HOOSIERS Only - INDIANA - Ru1?

[Ravie]

Quote:
Well, no. Sometimes it just takes a little time to get the husband to realize that getting chickens was HIS idea the whole time.

LOL exactly! I started last night... We have a large dog run that came with the house that just gets moved around the yard. We have pieces to a shed we never build (used some pieces elsewhere) that can be repurposed to build a coop. Wouldn't cost a thing! Tonight I'm going to throw in that our son hasn't gotten me a Mother's Day present yet (he's 2!) and allowing me to have chickens would be a wonderful gift. And our anniversary is coming up...

Bluebird - I was thinking standard chickens, but I'll keep it in mind!

My first flock of chickens was my birthday present last year.

Once I had the house, he was ok with my getting chickens. Also, point out that it COULD be profitable. My 17 (actually laying) hens bring in about 120.00 a month!

 

[Irregardless]

possibly try adding that he can have an all-he-can-eat chicken wing eating party every so often... the more chickens he lets you get, the more often he can have them.

Maybe it's because my chickens aren't laying-but these things are kinda maintenance free for the most part. Food, water, clean the pine shavings every couple of days... No walking, scooping litter, and you get interesting looks/conversations when you bring up having chickens. I sure as heck do. I've been called a closet-hippy a lot here recently. We switched to glass bottles, cloth diapers, moving from the big city to the country, planting a garden, and I just got a natural gas van (which is awesome, since it's $1.95/GGE! (gas gallon equiv.)) which doubles as a pickup truck since it wall haul dang near anything. I just

and ask how much it cost them to fill up and reply back "From empty... *think*... I think it cost me a hair over $20, and it'll last me a good 300 miles or so."

but back to chickens:
How many chickens would an 8'x8'x8' coop handle? I think (depending on how many birds we plan to use for meat) we will end up with a LOT of birds and don't want to constantly be building bigger/more coops. I will set a limit at (or around) 30 though. Would 8'^3 be big enough?

Also, I got my good camera charged and ready to get pics sometime in the next few days. Hopefully I can get someone to tell me I have a few blue hens and a rooster. I want Splash Orpingtons something fierce.

*edit*
I keep seeing a BYC "Got Chickens?" travel coffe mug come across on the bottom of the screen, but then when I go to the store it isn't there. Are the comps here at work stupid, or is it not available currently? I'd order atleast 2 now if I could. The folks here at work would get a kick out of it.

 

[TheBrumstead]

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Can I get info on this as well? Knox is only about an hour from me. If he does say yes, I don't know if we'll have time to build a coop before the feed store runs out of chicks.

 

[Ravie]

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Yeah, as far as work effort goes, they're pretty easy. I have a hoop coop so I don't even bother with wood shavings and I NEVER have to clean the coop. 5 gallon feeder needs filled once a week and water 1-2 times weekly. Poof, I'm done! I do let my chickens free-range, so every day I have my own personal Easter Egg hunt! It's fun. It also keeps my 4-year-old busy.

 

[Irregardless]

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do you feel like the hoop coop is fairly safe for them...? any worries about raccoons/opposums/w/e?

I like the idea of a movable coop/tractor. Whether or not they need grass in the run, I just feel like they'd be happier and would be less likely to get bored and start picking on each other or something.

Plus not having to clean poo would be a deff possitive.

 

[pbirdhaven]

Quote:
Supreme with pineapple added?

 

[Ravie]

Quote:
do you feel like the hoop coop is fairly safe for them...? any worries about raccoons/opposums/w/e?

I like the idea of a movable coop/tractor. Whether or not they need grass in the run, I just feel like they'd be happier and would be less likely to get bored and start picking on each other or something.

Plus not having to clean poo would be a deff possitive.

I really like my hoop coop. I haven't had any predators try to break in so I don't know how it'd hold up. They did winter in it (without supplemental heat!) and they did great. My coop is 8x11 and weighs about 300 lbs. I managed to squeeze 24 birds in it! I have a hanging shelf for nest boxes and hang the feeders and waterer. If the birds stay in the coop, it's best if I have fewer of them and move it 1-2 times daily. Lately, I've chosen to just let them free-range. I can keep more birds that way and they really do LOVE getting into things and causing trouble! If the birds are out of the coop during the day, I only move it every 2 days. I usually pull it with my lawn tractor. I've been REALLY blessed when it comes to predators. I don't know why they haven't messed with things, we have a hawk living in the trees near the coop, numerous stray dogs and cats, foxes, coyotes, possums and raccoons. Owls too. I think part of the reason we've done so well is because we keep dogs outside during the day, the coop stays pretty close to the house, I empty my litter boxes around the property line. And I move around outside a lot. My husband usually walks the dogs at 1-2am and I am out there again by 8:30 the next morning.

 

[zoo357]

Quote:
do you feel like the hoop coop is fairly safe for them...? any worries about raccoons/opposums/w/e?

I like the idea of a movable coop/tractor. Whether or not they need grass in the run, I just feel like they'd be happier and would be less likely to get bored and start picking on each other or something.

Plus not having to clean poo would be a deff possitive.

We have 2 (almost 3) tractor coops and each one has about 12 to 15 chickens in it. The yard alone is about 12 feet long and it's 5 feet wide. We move it at the least every other day and the chickens get so happy running around seeing what they can find once it's moved.

As for the Knox Swap, I'd also love to go but need dates to find out if I have to work or not. Brumstead I live right outside Griffith and we picked up our App's at a person in Hobart who is on this board as well.

 

[Delmar]

Anybody in Northern Indiana want a free EE roo? He is a fabulous roo and the girls like him fine, but we have decided 2 roos is more attention than our 5 girls want. I would actually prefer keeping him to the roo we are keeping, but Mrs Delmar has become attached to the other guy and it is, sort of, my turn to concede. His name is Col Sanders and he will be a year old in August. If nobody wants to pick him up, in Goshen IN, he will find a new home in my freezer.

He is already the daddy of some pretty cute chicks!

 

[exop]

On the subject of re-homing roosters, I have a sweet boy I'd like to find a new home for: He'll be two years old in June.

I'm in NW Central Indiana - Tippecanoe / Warren / Fountain county area. The nearest major towns are Lafayette and Attica. This rooster is a Crèvecoeur bought from Sandhill Preservation Center. He's not quite show quality, because of some gold on his hackles and his wattles should be a little smaller. I don't want to keep him as a breeder, but his personality is so nice that I feel he deserves a chance at happiness and a nice home with some hens of his own! I've never had him shape up to me or even look at me funny, and he doesn't seem to have any problem with being picked up and petted. He gets along well with the other roosters and tells them about "food treats". I'm sure he would make a great boyfriend for a hen or three. He's not a heavy boy so he wouldn't squash anybody!