Hens are ready for their permanent house and we are behind schedule.

[desertrocks]

I freeze used 1 Litre water bottles and put them in the waterers also so it stays cold. I have a couple of pig feeding pans that look like old school drain pans and once in awhile I will put an inch or 2 of water in them so they can wade in it.
They also got a kiddie pool this week with sand in it so they can choose how they want to keep cool. Deep litter is 6"-8" deep when fluffed up so they use that as well. Still a lot of panting but we have seen no signs of distress all summer, so far. If there was a problem we would know as we are here all the time and they are very spoiled. They know that the heat of the afternoon brings barely thawed fresh fruit and a 15-20 minute dose of the misters.
All in all we feel very fortunate that we have gotten from Mothers Day with 3 week old peepers to a rapidly growing flock of 24 birds that are well integrated and all within about 6 weeks of age of one another.
All this without the loss of a single bird.
117° yesterday.

 

[3baymares]

I am getting closer!! All the insulation is in the house. 2/3 of the insulation in the runs ceiling will be installed tomorrow. Painted the ceiling beams this evening. Read up in here about ventilation for winter in the upper part of the house's ceiling. So, I put in two areas of vents before I started the insulating. Lots more to do but the list is getting shorter. I'll type more with photos tomorrow.

 

[3baymares]

Today's work is putting on the inside wood to cover the insulation. Yesterday I finished the insulation, putting the upper winter vents in, and started putting the insulation in the run's ceiling which is what the photos show.

The run's ceiling. This was done mainly to cover all the roofing nails.

This is part of the run. We used mainly crushed granite (M-10) with about a 1/2 inch of sand on top for the run.

Used 160 feet of insulation.

Thanks to BYC, at the last minute, I put in two of these high vents for winter.

 

[Mutt Farm]

I freeze used 1 Litre water bottles and put them in the waterers also so it stays cold. I have a couple of pig feeding pans that look like old school drain pans and once in awhile I will put an inch or 2 of water in them so they can wade in it.
They also got a kiddie pool this week with sand in it so they can choose how they want to keep cool. Deep litter is 6"-8" deep when fluffed up so they use that as well. Still a lot of panting but we have seen no signs of distress all summer, so far. If there was a problem we would know as we are here all the time and they are very spoiled. They know that the heat of the afternoon brings barely thawed fresh fruit and a 15-20 minute dose of the misters.
All in all we feel very fortunate that we have gotten from Mothers Day with 3 week old peepers to a rapidly growing flock of 24 birds that are well integrated and all within about 6 weeks of age of one another.
All this without the loss of a single bird.
117° yesterday.

Hi! I thought I was hot! It's 109 here today, my BO girls are not happy. I'm using the same tricks, but don't have deep litter. Fingers crossed. May I ask what breeds you have?

 

[desertrocks]

I have 16 BSL's, 3 RIR, 1 SLW, 1 GLW, 1 EE hen and an EE rooster 1 Amberlink and an Australorp rooster.

 

[3baymares]

Can I progress any slower??? Probably yes.
The wiring, insulation and now the inside walls are done. Now for the inside trim, painting, the perches and laying box and the flooring.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Art thou building a rental unit? If so wouldst thou be kind enough to state the cost of rent?

Man that is one nice coop. I am glad you are making progress.

 

[3baymares]

It will some day be my pottery studio. It's a dual purpose hen house.

 

[3baymares]

Today is the day!! I am determined to finish the chicken house and when the paint is completely dry tomorrow it will be move in time. I have so much to do that has piled up because of all the time I have spent working on this project.

Interior has one more layer of paint to be put on today.




Still a ton to do but tomorrow the chickens will be able to move in. Fingers crossed, that nothing unforeseen comes up.
The deck/steps from the front door need to be made, the windows need permanent prop things, the window over the door has no shield from
the rain yet, the some day the power needs to be run to the coop from the house. But, all that can wait.








Poop deck has it's last coat of paint and will be installed today.

 

[JanetS]

Yay! Please post some pictures of your chickens enjoying their new home.