INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Leahs Mom]

I do not have a coop built...yet, but I have some time as the eggs are just at day 5 maybe 6. I've been trying to do some major homework before our final design. Any thoughts on the following would be greatly appreciated.

If it gets really hot in the hen shed (mine is in full sun unfortunately) I will run a floor fan especially at night pointed up to the ceiling in the hot weather (deflects off the ceiling rather than directly on the birds). My birds aren't confined indoors, so it's not a big issue as they'll not stay inside anyhow - they just come in to lay eggs and roost at night. If they were confined indoors I still think this works well. It is a fan that is rated for "workshop" or garage/industrial so it has an enclosed motor to keep the dust out. Similar to this (I got mine at Menards)

http://www.menards.com/main/heating...14-industrial-floor-fan/p-2381241-c-12728.htm

I use wood shavings in the shed. When I clean it out, they go right outside the door into the run as part of the outdoor deep litter. I have read that sand can be quite a vector for disease - and even for cocci during certain conditions. I like to keep my outdoor run healthy and it makes good healthy ground to do a deep litter outdoors. Those shaving are never wasted and they make the best soil full of bugs and goodies for the birds to dig through in the run. I have written about this before and getting wood chips for the outdoor run from tree services. If you "search this thread" above the thread title (rather than searching all of byc) I imagine you'll find some of those posts as I'm kind of a broken record on that.

I would like to have 2 sections in my coop, (just a chicken wire wall with a screen door for me to get through) open to one another the majority of the time, but that can be blocked off from one another if I'm hatching/introducing new chicks, have one that's being picked on, crazy rooster, etc. Anyone close to 135 and Thompson? Just curious. Thank you for any input you have. See Below

@jenaman
I'm going to post some photos of my shed converted to coop for you. And some thoughts on some of your other questions. See above in red.


I wanted to show you how we did our shed and nest boxes and it might give you some ideas.

I have an area that is the "people" part that the chickens can't get into. That way I can go in the door and not have chickens under foot. I also use that as a little storage area.

My nest boxes are accessible from the people side so I can gather them in there, out of the weather, without having to go on the chicken side.

The chicken part is divided into 2 areas so I can either close one off or keep it open depending on if I have a need. I used one side for the mamma broody or for brooding chicks if I brood w/out a broody. I could also do like you're doing and raise a batch of meat birds or whatever on that side.

There is now a 2nd pop door on that side that leads out to the kennel run. I just divide the run with temporary fencing and then when I don't need the divided area I can open it up so everyone can have the larger run.

Here is what it looks like:



Looking in from outside. You can see the nest box to the right.



On the people side: The box has a turning latch so that no critters can get in it and go through. (I leave the front doors clipped open all spring, summer and fall so the interior has to be predator proof.)





On the chicken side:






Standing in the people entry looking in. The divider gate is open so that they are accessing the whole area in this photo. You can see it just to the left of the chicken. That door is raised up with a short wall underneith so that it can swing without hitting the bedding.

All interior wall and door framing is framed so that there is not a large expanse of wire that an animal could push into easily. The smaller frames make it more predator proof. (Nest box over there to the left.)




Here is mamma broody using the right side with that interior gate shut behind her. (This was in January with temps in the teens and 20s. Mamma did a great job.)
[oops...a huge broody poop in the corner...better ignore that ]






Outside with the temporary divider. Using plastic netting you can just clip it up or use temporary stakes from the farm store and then remove when no longer needed. I found that I had to go all the way up to the top, however, as the "man" would get right out of the 4 ft. high fence so I had to hang a second one above. Used eye hooks screwed into the shed on the one end and clips on the kennel side.

This side now has a 2nd pop door so that they can enter it from the "broody side". It wasn't installed in this photo.






Rolled back.



Here it is with the pop door showing and the temp fence down.


You can see both pop doors here. (Both of them are on a timer to open and shut.)




The newest "chicken children" using the new pop door entrance earlier this summer.




I don't have a great photo from farther back so you can see where this second door is. I guess I need to get some new photos.

 

[jenaman]

Yes it will have a cover for sure. Very nice set up you have there!! Thank you for all of your input, very helpful

 

[jenaman]

I will probably over do it for predators...if that's possible. We have several Hawks that fly around and land on our privacy fence. We have lots of owls too. Definitely going to have it covered on the top too

 

[jenaman]

Poop boards. 

I've found that Sweet PDZ/Stall Dry is a lifesaver when it comes to keeping bedding clean and smelling nice. Fine wood shavings and PDZ sift easily. Lots of people have found rakes can easily sift out the poo in seconds, but I have really weird angles and corners in my tiny coop so I have to use a kitty litter scoop. 

A way to keep the easily picked on, broodies, newbies and bitties away is a must. Try to keep a separate area for quarantine of new or sick birds in case of disease. 

Keep an eye on ceilings, corners, etc because bashing your head on things (esp while cleaning) is probably the most common injury for people handling chickens. 

Try to design perches and nest boxes so they can be easily removed and cleaned. Make sure you build everything bigger than you think you'll need because you'll succumb to chicken math sooner or later, and you never know when you might want to get a 40lb+ turkey after all. The turkey bug has bitten a few of already   Ducks, geese, peafowl, guineas, quail, pheasants and emu are also options in the future, so be open-minded to keeping some really nifty critters in the future (and for all critters you know you can't handle, get really good at telling yourself, "no" because, undoubtedly, somebody is going to start posting really sweet, cute pictures of their widdle fluffybutts and trying to upsell you. This forum is full of people who--at all times and completely unconsciously most of the time--will attempt to upsell you into all kinds of critters you never would have dreamed to get. 

