Hey Gang! Whatcha think of my plans and Rooster issue?

[TonySorrento]

I thought I would show you all a pic of the barn from the outside first (took this pic this morning. One of the few snowfalls we have had) .... I will be closing off that opening and the coop is going against the back of the barn across from the opening which is 9' wide ... I am still undecided how long I am gonna make it ... probably 10-12' ... more pics to come

Thank you, Mrs K! When I think about everything, the Rooster problem isn't really that big of a deal ... I will just eat the loudest one, or the meanest one, or both if need be ... my biggest thing is not being able to get the 6 this year that are coming late (2 Partridge Rock, 2 Australorps, 2 Light Brahmas)

The Light Brahmas were picked by my only child left at home. He is an orphan boy who's Dad died when he was 3 and his mother killed herself when he was 7. He was bounced around from home to home and ended up with his abusive Grandmother ... she had CPS called on her one too many times and was going to send him to a boys home. I asked if my wife and I could take him (I was the schools administrator of a private Christian school and he was one of my students) and she agreed ... and we have had him for almost 4 years now

(he is 14). He is so excited and he will be heart broken if we can't get them yet.

Maybe I can check with TSC and see what they have available that same weekend?? I am getting my birds from a local feed store ...

Is introducing them that hard? I can set the coop and run up with a chicken wire partition ...

 

[TonySorrento]

Here is another pre-coop pic...

 

[azygous]

Welcome aboard! I'm so excited for you! If you're this enthusiastic about chickens now, just wait until you get to know each of your charming little personalities! (I have a flock of seventeen, and I greet each every morning by name.)

Getting two of different breeds will make you extremely happy and entertained. But, be prepared for anything to happen with two roosters. I have two who were raised together that now try to kill each other if I don't keep them separated. Two rooster also crow more often than one because they compete with each other. One rooster is really all you need, and it might possibly avoid a lot of potential problems.

Summer before last I raised two broods of chicks six weeks apart. Be aware that month old chicks are four times larger than day olds. Yes, they grow that fast. The older ones will likely pick on the younger ones. But you can solve that problem by creating a safe area for the small fry to duck into when chased where the openings are too small for the larger ones to get through. As long as they can get away, the small ones should be fine, and they'll all work out the pecking order just fine. By the time they're four and five months old, there won't be any problems any longer.

You have a beautiful place, and the barn should provide terrific raw material for a fine coop! You are very, very wise to have thought of installing a window in the coop! My girls have a coop with a floor to ceiling window and they love to sun bathe indoors on cold, snowy winter days, lolling about in the warm wood shavings - I almost feel like joining them sometimes!

 

[TonySorrento]

Thanks az! We are pretty much expecting to butcher one of the roos since we found out that if a neighbor complains they both have to go ... no worries! I actually planned on having two separate brooders going .... I never thought of keeping them in the same brooder...

I talked with the Feed store manager and it looks like I have one group coming the 9th of March ... another coming the 16th of March and the last group on April 6th ....

... now I am really not sure what to expect ...

One other question for everyone .... what do you think of using 1"x2" welded wire for the run??? We want to be able to see them easily from the house ... if you look at the pic with the whole barn you will see a tree to the right of the barn ... the run is going out thataway .... thoughts? I am a little worried the openings may be too big??

 

[azygous]

I think you can get away with the welded wire of that size as long as you run 24" or, to be really safe, 36" wide hardware cloth (why do they call it "cloth"? Even the hardware store guy didn't know when I asked!) all around the entire run at the bottom.

Chicks can stick their tiny heads through the large mesh and get into horrible trouble. I had one last summer get scalped by the rooster when she did that at two weeks old. Also raccoons will stick their evil paws through large mesh and do terrible things to any chickens close enough. It will also help keep snakes out.

 

[duckinnut]

Let me start with a big fat

. I love the fact you have thought everything out in advance with great detail,kind of reminds me of myself. Like you took some time to get my DW on board but she tends to be jealous because the girls adore me as do most animals. Looking at your pics you got a great template to start with and with time you will tweak things as you go along. They are such a rewarding hobby and a lot cheaper than a therapist.

Anyway this is a great site with lots of smart and educated chicken philosophers and any questions you have the answers can be found here. Best of luck and welcome to the addiction.

As far as 1"x2" wire for the run should be fine, I got 2x3 on my run and have not had a problem so far in 2 years. Either one will keep out most things unless it is a bear then anything short of chainlink won't do.

 

[7L Farm]

This might help with your building the coop. I only use half inch hardware cloth on all my coops but it is pricey. My coop was built in a barn & your picture reminded me of mine when I started to build. Its not fancy but its big. My coops are three sided but you will probably need four. Its super hot here. Good Luck with your adventure.

 

[TonySorrento]

There are so many things to think about

I am a bit of a type "A" personality, so I obsess a bit on things

I finally get all this stuff figured in my head and a bonus from work to pay for it and winter decides to visit on every day off I have had since then .... I am CHOMPING at the bit!

7L .. you use the 1/2" on the run AND the coop or just the run? I am guessing you mean just the run, tho I do plan on running some cloth along the floor and the lower part of the walls to stop any meanies finding a soft spot to get in.

My brooder is actually going to be a corrigated plastic dog whelping box that is prolly 5' x 5' and 18" high ....sound ok for 16 chics?

Also, pine shavings should be fine for the day olds I assume?

You guys and gals on BYC ROCK!!!

 

[7L Farm]

Any wire used on my coops is half inch hardware cloth.

 

[gretamae]

Congratulations on your new flock!

I can hear my rooster 1/2 mile down the road right now, but once the leaves are back on the trees (lots of trees here!) you can't hear him nearly as far away. Even now he's not loud enough to bother anyone.

Have fun!