Guinea Update w/ pictures

[prettychicks]

Quote: Very nice coop indeed!

 

[bradselig]

Wow! Thanks everyone for the compliments! I have worked very hard on the coop, so it means a lot.

 

[judyc]

Ya, Brad, I'm thinking that you should come over to Lafayette and help me get my coop organized as well as yours is.

Thanks for all of the pictures of your setup. My coop is the size of a two car garage, with three pens inside, but desperately needs cleaned. I just had a spinal fusian, so it won't happen for another two months. The pens I cleaned before going to the hospital, but the supply area--let's just say it's a mess.

Is this the first year for your coop? I only saw windows on one side. Are you going to put a turbine vent on the roof for when it really heats up?

 

[bradselig]

Windows are going to be added to the other sides soon (they should be arriving tomorrow). I just wanted to order 2 in case they didnt work, I wouldnt be stuck with a bunch of windows. This is the first year for the coop. With the recent high temps, I was really worried, but the chickens seemed to do ok. I am sure the windows on the south side of the coop will really help as I tend to get winds from the SW more often.

Even though it is ugly, I also plan to re-roof the coop with white shingles. I figure this will help keep some of the heat away as well since the coop is not located near shade (until the oak tree next to it gets big enough). I will also be insulating the roof (possibly the walls as well) to help keep it cooler in the summer. The gamble vent does have a fan to help blow out the warm air, but hanging the box fan infront of the window to blow out has really helped the most. The coop originally had a skylight, but that sucker allowed so much heat to enter the coop, that I boarded it up.

I wish I had that big of a coop or even just a large barn! Id love to get other species and other exotic animals (peacocks, wallabies, etc).

 

[judyc]

Well Brad, having a bigger coop does mean you can get more animals, which equals more work,lol. That just keeps us out of trouble, though.

I just wondered; I can't really see your windows, but I have 1/2" hardware cloth over the outside of mine to keep the raccoons from ripping through the screen to get to my birds. My coop has metal walls and roof, so I've got windows placed for cross ventilation, and hardware cloth under the eaves also . There's nothing more heartbreaking than coming out to find you've lost some/all of your flock.

 

[bradselig]

So far one of the windows has 1/2" hardware cloth attached to the inside of the coop. I left the standard screen material in as well. The other window in the "storage" part does NOT have the hardware cloth added yet, but I do have the new roll to add it. Just waiting for the other windows to arrive and I will put them all up at once.

 

[judyc]

Good to know. You know, raccoons are like baseball players: "If you build it, (a chicken coop) they will come."

 

[bradselig]

Thanks for your help! Thankfully, I have not had an issue with predators even with me living out in the country. I don't have any woods directly around my house (all at least 1/2 mile away or more) however, I realize its just a waiting game till they do. I bought this house 3 years ago and the only predator I have seen was a falcon (besides the stray dog or two, which are still predators I guess). The falcon was neat to watch though, he was hunting the voles I have on my land. This was before I had my flock, so now I am hoping he will stay away, too! lol.

Again, thanks for your help, Judy. Out of curiosity, do you breed and sell any hatching eggs or chicks? I have an incubator from reptile eggs, but been thinking about trying my hand at hatching as well. Since we are getting off topic, feel free to PM if youd like.

 

[judyc]

Brad,

I've been breeding and hatching eggs all Spring! I hatched somewhere above 40 Pekins for the freezer. The last six VERY LUCKY birds are outside right now. They are lucky because they were just too small to process before rhe surgery. I'll pick my next year's breeders out and make the last 4 into Duck Le Orange or something.

I also have been incubating Standard and Bantam Partridge Barnevelders this spring. I really like these; as chicks they are not aggressive, and haven't had a mean-to-me roo yet. I keep Black East Indie ducks because they are just the cuteist, prettiest ducks alive, and have a start of American Buff goslings this year. I plan to graze those alongside the sheep when they get older. We have Anatolian Shepards, so have excellent protection from most varmits.

 

[judyc]

Forgot to add, I bought 10 Coraline guinea keets this spring, which is why I'm cruising this forum. I hope to have eggs/keets next spring for sale. Surely people would rather have a noisy bird around, than fall prey to something like Lyme disease. I think that the demand for guineas should rise.