My chicken supplies list, missing anything?

[littlecoopnextdoor]

I’m not sure which forum to put this in, but I’ve compiled my recommendations for the backyard chicken tenders in your life. These are simple items that I have found really helpful an used a lot over the last few years. I’ve linked things but you can often find a lot of these items on marketplace, farm stores or even at the thrift stores

- Heated Water Dish (a must if you get below freezing) I keep mine in the run in the winter. Tip - dont go smaller than 1.5 gallon, I have found the wattage isn’t enough to stay thawed. 60 watts is the best.
- Vapour barrier to block out wind and snow on the sides of the run in the winter. I put it 3/4 of the way up the walls and really helps.
- Suet cage is where I tuck in some healthy food scraps so they keep entertained picking away at it during the colder/rainy days
- Hemp bedding. Expensive BUT by far the most economical as it lasts a really long time, stays dry and doesn’t smell. I LOVE HEMP!!
- Meal worms, a favourite treat
- black soldier fly larvae, a treat that is a bit less fatty than meal worms
- Solar ventilation fan - I have this in my small coop to help keep the hot air moving up and out of the rafters
- Automatic door. Yes there are cheaper ones but I have had good experiences with this one and haven’t had to change the battery for three years!
- Hemp nest pads for when they’re laying. Soft, compostable and made from sustainable hemp (usually grown in canada)
- 50lb food storage container, with a lid. Handy if you only have a smaller amount of chickens and don’t go through a lot of food

What are your fav items?

 

[Mrs. K]

Black rubber bowls - for water. I don't have electricity at the coop, and I can stomp out the ice.

Clutter, hideouts, roosts in the run, multiple feed bowls and old waste hay to keep their feet cleaner.

Metal garbage can for feed. I only buy layer feed or chick feed, and scratch. I got it into my head that meal worms makes eggs taste funny, so I don't use that.

I line my nests with cardboard, makes cleaning out a messy one easy.

Mrs K

 

[FrostRanger]

- Bungee cords
- rope
- large wire dog crates
- 5 gallon buckets
- assorted nails and screws
- tool kit
- scrap lumber
- Flower pots or large dog bowls for oyster shell and grit

Honestly though other than the tarps to block the sun and wind I haven't found myself needing any of that stuff. Sure, the automated door and heated water dish would have been nice to have but I use regular pine shavings in the coop and mulch in the run (along with whatever yard waste I have) and I prefer to just throw vegetable scraps on the ground as I feel it keeps bickering over treats down due to being able to spread things out more (I do have a suet cage, I just didn't like what I saw when I used it). I think it really does come down to management practices though as different things work for different people and different people do different things in different ways. My only suggestion for change is change the 50lb food container to a galvanized metal trash can. Reason being that mice can chew through plastic. I myself usually just keep extra feed in the box it ships in (I order from chewy) in the house but I also have 2 cats that love boxes and would eat any mouse that tried to get at it and I put out a bag of feed at a time in my feeders. If I kept food in the shed I would absolutely use a metal trash can as while there are feral cats that hang around, I am not sure they'd go in the shed

 

[EmmaDonovan]

Chicken first aid kit.