Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[3riverschick]

at this time.........my current coop, I feel is full with the 4 girls...........

I really want to get some chicks for spring.........but just a few........3-4 is the most...........so

that means a coop for 8-10 for breathing room OR
a second coop

I want chicks that have blue eggs, olive eggs ( if possible) and dark brown eggs ( if possible)
Plus I want chicks for the experience of raising from one day old chick...........this will be very special.

My yard does not really permit for much chicken raising...........as I am in a suburb and the ordinances say nothing about chicken raising..........

I think I need to make my set up more attractive to be sure to avoid complaints..........

so I have a pallet box.( thanks to stake) and want to build it into a bigger coop..........and one that looks nice ..................

plus I have a few areas that have dips --------not inclines but they will likely be more wet than other parts...........so I have to consider this too.

so many variables.......

If I could just purchase a beautiful ready made one .......great..........but some of the ready made coops are rather flimsy and costly.............

anyway-----I am in the process of gathering materials and trying to figure these things out!

Just a suggestion. If you are in a suburb, make your coop look like garden art. We are semi-rural in western PA but do have neighbors on 1/2 or 3.5 acre lots. Try craigslist for a used garden shed.
http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/search/?sort=date&areaID=17&catAbb=sss&query=shed
You can paint it and repair the roof, if need be. For the run, make one you can stand up in. Crawling on your hands and knees thru chicken poop to retrieve a bird will cure you real quick of a lower roofed run than that, smile. Use 2x4 panels in 5'w x 6'H , with chicken wire stretched over them to make and roof your run. They can be set ON the ground ( so temporary and no building permit needed {at least out here}). and bolt the corners together with carriage bolts.
Best,
Karen in Ligonier

These make nice coops if you screw Plexiglas over the windows.
http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/bab/4253009183.html
There is a cute example of one folk made in the BYC Coop gallery.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/mpfs-member-page

 

[LisaYolkUm]

3riverschick----thanks for your ideas and link.

I do have a request in for a play house that someone is giving away.........they have it promised to someone else and if that falls thru then I am on the list.

I am keeping my eyes open for this type of thing!
I feel that my chickens need more run than some coops show.

I currently have a run that is maybe 3 or 4 feet high and then I just drape over the top some deer netting so that I can remove it to get in and rake etc while standing.................

I would love to have a tall run all enclosed............yet more construction and the cost of the hardware cloth is high ........and its visibly more obvious.

I have all kinds of gardening ideas in mind for the spring and summer.........probably much more than I can pull off!
I want to build some raised beds for square foot gardening, continue my patio container veggies and add a dwarf fruit tree.

In front of the current run I want to set up a raised bed that will be for semi shade veggies like lettuce, leek , spinach etc........and then some annuals for the summer and veggies again in the fall...........I can have additional annuals around it as well..........and this will surely look nice.

I think my eyesore is the tarp I put over the run for bad weather. Its blue and draws the eye.

I also use a picnic type tent as an additional run .........its grey and less obvious yet large.........

I have not had any complaints yet if I add more to my set up ..........I am worried that it will look sloppy and I would like to prevent that.

I really do enjoy the chickens!

I am trying to give myself a few months of materials hunting on craigs list etc...........so I can do a good job on the bigger 2nd coop.........

pleasant looking and effective.

I like my current one yet its just wont be big enough for more chickens..............

 

[SilkieSensation]

Lisa, I always have chicks hatching & most will lay blue, green, olive or chocolate. Let me know if you need some. Next batch is due the 7th & will be hatching weekly until fall. I had a 5 week gap in batches while moving or I would have a batch hatching this week too.

 

[3riverschick]

I like my current one yet its just wont be big enough for more chickens..............

BTW, I love the pronunciation of your handle. Yolkum,

Well if you have large fowl you need 10 sq. ft. per bird in the run and 4 sq. ft. inside the coop. 1/2 that for bantams. Bantams are a great idea in the burbs. More fowl for your space and many of the breeds have them. If you raise your house 2 ft. off the ground, you can count the area underneath in your run and it really reduces the size of the run. Plus, if you staple some of the translucent plastic carpet runner/protector (Lowes) to the 3 walls, you have a foul weather hideout/scratching shed for the birds under the coop. I have mine that way and looks nice for the neighbors. It's a nice place t put a dusting box where it won't get wet. Why do you need hardware cloth? Won't chicken wire do?
Best,
Karen

 

[Brittany7]

We use bio spot and they just still go on the dogs.

Don't chickens eat ticks?

Sorry i have been MIA for awhile.....Bio Spot is junk...sorry. They dont change their formula from year to year to keep up with the change in fleas and ticks. Just like anything else they get used to it and it doesnt work anymore.... I used to work of a pet store in college. Front line is good but $$$ I have been using Walmarts Pet Armour the last 3 years and havent had any issues with it was so ever. The pat came off front line and they started making a generic brand of it.

