Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[aart]

Good morning everyone. Newbie here from West Michigan. This will be our first year with chickens. Already got a brooder set up just waiting to pull the trigger on some little ones till I have a coop and run set up outside. Going back and forth between converting an old bunny hutch that is only big enough to house at most 4 hens or buying one built from a local guy that can hold up to 12 birds. Cost will be about the same either way just depends on if I want to be lazy or not.

Welcome ....go bigger, you won't regret it.
And you can still refurb that hutch down the road when chicken math hits.

 

[zndzant]

Welcome! I got my chickens last spring so im relatively new to them too. I would go with the bigger coop. The coop i have is 4x8 and is maxed out on space with 8 girls and a rooster. Do you know what breeds of chicks you want? I went for an assortment 2 barred rocks, 2 black australorps, 2 easter eggers, a gold laced Wyandotte(the aecond one only survived for a day, and a buff orpington. The second buff turned out to actually be a RIR rooster! So I have 8 girls and a roo. Good luck and feel free to ask any questions. Everyone here is very nice.

 

[jasonvanorder]

Welcome ....go bigger, you won't regret it.
And you can still refurb that hutch down the road when chicken math hits.

Well if chicken math is anything like bunny math I give it about 2 years before we are over run with birds

Welcome! I got my chickens last spring so im relatively new to them too. I would go with the bigger coop. The coop i have is 4x8 and is maxed out on space with 8 girls and a rooster. Do you know what breeds of chicks you want? I went for an assortment 2 barred rocks, 2 black australorps, 2 easter eggers, a gold laced Wyandotte(the aecond one only survived for a day, and a buff orpington. The second buff turned out to actually be a RIR rooster! So I have 8 girls and a roo. Good luck and feel free to ask any questions. Everyone here is very nice.

Not sure what we are going to get yet. Stopped by family farm and home last night to see what they had and will probably check out TSC sometime this weekend to see what they have. I am leaning towards the bigger coup just for the ease of things. the bunny hutch would need a lot of work to get chicken ready

 

[aart]

Quote: Well, its not quite the same, but close.

 

[trailrider330]

Good morning everyone. Newbie here from West Michigan. This will be our first year with chickens. Already got a brooder set up just waiting to pull the trigger on some little ones till I have a coop and run set up outside. Going back and forth between converting an old bunny hutch that is only big enough to house at most 4 hens or buying one built from a local guy that can hold up to 12 birds. Cost will be about the same either way just depends on if I want to be lazy or not.

I agree with the other responders... definitely go bigger! And, definitely check out FFH and TSC for chicks this spring. You can also get chicks direct from Townline Hatchery in Zeeland if that is close to you. That's where FFH and TSC in Holland usually get their birds from.

 

[jasonvanorder]

I agree with the other responders... definitely go bigger! And, definitely check out FFH and TSC for chicks this spring. You can also get chicks direct from Townline Hatchery in Zeeland if that is close to you. That's where FFH and TSC in Holland usually get their birds from.

Thanks Just looked into Townline since its about 20 minutes away and unfortunately the minimum to order is 15. And they stopped allowing people to pick up chicks there to fight spreading any diseases.

 

[1muttsfan]

Hi Jason, welcome to BYC and the Michigan thread

What are the dimensions of your two choices, as far as floor space?

 

[jasonvanorder]

Hi Jason, welcome to BYC and the Michigan thread

What are the dimensions of your two choices, as far as floor space?

Well the converted bunny hutch would be 6' 9 inches long by 2' 8 inches deep and about 3' tall. The local made coop is 6' 2 inches long by 3' 7 inches deep and 3' tall

 

[trailrider330]

Thanks Just looked into Townline since its about 20 minutes away and unfortunately the minimum to order is 15. And they stopped allowing people to pick up chicks there to fight spreading any diseases.

Sorry. I guess things have changed since I last dealt with them.

If you are not picky about breeds, you could also try this guy (Marty) @ https://holland.craigslist.org/grd/5981332985.html in the Borculo area. Our original chicks came from him and I've also used him to hatch some surplus eggs for me. The chicks are all mixes, and straight run, but very hearty. His chicks are typically only .50-$1.00 each.

 

[1muttsfan]

While you will hear many opinions, generally chickens do better with adequate space both in and out of the coop. So planning on 4 square feet of floor space per bird is often considered adequate, with the addition of 10 square feet of outside run per bird. Your hutch is around 16 square feet which would be enough for 4 adult standard fowl, the other coop is around 21 square feet, so maybe 5 birds. I agree with the others, plan for more rather than less, although either would get you started, and could be used as an accessory coop if you every decided to have more birds and build bigger.