Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Our Roost]

A frame, - dont have one, wouldnt want one. For one thing, the snow fall has been tremendous this year and we have piles and drifts over 4ft tall, not exagerating! It seems you really want to utilize the tote and move free grazing method. Consider a permanent dwelling or coop for the colder months and build an A frame to suit your purpose in the spring and summer. And yes, by all means, build the coop near or by the house so you can get out to it through the heavy snowfall!

 

[SillyChicken]

I may have asked this before. If I have, please forgive me. I am thinking of making A frame movable coops for our future chickens. During the winter I would move them up close to the house. Has anyone ever done this? I have to admit I am a little concerned that they will be ok in the winter. This mainly comes from my inexperience and not seeing any A frames posted for those in cooler climates. Although I have been told people have them. Thoughts?

Did you go to the coops tab at the top of BYC ? click on it and then select tractors... there are a bunch of A frame ideas in there.

I think it will depend on how many chickens you have for one. it won't take but a few days for a small coop/outside run to be dirtied up, you may end up shoveling and moving the run just for clean ground. But, there is certainly no reason not to try it.

 

[RaZ]

I could swing buy TSC on Jackson rd in AA for you to see what they have Raz, I go by there to get the DH after work.

They haven't gotten their new shipment in this week yet… They have a bunch from last week left though - Barred Rocks, Leghorns, Welsummers, CornishX, and ducks…

Thank you both.
I was actually out there at the USDA office to start the hoop house and bee initiative paperwork. Only the government can take a simple application and make it a paperwork mess.

On the plus side, the NRCS (same building) has a list of native plants and trees that can be ordered. Plus you can get native perennials as a Butterfly Garden Kit; Pollinator Insects Kit and a Rain Garden Kit. The kits do not list the plants but it comes as 32 plant plugs. Quick and easy planting.

And for what it's worth, the TSC on Jackson Road is now out of Welsummers.

 

[ladyrsanti]

I may have asked this before. If I have, please forgive me. I am thinking of making A frame movable coops for our future chickens. During the winter I would move them up close to the house. Has anyone ever done this? I have to admit I am a little concerned that they will be ok in the winter. This mainly comes from my inexperience and not seeing any A frames posted for those in cooler climates. Although I have been told people have them. Thoughts?

I made one and use it during the summer months for my less permanent residents, meat birds and sometimes quarantine. It's not equipped with nest boxes, just roosts and feeders. For that, it works great. In the winter, it's stored behind the barn. I wouldn't use it year-round.

 

[Scifisarah]

Here's how to keep a coop warm in Michigan - in the daytime anyway. This is our newest tractor, 5x3. It has a galvanized metal roof, slanted down towards the south, in full sun. Outside temp: 16 degrees Coop temp: 70 degrees. In the summer I try to make sure it is oriented differently, and under shade to keep from getting too hot. I have shoveled around it a few times to keep the snow down. It is very convenient to check on them, having it right at the edge of our deck that is shoveled throughout the winter.

 

[gladahmae]

I may have asked this before. If I have, please forgive me. I am thinking of making A frame movable coops for our future chickens. During the winter I would move them up close to the house. Has anyone ever done this? I have to admit I am a little concerned that they will be ok in the winter. This mainly comes from my inexperience and not seeing any A frames posted for those in cooler climates. Although I have been told people have them. Thoughts?

I have 2 a-frame coops/pens that DH and I built last summer for meat birds. I also used them for quarantine this fall, AND I wintered 6 chicks in one until mid-January when I shuffled birds around so they would be situated for our house-sitter when we go on a trip (not having a 3rd coop to have to feed/water). They held up just fine, but they are quite heavy and not easily moved. We tow ours around with the quad when necessary. Our plan was modified from THIS plan. Because of things like snow-load and the very strong winds we get being on top of a hill and on the east side of a field, we used 2x4s for the construction. We also made the center tall enough that we could walk in side and not have to bend over. If I were using one for a more permanent structure I would put a metal roof on, as it stands now, ours only have a tarp held down with batten strips. We had almost no frostbite on the birds in these coops (just the one rooster on the tips his very tall straight comb.)

 

[gladahmae]

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this is one of the a-frames before we put all of the fencing and tarp on it. the whole thing is covered in 1/2in hardware cloth and then the top and back sides are covered by a tarp. the whieel legs rotate down and lock in place with a bolt to lift on that side off the ground about 2in and there is a pull rope on the other side for moving it.

 

[Brennigan]

@Brennigan with all of the concern about the pecking and the silkie vent, you were not properly congratulated on chick # 2, 3 and 4. You officially have a flock, now, Congrats!

Thanks, Amy! : ) I am such a proud Mama...even when I have to clean my sweet little silkie's bum.

(From a friend on my FB.)

Saw this on Instagram & was going to post it here! Truth, truth!

I may have asked this before. If I have, please forgive me. I am thinking of making A frame movable coops for our future chickens. During the winter I would move them up close to the house. Has anyone ever done this? I have to admit I am a little concerned that they will be ok in the winter. This mainly comes from my inexperience and not seeing any A frames posted for those in cooler climates. Although I have been told people have them. Thoughts?

We are building a tractor coop like this: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-nags-head-chicken-coop-tractor

Basically, its a regular coop, but on a garden tractor bed (1,000lbs & up). We'll insulate the floors and walls really well, and it'll be tall enough to handle the drifts; BUT we'll still be able to move it around the yard! Whoop, whoop! We were telling our TSC about it, and they wanted pictures to create a picture board of all the different coops in the area. Of course, the inside will also be decked out -- can't help thrifting for fabric for curtains and banners & wall art!


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A few friends on Facebook have been saying they're seeing it say it'll be in the 50s around March 14th (West Michigan), and I'm just thinking...what weather forecast are you looking at?! I'm seeing a high of 36 degrees. Thinking about shoveling all the snow off the raised garden bed to help thaw out the ground as warmer weather approaches and I'll be starting seeds. But for now, force-blooming tulips in the kitchen so it'll feel a bit more like Spring.

 

[Peep-Chicken]

Raven doesn't like getting medicine. She doesn't like Bonnie (in dif cage) trying to talk to get either. She is eating alot tho.

 

[SillyChicken]

Thank you both.
I was actually out there at the USDA office to start the hoop house and bee initiative paperwork. Only the government can take a simple application and make it a paperwork mess.

On the plus side, the NRCS (same building) has a list of native plants and trees that can be ordered. Plus you can get native perennials as a Butterfly Garden Kit; Pollinator Insects Kit and a Rain Garden Kit. The kits do not list the plants but it comes as 32 plant plugs. Quick and easy planting.

And for what it's worth, the TSC on Jackson Road is now out of Welsummers.

So Randy, can you tell me what they help with other than plant plugs? and whats this about hoops houses?