Helpful hints for building coops

[CapricornFarm]

It actually feels cool outside, 62 and rainy! First rain in quite a while.
Hope to do some painting in the work shop today. Pegboard, work bench. And the boards i bought yesterday for the top of the run. So nice to have an enclosed place to work!

 

[CapricornFarm]

So now we can start moving the tools out of the small crowded shed and into the new work space. Hoping DH does not want me caulking tomorrow, i really need to work on that run!

 

[CapricornFarm]

I slept in late today, maybe i needed to rest to help heal my sinuses. Now i have the boards assembled to make a top for the run . Just put a second coat on some. I am thinking i will use two metal panels for most of the roof, to help keep it dry. DH might not like it, but too bad, i am making the decisions here. Just had lunch, now time to get back at it.

 

[CapricornFarm]

The door is on the coop! Plus i put a piece of plywood where there was a gap near the start of the skylight. Another perch is up, The feeder is fully assembled and there is hardware cloth over one window. Trim for the window is cut and painted. The 2 foot spacer is attached to the coop in it's place. Progress!

 

[aart]

Little by little!

 

[CapricornFarm]

The frame for the top of the run is all together, two sheets of metal roofing attached, and i started stapling the welded wire on the rest. I would have finished it ,but it got dark.
Sadly, we have multiple rainy days forecast. But i can work in the workshop and make the frames for pop doors and nest boxes!

 

[HeritageButcherBlock.com]

Is there a rule of thumb. How much roost space is needed for each pound of laying hen? Whether they be chickens or turkeys.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Is there a rule of thumb. How much roost space is needed for each pound of laying hen? Whether they be chickens or turkeys.

The rule of thumb is one foot per chicken , i have no idea for turkeys. But with that said, they will all want to roost on the highest perch. So, you should have enough at the highest level so they can all perch there at night. You also want lower roosts so they can get up to the higher ones easily. You want to be sure the nest boxes are well below your highest roosts so the chickens don't start sleeping and pooping in the boxes.

 

[aart]

Is there a rule of thumb. How much roost space is needed for each pound of laying hen? Whether they be chickens or turkeys.

The 1' of roost length per bird rule of thumb does not always take into consideration variables that might exist.

If birds have to fly up to roosts they need more space to accommodate wing spread.

If you have a poop board 12" or less under roosts, you can get away with less length as they can navigate on the board and step up onto roosts as well as roost on the board itself(depending on configuration).

Not sure if there is one for turkeys or what it would be, obviously they would need much more space per bird. Might want to search or ask in the turkey forum.

 

[jvls1942]

good morning,
I lost this forum for a few days,
got side tracked from my concrete job.]
won't get back at it until at least tomorrow.
but I did put an inner tube into the tire on the big wheelbarrow. that tire is so old and dry it won't hold a seal on the rim.
while I was at it I lubed the axle and tightened a few bolts. it is as good as new again.
I was using a smaller wheelbarrow, but it could handle only 2 bags of mix per batch.
the big barrow will handle 3 and maybe a 4 bag mix. that should speed things up a lot.
the next pour will be about 20 bags total.

Now that I am back in the loop, I will take pictures of my 5 gal pail feeder.

so far the feed has never hung up (bridged) in this feeder. I was going to experiment with finely ground oats and corn 50/50 ..
but now I have sold all of my chickens and I won't be replacing them until next spring.

I will take pictures of the feeder.
I don't notice any waste with it..
........jiminwisc.......