Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[SillyChicken]

What I'm understanding so far is that chickens are tougher than most give them credit for.

Still delving through all the learning center articles, but one thing I am not finding (maybe it's just me) is a concise list of things/features all coops should have.

So far: Vents, Roosts, Next Boxes, food/water a door/pophole leading to a run or yard for them.

Am I missing anything crucial? I don't want to build it, and then find out after it's done that I am missing some crucial part!

Once I know everything I should have, I can draw up plans, and devise a list of supplies. After that point, the only roadblock is motivating the husband. Dr. Pepper is the preferred method.

I have located local grain suppliers to make sure I know where to get food and supplies for my birds. I will only be keeping 3 hens. There is a local TSC and a smaller, closer feed store, both are sure to charge top dollar for their feeds, but I intend on comparing prices.

I plan on getting a 55 gallon covered garbage style plastic container to store food in bulk. I can dust it with food grade DE to keep pests out.

yes - add one crucial element.....make sure that what ever kind of door latch you put on for your personal entry into the coop,(if you make one that big), that you can open it from the inside! I cannot stress enough how very important this is! LOL!
Some people use poop boards under roosts
power source near by is handy - cause lights for us or the birds during winter time are handy!
Is your limit of 3 due to ordinance, or personal choice - cause that will change if it's by personal choice. for example, most places require higher purchase quantity... unless you buy from a breeder etc. so my advise would be build larger than you think you need, even for 3 hens, they'll love it.
IMO - 55 gal worth of food may spoil/mold before 3 hens can eat it up. a 35 gal probably would suffice. it will hold 3, 50# bags. buying in bulk isn't always cost effect and for what.. 5% less cost? When you run the risk of spoilage.

Rodents btw will get into the garbage can you're thinking of (I know that is what I have) they can squeeze under the lids. I am switching over to the old style metal cans with the tight fitting lids.

..... even the best laid plans change!

Welcome to BYC!

 

[RaZ]

My Ams like to bury deep in the litter for egg laying. The Marans will use the next box and the BOs will go wherever there is an egg already.
It is a search every day.
Here is Ethel getting ready to lay.


Someone asked about the Wellie chicks.

 

[snowflake]

It is not necessary to provide additional heat for normal healthy chickens, and in some cases can make frostbite more likely by increasing the humidity in the still-freezing coop. Plenty of ventilation is more beneficial - I leave a window open all year round, and usually the pop door to (it exits into a secure run). Insulation, along with ventilation, can make a coop cooler in the summer.

If you are going to do deep litter, plan on your doors being about a foot off the floor.

X2 on the metal container.

1 box is probably enough, but 2 is fine too - a girl likes to have options.

x2 on the obove!! you might want to make a roll-away nest box that opens from the outside. (something I wish we had done)

Last night, while I couldn't swear to it in court, I am fairly certain I awoke to the sound of peanut butter cups calling out my name. Why else would one awake from a sound sleep at 2am?

Quote: in summer heat plastic is more likely to mold,

sounds like you have a good plan,

 

[snowflake]

Also, FFH in GR has 2 brands of wood shavings, 10 bag limit and way in the back of the store, not near the chicks,which they also have a lot of

 

[featherfun]

I keep reading bout a shortage of pine shavings?!?!?! I been going thru alot cause i have couple ducks brooding with my chicks

 

[mindylee]

I keep reading bout a shortage of pine shavings?!?!?! I been going thru alot cause i have couple ducks brooding with my chicks

its due to the tree cutters not able to get in woods to cut trees cause of the deep snow. Now that snaow is meltin off they can get back in.
Cutters cut a certain amount before snow fall however no one anticipated this yrs winter snow fall.

 

[jimmywalt]

Hi everyone. I'm writing to you from the shores of Lake Michigan right where the blizzard was for the ENTIRE WINTER!

Let me say, last year was our first year with chickens (5 of them). I read about 50 threads about heat or no-heat in the coop for the winter. I decided to go "no-heat" and I'm glad I did!

If my 5 girls could make it through this past winter (and they did) then they don't need heat EVER!

You can see a picture of my 4x4x4 coop in my avatar. It only has T1-11 siding (no insulation) on the walls, and I don't do "deep litter" method either.

I will be the biggest spokesperson to say "NO HEAT". I even read threads all winter of people in Minnesota that didn't have heat and their chickens did fine!!!!


I would rather have them use to no-heat then for us to lose power and be in the freezing cold!

 

[aart]

Someone asked about the Wellie chicks.

@RaZ Thank you! How old are they, 2-3 weeks? TSC or Breeder? Male to Female ratio?

Quote: X3 on metal garbage can!
X3++ on ventilation!!!!! Lots of ventilation up high!!
Roosts 1 foot above nests, ventilation as high above roosts as possible.

 

[featherfun]

Thank u mindylee

 

[Faraday40]

RaZ-
That's so funny. Once a year I boil some to make Cabbage Juice indicator for my students' pH labs. Perhaps I can add "Chicken Coop Chemistry" into the lesson plans. (Middle School kids love all the gross stuff.)

What do you get when you give chickens a head of red cabbage?


Multi-colour poop is what you get. Blue, green and purple.