my new breeding pens (progress pics)

[Christie Rhae]

My little "time out" pen is actually inside the larger pen with the other chicks she hatched with. I wondered if the others would nibble away at the pipe cleaners? She is a TERRIBLE tail feather plucker. She doesn't bother the ones who already have their tails but there are three cockerels that she has been working on ever since they were little and they have no tails at all. I am about ready to wring her neck but thought I would keep her separate but still with them and see if they can grow back their butts. lol I would just get rid of her but she is one of only 4 B/B/S ameraucana pullets I hatched. If she cannot get over it she is gonna go. Sigh. I have tried everything. This is her last chance.

I can't wait to see your feeders. I love all your ideas!

 

[DMRippy]

Quote:
Can you remove her from the pen? Maybe some separation is in order to knock her off her perch.

It is something everyday isn't it? I found the 3 bigger Lav/LavSplits bloodying my little roo (I think he is anyway) So I pulled him out and have him in a big pen all by himself. He can see other birds. When he is cleaned up and better I may put him in with some others IDK Maybe I need to let him control the coop for awhile and then add the girls back in a week or so. I don't like leaving birds alone especially when they are not the bad guys. I think....

 

[Christie Rhae]

Sigh... a whole week with no progress. We have been so busy with work.
My husband calculated what the roofing would cost on this size pen and he thinks about 1000.00

Where I live in Hawaii most roofs are made of tin because we catch our water and store it in large tanks. We already have all the tin we need to re-roof one of our houses (rental). My husband decided to wait until we re-roofed the house and recycle the old tin for the roof of our chicken pens. BUT... we will not be re-roofing that house right away and I am dying to get my pens completed and put birds in. So I think what we are gonna do is lay down some chicken wire and then put a large heavy duty tarp over the roof. That way we can continue building the framing, doors, nest boxes and put hardware cloth up and get my birds IN. The roof only needs to provide shade and some protection from rain.

This is not my first choice but it does not make sense to spend that much on roofing when we will have tons of it to recycle in the near future.

I hope we can make some progress on Sunday!

 

[DMRippy]

I don't use zip ties, pipe cleaners they come off so I can change the water and food

Wait till you see my BIG $1 feeders. They hold about 4 gallons of feed. We used all pallet wood and old 4" PVC pipes and a $1 storage box. You will have to make some for you pens they are going to be great! They are attached to the doors and I can refill without having to go into the pen

between that and the 3 gallon waterers, I don't have to even visit my chickens anymore

OH yeah the eggs

I am going to wait till the BIG CHANGE and then start a little thread on the feeders and link it in my breeding pens.... if I can find them after they move...

I am scared

Here is my feeder thread if you want to take a look https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/618994/my-1-feeders#post_8233300

 

[DMRippy]

Sigh... a whole week with no progress. We have been so busy with work.
My husband calculated what the roofing would cost on this size pen and he thinks about 1000.00

Where I live in Hawaii most roofs are made of tin because we catch our water and store it in large tanks. We already have all the tin we need to re-roof one of our houses (rental). My husband decided to wait until we re-roofed the house and recycle the old tin for the roof of our chicken pens. BUT... we will not be re-roofing that house right away and I am dying to get my pens completed and put birds in. So I think what we are gonna do is lay down some chicken wire and then put a large heavy duty tarp over the roof. That way we can continue building the framing, doors, nest boxes and put hardware cloth up and get my birds IN. The roof only needs to provide shade and some protection from rain.

This is not my first choice but it does not make sense to spend that much on roofing when we will have tons of it to recycle in the near future.

I hope we can make some progress on Sunday!

My roofing on my pens is all recycled.... great use of material. If you are willing to spend some money.... you might try looking for some used on CL. I paid 4.50 a sheet for metal roof panels. Then you could sell your used roofing.... I would suggest saving though cuz you will need to build more pens... we bought some extra too.

 

[Christie Rhae]

We got the pens painted today!! Should be able to get the wire up tomorrow. Can't wait!!!

 

[Christie Rhae]

So here is what the pens looked like last night. It was too dark for pics. I had started painting this by hand and decided "heck no!". I waited for my husband to have time to paint with the paint sprayer thing. It was so much faster! We painted it farm shed green. Or... John Deere green.

 

[Christie Rhae]

And then this morning we started putting the wire on. We used heavier gauge wire for the first 4 feet and then small chicken wire for the next 4 feet. We also used chicken wire for the inside dividers. This took ALL day! And today was super hot. Whew...
It seems like we are so close but we still need a roof, doors, nest boxes, roosts, plumbing for the auto waterers... and stuff I am sure I have not even thought of yet.


another angle... I am going to have 5 separate pens. Four of them are 6x12 and one is 8x12. The larger one will be for laying hens.

 

[DMRippy]

Those are going to be some HAPPY chickens... and a chicken mommy too.

 

[Christie Rhae]

Big *SIGH*... super rainy today. I was hoping to get the doors painted that my husband put together last night. I have to paint one side, let it dry paint the other side, let it dry. Then we put on the wire...then we install them.

I gotta work for the next couple days and won't get another thing done till the weekend probably. argh! So close I can taste it.