 

[LittleMissPurdy]

Yup! I kept thinking she was 60 lbs….my vet says she is the best looking Pyr he's ever seen! Makes me proud. She is such a sweetie. I just read a post on FB where someone lost an 8 month old kidd to their Great Pyr…I can not even imagine my Bella hurting one of our goats.

Sally, I'm having a very sad and tough NYD hatch, almost called you once this weekend. Lost the only Creole Orp chick we had hatch, and now I've got an OE with wonky legs struggling. Very Blue, Very pretty chick….arrrgh! I've given her vitamins and taped her legs, my son wants her in the brooder, but we've got a bully in there. Only 2 days old and one of them is a bully already. Boo.

I survived the Family Christmas Party held at our home. NOW I can relax….yay!!

I am so sorry to hear your hatch isn't going well...the babies you had shown earlier are beautiful though...

for LMP… (Longwood Gardens).




16,000 apples

Thank you Blarney!! ..awesome....

 

[LittleMissPurdy]

Sorry i have been MIA for awhile.....Bio Spot is junk...sorry. They dont change their formula from year to year to keep up with the change in fleas and ticks. Just like anything else they get used to it and it doesnt work anymore.... I used to work of a pet store in college. Front line is good but $$$ I have been using Walmarts Pet Armour the last 3 years and havent had any issues with it was so ever. The pat came off front line and they started making a generic brand of it.

we had used Bio-spot on our dogs for years..it worked great..then it was like "all the sudden" they had fleas/ticks..wow...we had to switch-up..worked like a charm! Now I get what is on sale, I don't have to use much, ( 5lb. Pom)..I think keeping different things on had helps change things up on the buggers!! The dog isn't haven't any issues with sensitivity, so we are good there too. How are mommy and babies doing?

 

[LittleMissPurdy]

at this time.........my current coop, I feel is full with the 4 girls...........

I really want to get some chicks for spring.........but just a few........3-4 is the most...........so

that means a coop for 8-10 for breathing room OR
a second coop

I want chicks that have blue eggs, olive eggs ( if possible) and dark brown eggs ( if possible)
Plus I want chicks for the experience of raising from one day old chick...........this will be very special.

My yard does not really permit for much chicken raising...........as I am in a suburb and the ordinances say nothing about chicken raising..........

I think I need to make my set up more attractive to be sure to avoid complaints..........

so I have a pallet box.( thanks to stake) and want to build it into a bigger coop..........and one that looks nice ..................

plus I have a few areas that have dips --------not inclines but they will likely be more wet than other parts...........so I have to consider this too.

so many variables.......

If I could just purchase a beautiful ready made one .......great..........but some of the ready made coops are rather flimsy and costly.............

anyway-----I am in the process of gathering materials and trying to figure these things out!

Lisa- so awesome to hear you getting into this more!!

...hahaha...told you!! hahhaha
I have one big area & coop for my 6...there are happy, lots of room to explore-run. I believe i would even have room for 2 more

...hahaha
I have the yard for multiple coop/runs..BUT..that space has already been designated for fruit trees and such..so...no more large "play-pens"....I found this really neat idea on Pinterest, it is a collapsible run for maybe 2-3 birds, (sure you could make them longer for more birds),..you set in between rows in the garden or just small spaces in general, when your done..just fold it up & store..great idea..i will get up the site if I can.Visit craftlog.org., ...."collapsible, adjustable chicken tractor"... they are so simple, very little material.. I am Having Todd help me with these this year..haha poor guy isn't going to have two seconds of peace...
We have a hardware store up town that sets out their pallets and "it's first come first get'em"...maybe your area has a business that does this? we have called all over to find things for extra "free" supplies...
Good luck..remember..lots of pics!!! Hope your Christmas was enjoyable!

 

[LittleMissPurdy]

BTW, I love the pronunciation of your handle. Yolkum,

Well if you have large fowl you need 10 sq. ft. per bird in the run and 4 sq. ft. inside the coop. 1/2 that for bantams. Bantams are a great idea in the burbs. More fowl for your space and many of the breeds have them. If you raise your house 2 ft. off the ground, you can count the area underneath in your run and it really reduces the size of the run. Plus, if you staple some of the translucent plastic carpet runner/protector (Lowes) to the 3 walls, you have a foul weather hideout/scratching shed for the birds under the coop. I have mine that way and looks nice for the neighbors. It's a nice place t put a dusting box where it won't get wet. Why do you need hardware cloth? Won't chicken wire do?
Best,
Karen

great idea!! sorry I am jumping into this conversation..never thought of that material....

 

[Brittany7]

we had used Bio-spot on our dogs for years..it worked great..then it was like "all the sudden" they had fleas/ticks..wow...we had to switch-up..worked like a charm! Now I get what is on sale, I don't have to use much, ( 5lb. Pom)..I think keeping different things on had helps change things up on the buggers!! The dog isn't haven't any issues with sensitivity, so we are good there too. How are mommy and babies doing?

They are doing good...Mommy is spending less and less time with them now...So I am becoming momma too! They are getting teeth so I dont blame her! But everyone is doing good!!!


This little girl is my favorite....I want to keep her.