NY chicken lover!!!!

[stonykill]

That sounds like a good idea, especially now that fall is pretty much here and all the leaves will be covering the ground before we know it.

the chickens love it

 

[rancher hicks]

Check this out - it's the Rolls-Royce of hoop coops! http://mychickencoopplans.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/mobile-chicken-coop.jpg

While I admit it's very nice it would never suit me as it will hold what? Six birds. I'd need ten.

 

[rancher hicks]

I try and downsize for winter because I free range my chickens and it costs more to feed them through winter when they can't eat bugs/grass/etc. Although if we have another winter like last year should be no problem LOL. Plus if I can downsize one of my coops I can go from three coops to two, which is less work in the snow. =)

Not to mention, one of my coops is a tad crowded - which is no big deal when free ranging.. but if they have to stay in the coop all day, could be a problem..

Still haven't decided if I can keep the electric netting up during the winter. I guess I'll probably leave it until there's a 'big' snow. It's been absolutely wonderful, just in case anyone is thinking of buying. I'm still wondering why none of the 50 chickens in that area haven't flown out of it! (now that I've said that, they all will lol.

You just need to build some hoop runs and they are easy as pie to make and cover with plastic. If I do any more hoop runs, I'll design then so I can add on to it. Covering the runs makes it easy to let them all out for in the winter and to not have to keep waterers inside the coop. It's messy and adds to the humidity. I'd like the one in the pic twice as long, but the door would make it difficult to add on. There is a back door and I may start adding a run on that end. While the coop is covered in hardware cloth the run is only covered in 1" chicken wire. It's not a problem since I lock them up each night.

 

[featherz]

You just need to build some hoop runs and they are easy as pie to make and cover with plastic. If I do any more hoop runs, I'll design then so I can add on to it. Covering the runs makes it easy to let them all out for in the winter and to not have to keep waterers inside the coop. It's messy and adds to the humidity. I'd like the one in the pic twice as long, but the door would make it difficult to add on. There is a back door and I may start adding a run on that end. While the coop is covered in hardware cloth the run is only covered in 1" chicken wire. It's not a problem since I lock them up each night.

I can just see it now, honey can you help me build even more runs?? LOL DH would have my head. My coops all have fort knox runs now EXCEPT they are not covered with anything other than 2" flight netting. They do have electric strands around them tho. =)

 

[rancher hicks]

I will keep that in mind for the next time.

I use milk crates for laying boxes with a wooden 2X2 lip. I have fashioned a piece of hardware cloth to go over the face and keep everyone contained. Last hatch before this one, there was 2 chicks when I left in the morning, and when I got home there was 1 chick and hen and they broke out. I am assuming the other chick got eaten.

This time i took the cover off and put here in an isolation pen.

To my surprise when I got home, only 3 of the 5 eggs left to hatch were in the crate, she rolled 2 out of the crate and under her.nothing hatched by this morning, fs nothing by tonight, I will take them from her and let her raise the 4 chicks.

Does this mean the hen couldn't get out to eat and poop? I have one hen in a kiddie pool in the room off the garage circled with hardware cloth and fencing. It gives her room to get off the eggs and stretch her legs.

 

[rancher hicks]

Rancher, I think one of my two brooder chicks from you may be a frizzle - the feathers on its back seem to be coming in as frizzled.

It and the Del are both entering the homely little feathered dinosaur stage - so crazy-looking that they're cute!

The final total appears to be three chicks hatched, which is fine, as I have a lot of birds running around here. I'm probably going to have to give Lenore one of Mrs. B's chicks to break her, as otherwise she's liable to sit forever.

I'm sure you're right. You must have gotten the eggs of that day. I've been hoping to get more frizzled from Buckwheat before she quits. My other hen frenchy hasn't laid in a very long time and I doubt she will. She's an original bantam from the hatchery four years ago. Buckwheat is hers and a CM rooster. She's been acting broody which may be why she isn't laying lately .

 

[rancher hicks]

I'm beginning to wonder about my silkies...I don't know they're getting broody or they're not liking this cooler weather. I opened the door to the coop this morning, they came down for a few minutes and have been back up in the coop ever since. Along with Duncan, my little roo too. They spent quite a bit inside the coop yesterday too but I figured that was because of that crazy storm we had all day. Hmmmm....

I did mention I had silkies at one time? You might like to have a look in the coop. I found plans hidden under the wood shavings to build a transmitter and receiver in mine, after I noticed they were spending so much time inside. Don't trust them or turn your back on them. This is me and nuttsy the cat. We never went near the silkies without our head gear.

 

[Henicillin]

I did mention I had silkies at one time? You might like to have a look in the coop. I found plans hidden under the wood shavings to build a transmitter and receiver in mine, after I noticed they were spending so much time inside. Don't trust them or turn your back on them. This is me and nuttsy the cat. We never went near the silkies without our head gear.

 

[Adoravachick]

I did mention I had silkies at one time? You might like to have a look in the coop. I found plans hidden under the wood shavings to build a transmitter and receiver in mine, after I noticed they were spending so much time inside. Don't trust them or turn your back on them. This is me and nuttsy the cat. We never went near the silkies without our head gear.

You are the best!!! I LOVE IT!!!

 

[Adoravachick]

I do have to say...They do look quite alienish going up and down that ramp to the coop. LOL Just found it weird that all three of them were up there, even the roo. Just hanging out as if I never let the door down to let them out.

I made eggs today for lunch for my daughter and I since I have all sorts of silkie eggs. I cracked one open and it had a double yolk! I was surprised for such a little egg. I have to admit though I didn't add it to the batch, the yolk was so dark it almost had a red tint and there was even two red dots on one of the yolks. Kinda skeeved me out a little so I didn't use it. Just looked odd compared to all the others that had a "healthier" look to them.


I have a question...Since I'm not letting the silkies out to free range in fear of my bigger birds attacking them, what should I do with the floor of my run now that they've picked thru all the grass and it's quickly turning to yucky messy mud, especially with all the rain we've been getting these past two days. I don't want to have to keep moving this coop all over the place and I read on another forum that someone used sand. Would that be my best bet??

Sand is a good option. I am so over Shavings, I can't even stand them anymore.