Meet My New Flock

[Cluckstar]

I'm going to do that after a week or two -- if only because I'm working too many shifts this week to have the time. What kind of twine did you use?



I'd be concerned with the ventilation on that coop. Both heat and ammonia rise so what you really need is generous ventilation at the very top. Also, that big window has no awning so any blowing rain will get the coop wet inside -- always a no-no.

That should be a relatively easy fix though -- maybe it would appease your husband's construction urges if he were to remove the siding at the top of the front wall, add hardware cloth, and put a roof awning over it to keep the rain out?

There's been a change of plans. They do not deliver and they want to charge tax on the coop. That would be an extra $300-$500 to pay tax and rent a trailer. We've decided to build after all. What a bummer though... maybe a blessing in disguise. Everything happens for a reason, right?

 

[3KillerBs]

There's been a change of plans. They do not deliver and they want to charge tax on the coop. That would be an extra $300-$500 to pay tax and rent a trailer. We've decided to build after all. What a bummer though... maybe a blessing in disguise. Everything happens for a reason, right?

That tax and trailer money would be a good start on the building!

Good luck finding a coop plan that suits your needs.

 

[Cluckstar]

Week Six and Seven Photos. I can't believe I put off posting this long. Life got away from me I guess. Please make your guesses as to gender and breed, I'm still at a loss. I'll call them my 'Backyard Mix Mystery Gang'.

 

[Pretty Birds]

Week Six and Seven Photos. I can't believe I put off posting this long. Life got away from me I guess. Please make your guesses as to gender and breed, I'm still at a loss. I'll call them my 'Backyard Mix Mystery Gang'.

Blackie might be a Barred Rock mix. Whiskey looks like she might have some lacing, so maybe a Wyandotte mix? They are all beautiful mixes!

 

[Cluckstar]

Blackie might be a Barred Rock mix. Whiskey looks like she might have some lacing, so maybe a Wyandotte mix? They are all beautiful mixes!

Someone guessed that Vanessa might be a Silkie. I think that's looking to be the case. She's much smaller than the rest and has some serious frizz going on at the top of her head.

 

[Cluckstar]

Well, Blackie is definitely a roo. Every morning, I go out to feed them and spend a few minutes with them before I do anything else. Yesterday, I went outside to look for something my husband had lost the night before when it was dark. Out of nowhere, I hear a loud hooting sound coming from where the chickens are. It really surprised me, it scared my four year old, but I knew exactly what that sound was. I got back to helping my husband and only a few seconds later there was another "Rrrrroooo-oooooo-oo!" This sound kept coming every 20 seconds or so until I went over to see who it was coming from. It was Blackie, yelling at me for food and to be let out. No yelling this morning, which I felt a little sad about. I was kind of proud and kind of bummed out.

 

[Cluckstar]

I haven't updated this thread since July! We've been busy! We sold our house in August and are busy building a new one.

We returned two of our birds because they were roosters, which left us with four pullets. They're about 28 weeks now and still haven't laid any eggs despite supplemental lighting, a nesting box and decoy ceramic eggs. I'm losing hope guys!

Here is a recent shot of our girls, maybe you can figure out who's who.

 

[Cluckstar]

Here's the finished coop! Hubby and I worked hard on this thing and we're really happy and proud of it.

This is the front. There is a man door for the run under the "She Shed" sign.

This is the back. The coop door opens fully to easily clean out bedding and access the whole coop. We can even climb inside.

 

[Pentatonchix]

Any eggs yet? I got my chicks a couple days after you did and one is laying!

 

[Cluckstar]

Any eggs yet? I got my chicks a couple days after you did and one is laying!

Yes. We got out first egg on Nov 30th. All of them started laying that week and now out of the four of them we get about 15-20 eggs a week.