Hi all--
I've been lurking on this site for about 2 months now. This site has been invaluable to me as I've been learning what it takes to raise chickens! About 6 weeks ago I got 6 Delaware chicks (3.5 weeks at the time). I broke all the rules and got them without having a brooder or a coop in place. Luckily my DH is crafty with his power tools and has great vision for all the construction materials (and possible construction materials) we have laying around. In one 24 hour period he put together a mini-coop (32 square feet) made out of an old loft bed we had earmarked for the dump. You never know when those bits and pieces laying around may come in handy--that loft bed is not only my mini-coop, but parts are now in the main coop too. For the past 5 weeks he and I have been building a new home for our chickens. Last night they spent their first night in their new Chicken Palace. I hope to get pictures up soon of the process. The whole building is not finished yet. We still have a door to build, a window to install, and some hardware cloth to affix to the building--but that is all on the tool shed half and the girls are tucked in tight in their new home. I read so many posts on this site and grabbed the pearls of wisdom here and there to create my own little chicken kingdom. The run is the next to finish, and I've already been thinking through all the suggestions I've read here to incorporate in the run.
It's been fun watching them grow up. And having them so long in the mini-coop, hand carrying them to the mini-run (the dog kennel) to play for the day, has helped us all bond. They're pretty fond of me now. Their personalities are starting to really come forward, and I know who the top hen is now! I've named her Aunt B (said "Aint B"). I've adopted her name for this forum.
I look forward to more lurking, and now that I have the ability to, maybe I can chime in a time or two also.
Aunt B in NorCal
I've been lurking on this site for about 2 months now. This site has been invaluable to me as I've been learning what it takes to raise chickens! About 6 weeks ago I got 6 Delaware chicks (3.5 weeks at the time). I broke all the rules and got them without having a brooder or a coop in place. Luckily my DH is crafty with his power tools and has great vision for all the construction materials (and possible construction materials) we have laying around. In one 24 hour period he put together a mini-coop (32 square feet) made out of an old loft bed we had earmarked for the dump. You never know when those bits and pieces laying around may come in handy--that loft bed is not only my mini-coop, but parts are now in the main coop too. For the past 5 weeks he and I have been building a new home for our chickens. Last night they spent their first night in their new Chicken Palace. I hope to get pictures up soon of the process. The whole building is not finished yet. We still have a door to build, a window to install, and some hardware cloth to affix to the building--but that is all on the tool shed half and the girls are tucked in tight in their new home. I read so many posts on this site and grabbed the pearls of wisdom here and there to create my own little chicken kingdom. The run is the next to finish, and I've already been thinking through all the suggestions I've read here to incorporate in the run.
It's been fun watching them grow up. And having them so long in the mini-coop, hand carrying them to the mini-run (the dog kennel) to play for the day, has helped us all bond. They're pretty fond of me now. Their personalities are starting to really come forward, and I know who the top hen is now! I've named her Aunt B (said "Aint B"). I've adopted her name for this forum.
I look forward to more lurking, and now that I have the ability to, maybe I can chime in a time or two also.
Aunt B in NorCal
