My Alaskan Chicken Shack

[LynneP]

I'm glad you built close to the house, too!
We experienced a storm called 'White Juan' that left 6-12' drifts, worst storm of the century here. Took 6 hours to get to the horses, who had plenty of feed/water but who called out to us the entire time...oh I hear you...

 

[asher]

How about an outdoor run with the clear heavy plastic (plastic is not what I'm thinking of, but I cannot think of the right name, you can get it cut to size at hardware stores) roofing sheets for the top? Could possibly be just partially attached so you could remove them during the Summer?

Coop is lovely!

 

[Mrs MIA]

I wonder if maybe a sharp A-frame cover over a run would work... Asher, are you thinking about the corrugated plastic roofing? Or greenhouse material? With that snow-load, you'd need something pretty sturdy. Even here I'm out there shoveling the snow off the sheets of plywood on the sawhorses...

Just something to keep the majority of the snow off of the ground so the birds can get out and scratch.

... thinking, thinking...

(That's really a shame that you have to keep all the chicks.

)

 

[spook]

I have a friend that grew up in Seaward, Alaska and life certainly is different. Seaward's weather is like that of Maine as a general rule. It is a beautiful area.

I did chuckle when you look at property to purchase, you look for a dry "river" bed, this is where you do not want your house as (I believe, please correct me if I say this wrong) glacier run off, meaning its a raging river in spring!

He bought property here in Maine asking me what to look for, you buy property on a wet year and in the spring also. Between "nonsense" little brooks that are run off or boggy, muddy areas that dry up into beautiful meadows come summer.

Great hen house, wonderful photos, thanks for sharing!

 

[Danomite45]

Great looking coup Jess!
you have suprised me with your carpentry, and scavaging skills!!!

I have been reading this fourm for a while, and have not seen any mention of just letting the chikens free roam. If you keep them in the coup at night and feed them there, they will return at night. That is what we always did back home.

Danomite!

 

[Bassleg]

Looks like a nice set up !!!

 

[Jdek]

A little update on an older topic...

The chickens have fared pretty well so far this winter. We've had some single digit temps but the inside of the insulated portion of the coop stays between 30 and 40 degrees F. We had to "get rid" of two hens that turned out to be roosters. They began to start crowing at around 3 and 4 am.

They go out into the "open" part of the coop on warmer days and go back inside the insulated section during the evenings. We've had two hens go broody for a month. Other than that, they have given us a pretty steady supply of eggs. The egg supply has dwindled somewhat over the past month but I'd imagine it will pick back up with the longer days and warmer weather.

 

[Muzzleblast]

I don't know how you northern types deal with all that snow. We get a "dusting" every four years or so and that's plenty for me.

Very nice job on the coop!

 

[morelcabin]

Nice coop, I really like that idea...man do you ever get snow in winter up there! We get alot in Northern Ontario, but not that much! Glad to hear the brds faired well over the winter...our winter here was a pretty harsh one this year...alot of cold and alot of snow

 

[Zahboo]

It's beautiful.

I like snow and want more of it, but not that much lol