Little chicks, coop dreams in the northwest...

[goldfawn]

Maybe I jumped the gun a little but I figured that if I got the chicks it would force me to get a coop and get going with my flock... Now I can't decide on what kind of coop will work best and then there's the ever present rain to consider... I have no chicken keeping friends and have no idea what others in the pacific northwest do as far as backyard chicken coops. sigh...
My tiny gals (3 lovely little hens) are only a week old and I guess I've got a month or so to get the coop in place. Any advice would be so welcome.
thank you!

 

[Jkioneil]

i am in the NW too. outside portlad a bit. isnt this rain fun? where is summer?

first off what kind of space do you have? are they going to free range? are you on a farm or is it suburbia? a tractor you can move around your yard might be ice if you have only three

 

[MelissaA]

UGH! It seems like Fall, not the first day of Summer! What the heck?!!

I got my chicks before I had a hen house too! They ended up staying in the brooder until they were 12 wks old! They were laying before they made it to their house and outdoors. YIKES!!

There is always a post on craigslist on some nice and fairly inexpensive in the Portland area....I would buy one of those if I didn't have something already. I have a 8 x 10 house with a fairly large run (no free range for me due to predators). My house is insulated for the cold, my cochins stay inside if it rains- they can come out if they want, but they don't. I buy one of those seed blocks so they don't get bored inside.

 

[consdrs]

I live just outside of Portland Oregon also. the best thing you can do is locate it properly. on high ground so its not bogged down and muddy all the time. COVER IT. try to keep as much rain away from them as possible. in the summer (when it finally gets here...) it will attract flies locate properly. if you don't clean it frequently it will smell, locate properly. They make a LOT of noise when they lay an egg, location location location. If you need DE they sell it in a huge bag at concentrates on 8th in Portland. I think it is WAY over rated but lots of ppl swear by it, I don't.

PS. your best friend will be a pickup load of sand. I use it inside the coop and out. LOVE IT!!!

 

[MelissaA]

DE doesn't work for me either. I wonder if it is too moist here for it?

 

[KristaChickenWhisperer]

Western Washingtonian here and I am sick of this weather!!

I am *trying* to get my new pen built but my yard is so wet its impossible to dig fence holes!!!

I just did a craigslist search and found some great coops. Its a great way to find one that fits your needs for a decent price. Most of them are custom made too so they are really nice!

 

[write2caroline]

I like that catawabe coop - I built it without help from my husband

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I like it because the chickens are encased in wood at night. I did add the extra panels at the bottom ( the panels at the top come off too which is easy for cleaning) which are removable, because I was working and a couple of times our neighborhood dogs came after them and also a red shoulder hawk flew down and had a looksee. The tractor is below during the day and they sleep and nest up top. If you move it around the yard it is like fresh grass everyday. It keeps them cool in the summer and warm in the winter - has plenty of airflow. I just painted one of the coops and will start the paint the other.

Just my humble opinion

 

[goldfawn]

wow! so much great information! I live in the city. We have a good sized back yard, lots of grass and trees. I'm thinking a nice tractor style coop (but letting them out to free range when I'm home & the weather is nice) would work best. At least until next spring... what is de?
My Americauna hen seems to be growing so much faster than the others and her wings are HUGE, I'm thinking we'll need a cover for the brooder soon or she'll be flying out!