Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[OldMissionChick]

Pinterest has lots of pretty pictures but many lack details ...probably because they lack functionality ...lol...sorry a bit biased against that pinthingy site. All meant in good humor....just like most things on net, due diligence is required. The 'solarium' could radiate some heat into coop, but it didn't look like the back wall of it was open to coop...dunno. I built my nests 14w x 14d x 16h.....they work well. Tried a 5 gal bucket once, it was just too small, bird couldn't turn around and get comfy...poor brahma pullet couldn't even turn around, kept backing out of it.

I was looking at the buckets and thought the same thing. I dont want to waste time & money on something that doesn't work. Our nesting boxes will be inside the coop with no exterior access, so should I put some sort of tray in the boxes so I can clean them? And should they be on the same wall as the window or the opposite side? I do like the roost above a board with sand in it to scoop the poop out.

 

[OldMissionChick]

I use a large plastic planter that trees come in , I just screw a board in the front and back to keep it stable.  The holes provide some ventilation as well,

Do you happen to have a picture of them?

 

[aart]

You could put something in the bottom so easier to clean out...I haven't in the past but am thinking about cutting up some feed bags for that purpose.

Not sure where you should put your nests, do you have a build thread where I could see your coop?

Quote: Not sillychicken but here's how I did the bucket, should work for a planter too.
Like the idea of the holes for ventilation.
Just ran screws thru from inside the bucket into the wood.

 

[1muttsfan]

Welcome to you new folks. It's been to busy here to take time to read, yet alone post anything! It is fair week here so two days in and everyone is already grumpy. My sons pigs got a first and second on carcass. They weighed in at 385# and 300#. They were over fed at the end because they were worried they might have been light.

Today is my sons chicken showmanship with the stuffed chicken. I'm missing it because of work but hopefully he does well. He was a bit skeptical about using a stuffed chicken. The small animal barn looks so empty with no birds.

Yay for Von! I too missed the chickens at the fair this year.

My nest boxes are all made from scratch lumber, they look like something from a Dr. Seuss book but the hens seem to like them. For standard size birds best that they are at least 14"x14", and mine are all at least 16" tall. You can line them with vinyl flooring, nest box pads are also available from some suppliers.

 

[OldMissionChick]

@aart no I do not have a build thread, I may create one though. Hubby & I started it with no plans other than it being 8x12 with metal roof & sides. We started it months ago in our pole barn and completed as much as we could indoors. Then had to get approval to take out trees for the location (we live in a deed restricted community, thank God there was no mention of restrictions on poultry). Took out about 40 trees for the coop, run and future garden and where the coop is now was leveled. Now need to start thinking about the finishing touches. Heres some pictures.

This is taking the trees out

Getting it out of the barn

Coop in place

Roof halfway done
I tried to upload a pic with the window but kept getting an error.

 

[Wynette]

new boy
(tenatively named Walter White) :

Hello Michigan good bye North Carolina and I'm leaving my mean birds behind. I'm coming home after 26 years in the military and I'm bringing the girls. I will miss NC, but not the Sandhills I lived in. Can't grow jack there. Anyhow, I need to find some hardy birds. I'm thinking Brahmas. Please advise - Wexford county.

THANK YOU for your service and welcome to Michigan! The folks on this thread are super friendly - glad you found us!

Hi Brand new member with zero chicken experience, brought home 8 ISA Brown chicks yesterday. My 5yo is in love with them (she wanted to sleep next to the brooder). Glad to see so many fellow Michiganders

Isa Browns are fantastic egg layers, to be sure. I found mine to be a bit aggressive with my more laid-back hens, and some were pecked pretty badly this year...conferring with a friend who has done research on the hybridization process for these birds and purchases many each spring for his egg selling business, he noticed the same issue. So, you might watch for that. So long as they have plenty of room & are well fed, I'm sure you won't have a problem.

Finally got the roof started on the coop! Going to the Habit for Humanity Restore to see if they have any windows. I was there a few days ago and they had a crank window and a lot of sliding windows. Still need to figure something for the floor so it doesn't rot. Thinking some linoleum but not sure yet.

I've got linoleum on the floor of my duck coop, and I use pelleted horse bedding for it...works really, really well. The only problem I had was that in the coldest part of winter, some of the poop got stuck to the floor and I tore a hole in it when I was trying to pull it off with a shovel to change out the bedding, but chicken' poop isn't as watery as ducks' poop, so that may not be a problem with chooks.

Today is my sons chicken showmanship with the stuffed chicken. I'm missing it because of work but hopefully he does well. He was a bit skeptical about using a stuffed chicken. The small animal barn looks so empty with no birds.

Best of luck to your son, and I'm with you - it was strange at our local fair to not see chickens. I spent a bit more time looking at the bunnies, which were so danged cute!

 

[OldMissionChick]

I should add that we live just south of the 45th parallel. The entry door faces 12* North so the poop door will be facing south with woods all around us.

 

[aart]

I've got linoleum on the floor of my duck coop, and I use pelleted horse bedding for it...works really, really well. The only problem I had was that in the coldest part of winter, some of the poop got stuck to the floor and I tore a hole in it when I was trying to pull it off with a shovel to change out the bedding, but chicken' poop isn't as watery as ducks' poop, so that may not be a problem with chooks.

I tore the roost board vinyl this winter much the same way....and learned, if it's frozen leave it alone.

 

[bigmrg74]

For nest boxes, I cut out holes in some plastic bins for them to get in and out of, and slid a corn cob on the bottom edge of it to protect their feet. I have 2x2's in the coop there to hold the bins in place for the girls.

 

[Wynette]

I like that idea.

The most original (and redneck, in a fun way, I might add) nestbox that I ever saw? A recycled TOILET. Yup. The tank & lids removed, just the base.