- Jun 9, 2012
- 3
- 0
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I'm sort of new to Back Yard Chickens. Actually when I was a small child we did have chickens in our back yard. I didn't do anything with the care and feeding then and do not remember much other than we had a rooster who got out of the coop a lot.
I am now thinking about doing this myself now. I am looking at first building a coop and then getting my some chicks to raise.
Coop
I have looked at the coops and I'm overwhelmed by the choices. I just want to make a good practical coop that would house 4 to 6 birds.
I want to have a roost for them.
Feeding
I want an external compartment where I can take a bag of feed and put into a chute on the outside buy opening a hinged door and let the feed fall down as they eat. Then I want a watering device of similar engineering. I understand that I can get organic feed for them.
All of this is too far from the house for me to run running water or any power equipment other than a generator.
I know that I need to keep the feed and water away from the roost area so that they don't poop onto the feed area.
Eggs
I also understand that I need some sort of egg catcher or something so that the eggs do not get broken and they start eating the eggs. I would want an outside door so the I can open up easy access to the eggs.
I would like to get a chicken that lays brown eggs, I have always liked those types of eggs.
Temperatures
Since the coop will be far from the house, there will be no power to provide any heat. I am in central Virginia. Our winters are very mild but we do get a few nights in the single digits most winters and long days in the 20's and 30's.
Summers we can see a week or so of highs in the low 100's.
Thinking of some walls that can swing open with Chicken wire underneath for air flow.
Chickens
I'm looking for brown egg chickens. We had Bantams when I was a child.
I probably will raise hens and when I need some more chickens, I'll probably go buy a rooster and keep him a week or so until the hens are fertile, then dinner.
I live in a small town and do not think the neighbors would care much for a rooster over time.
Can someone give me some good ideas on how to design a good coop. Or plans for a very practical and cheap one. I am not looking for fancy as far as looks, I want practical and functional. Although I plan on retrieving eggs on a daily basis, I would like to be able to know that I can be away for like a week or so without having to worry about the chickens.
Thanks
I am now thinking about doing this myself now. I am looking at first building a coop and then getting my some chicks to raise.
Coop
I have looked at the coops and I'm overwhelmed by the choices. I just want to make a good practical coop that would house 4 to 6 birds.
I want to have a roost for them.
Feeding
I want an external compartment where I can take a bag of feed and put into a chute on the outside buy opening a hinged door and let the feed fall down as they eat. Then I want a watering device of similar engineering. I understand that I can get organic feed for them.
All of this is too far from the house for me to run running water or any power equipment other than a generator.
I know that I need to keep the feed and water away from the roost area so that they don't poop onto the feed area.
Eggs
I also understand that I need some sort of egg catcher or something so that the eggs do not get broken and they start eating the eggs. I would want an outside door so the I can open up easy access to the eggs.
I would like to get a chicken that lays brown eggs, I have always liked those types of eggs.
Temperatures
Since the coop will be far from the house, there will be no power to provide any heat. I am in central Virginia. Our winters are very mild but we do get a few nights in the single digits most winters and long days in the 20's and 30's.
Summers we can see a week or so of highs in the low 100's.
Thinking of some walls that can swing open with Chicken wire underneath for air flow.
Chickens
I'm looking for brown egg chickens. We had Bantams when I was a child.
I probably will raise hens and when I need some more chickens, I'll probably go buy a rooster and keep him a week or so until the hens are fertile, then dinner.
I live in a small town and do not think the neighbors would care much for a rooster over time.
Can someone give me some good ideas on how to design a good coop. Or plans for a very practical and cheap one. I am not looking for fancy as far as looks, I want practical and functional. Although I plan on retrieving eggs on a daily basis, I would like to be able to know that I can be away for like a week or so without having to worry about the chickens.
Thanks
from Ohio. So glad you joined. 
