailed pictures during the construction of the coops have been very helpful and I have tweaked our plans a couple of times.
Everyone have a great day!
We are working on our hen house and hope to have chicks soon. After designing our 12' x 8' hen house and then pricing out new material we opted to use recycled, reclaimed wood & materials and any freebies we can scrounge. We are using the sawzall and cutting pallets apart like crazy (an idea we got from here) for the outside siding, which should fit in nicely with our outside decorating as we love wood, metal & rock, and the rustic look of old western decor.
We both work full time for our county's Sheriff's Office which often times includes overtime, so our pallet progress is not going as fast as we would like. We live in the hills outside of Billings so we usually get more snow in the winter than Billings and are cooler in the summer. So insulation will be part of our building plans. We are planning a fenced in run, but will let the girls out to range & pasture while we are home to help them keep an eye out for predators.
My growing up years were on an Iowa farm and my partner grew up in the city, so I supposedly know what I am doing being talked into this after saying "no" for several years. As a kid we had chickens, milk cows, beef cattle, pigs & sheep and farmed many acres. She grew up having a pool pass and swam her summers away. I told myself after leaving the farm....that was it, no more chores! Now in my mid 50's I find myself going back to those days, enjoying making jam & jelly, stocking the freezer & pantry with things from the garden which seems to get bigger and bigger! Growing & preserving food is something she is really enjoying learning and can't wait to expand her farming experience with chickens.....I will absolutely put my foot down if she starts talking milk cow!!
Ok, it is a day off and supposed to be really nice today, and we hear the pallet pile calling, so time to get back at it. A big thank-you to everyone who have shared their pictures and ideas on this site, the detailed pictures during the construction of the coops have been very helpful and I have tweaked our plans a couple of times.
Everyone have a great day!
from Ohio. So glad you joined. Good luck. 