Also, since you plan on "refreshing" every year or two, keep an eye out for where and how you will slaughter birds... and more freezer space because it's always useful anyway.  

Have a plan in advance for extra roosters.

Look into feather crafts because you'll have lots of opportunities to make feather wreaths and bows and all kinds of stuff...

Get a first aid kit lined up well in advance. Include bandages, antibiotics, hemorrhoid cream, and all kinds of stuff these fabulous people will sell you on (because you really will need all this stuff sooner or later).

Diatomaceous earth and garden lime. 

I'm going to put the roosts on where they can swing up and I can latch it to the roof to get underneath to clean it. I do have a portable rabbit hutch I'm using as a brooder that I will use as a quarantine once the chicks are transferred. I'll have to look into stall dry and garden line. Thank you

 

[Bawk]

I will probably over do it for predators...if that's possible. We have several Hawks that fly around and land on our privacy fence. We have lots of owls too. Definitely going to have it covered on the top too

I suggest a welded wire fence panel top with tin roofing covering part. Hawks would repeatedly land on bird netting 20 feet from my husband trying to get big grown chickens! A raccoon chewed through the bird netting too.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I woke up last night to check on him and he was gone

I am so sorry.

Quote:
Just some info 411: I called the Indiana State Poultry Association this morning. She directed me to ADDL...told me to call 765-494-7440 and ask for the Avian Diagnostician. She said they can help and give me available options, etc.
Great info, thanks for sharing this!

Also...quick question/thoughts on a beneficial tool we could use for Indiana BYCers...sort of like a support hotline, or even just to chat, I belong to another forum and we use this FREE smartphone app called Zello, you can use it on computers too. Anyone ever hear of it? It is really cool, it is like a walkie talkie app...so it is like a forum, only you can talk faster than type. Let me know if anyone would be interested in trying it out. I would be happy to set it up and let the ones that are interested how to get it, set it up, etc.

Facebook has a live chat feature too. Its a very good idea, but for me being so hard of hearing I doubt I can use it.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Hello everyone!! Just found the Indiana thread!! Glad to see people are so close. Have a great day!!

welcome to our thread

This may be an odd question, but does anyone rent their land to keep their animals on? I am currently living 'in town' and had to rehome all of my chickens, but really want to get back into raising them. I can't move, it is not an option, unless renting and must be within 25 mins of where I live now, wich is unlikely to find.,.. anyways, does anyone do this? Rent land to keep their animals/chickens on and not live on site? How does it work out for you if you do?

I have heard of folks doing just that. From gardening, to goats, cows.. all sorts of things. Also co-op land share rental where everyone takes turns and shares eggs, feed expense etc. I have not done it myself.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I haven't had chickens for years but I'm ready to get back into it. I have 15 black Marans eggs, 2 ameraucana eggs, 1 Easter egger egg and 4 Marans/Australorp mix eggs in the incubator. I do not have a coop built...yet, but I have some time as the eggs are just at day 5 maybe 6. I've been trying to do some major homework before our final design. Any thoughts on the following would be greatly appreciated. I know some of you probably use fans during the summer to keep airflow moving so it doesn't get too hot, I plan on having a fan as well. I was thinking about installing a bathroom light with a ventilation fan to help with airflow without creating a draft for the winter months, thoughts? Bedding...I was set on sand because that would be less to compost and I've read that it can be cleaned with a lot less effort versus having straw/wood shavings that I would have to put some place to compost. Lastly, I would like to replenish my flock every couple years so I'm trying to be proactive in the design. I would like to have 2 sections in my coop, (just a chicken wire wall with a screen door for me to get through) open to one another the majority of the time, but that can be blocked off from one another if I'm hatching/introducing new chicks, have one that's being picked on, crazy rooster, etc. Anyone close to 135 and Thompson? Just curious. Thank you for any input you have.

You have some very good plans already! I totally recommend sheds also. Dirt floor, not wood. I have one thats on concrete, and hate it. The roof is bad, and last winter really did it in. All my nice deep litter in there was saturated, and its been a nightmare digging it out. One on wood, we will be cutting out the floor, my turkeys stripped out the linoleum covering it! The third coop is on dirt, and composts nicely using deep litter. The hens scratch it up all the time and love finding the insects in it.

chickens arent the only ones to cross the road . . . . . .

Wow, thats a rare sight! Good job catching them on camera!

Quote:
LOVELY! She did a fantastic job with the colors!

 

[kittydoc]

One AI related post. This is on the AVMA website and discusses the reasons for the outbreak--which are numerous.

https://www.avma.org/news/javmanews...=javma-news&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=gen

@Faraday40 Love the two-dimensional flock!!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Really enjoyed the lack of rain today!!!!

Birds were sure happy about it too. I had so many birds spread out sunning it looked like a war zone! Some of the dust bath areas were fairly dry, and they all were hitting them too. Took some updated pictures of my baby muscovys. Can't believe how fast they are growing.and feathering. The littlest one is about 2 weeks younger.

Lavender drake is barred, very excited to see that!



A pied and the drake again.