post your chicken coop pictures here!

[HighStreetCoop]

For what its worth I use rice hulls for bedding.... but the drought in California has dried up my sources.

They're back in stock at my feed store in Petaluma (just bought 200 lbs of them a week ago), so you might call around.

 

[perchie.girl]

http://m.ebay.com/itm/381105231880?nav=WATCHING_ACTIVE

I'm thinking about buying this because the price is amazing. Planning on enclosing more of it, because I already have a great area for a run underneath my second story deck. Does anyone have this coop or have one from the same manufacturer? Do you think starting with this and then customizing it a bit would work with this kind of coop? I really like this, but I'm nervous buying something off eBay. Experiences? Thank you!!

I have seen these in the feed stores. Even if they are American made I would pass them up. because youd have to spend an equal amount of money reinforcing and making it more suitable. Keep in mind each chicken needs four square feet of space inside of a coop, and ten square feet per bird in a run.

The coop portion of this little enclosure IN FEET is appx 2 x 3.5 feet that equals about 7 square feet which is enough barely for two large fowl hens.... Maybe Three Bantam hens. Then the overall length and width is 5.33 x 3.5 feet which equals about 18.6 square feet. for the run .... again barely enough room for two hens.... though I know you are using the area under your house for a run,.

Keep looking There are several avenues to go for first time chicken keeping.... I have seen many childrens little tyke style play houses converted to chicken coops you can get those on Craigs list second hand for around 50 bucks sometimes free. Then use the rest of the money to build a decent predator proof run enclosure.... Same goes fro a small shed for storing tools.... Second hand on Craigs list....

Even a full on Chicken coop can be built with a minimum of tools and materials. I have seen some Awesome coops made from plain old Pallets My very first coop was made by me using a hammer and hand saw and wire cutters. I had home depot cut my plywood for me and when I told them what I was building they didnt charge me for several cuts.

Take a look at the coops section of BYC as well to get some ideas.

deb

 

[Amberjem]

 

[bruceha2000]

For what its worth I use rice hulls for bedding.... but the drought in California has dried up my sources.

Hmmm, aren't rice hulls dry already?

Sorry, brain just taking a flier again.

Yup, hemp bedding. Pretty nice stuff. A bit pricey in the States, though.

Yeah because we can't legally grow hemp. Too bad no one has come up with a variety that doesn't look like pot. Then that big issue of worrying that people would grow "hemp" that was really high test marijuana would be gone.

 

[Buckhowdy]

Kinda puts a new twist on chicken pot pie!

 

[bruceha2000]

 

[vehve]

Bruce, I'm thinking some states will start producing fiber hemp soon with MJ being legalized. Historically, I think the ban has more to do with cotton and paper production than the recreational uses of the plant though.

 

[HighStreetCoop]

Bruce, I'm thinking some states will start producing fiber hemp soon with MJ being legalized. Historically, I think the ban has more to do with cotton and paper production than the recreational uses of the plant though.

It's now legal to grow industrial hemp in a bunch of states, but the DEA is still refusing to allow it. From Wikipedia:

"Hemp is not legal to grow in the U.S. under Federal law because of its relation to marijuana, and any imported hemp products must meet a zero tolerance level. It is considered a controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act (P.L. 91-513; 21 U.S.C. 801 et seq.). Some states have made the cultivation of industrial hemp legal, but farmers in North Dakota, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Oregon, California, Montana, West Virginia and Vermont have not yet begun to grow it because of resistance from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration. In 2013, after the legalization of marijuana in the state, several farmers in Colorado planted and harvested several acres of hemp, bringing in the first hemp crop in the United States in over half a century.[84] Colorado,[85] Vermont, California, and North Dakota have passed laws enabling hemp licensure. All four states are waiting for permission to grow hemp from the DEA. Currently,[86] North Dakota representatives are pursuing legal measures to force DEA approval.[87] Oregon has licensed industrial hemp as of August 2009.[88] In February 2014, Congress passed an agriculture bill that eased restrictions on cultivation in 10 states.[89]"

 

[perchie.girl]

LOL.... it takes water to grow rice... lots and lots of it.

 

[birdman55]

got 23 eggs today...its 5 degrees out....BRRRR...happy new years eve everyone...well this weather is no fun to work in building coops....got a 16ft wall built now putting wire on it