post your chicken coop pictures here!

[Sylvester017]

Lots of trees for predators to emerge. What do you do to secure the chickens when they're outside the coop? BYW - nice building!

 

[WOJO]

I have a 30 by 30 foot run in front of it completed enclosed with welded wire. I built it for about 1200 not including shingles, because I had those from a left over job. I just could not see spending that same amount of money on something so little.

 

[birdman55]

Hi - don't know why or if hot peppers do anything for getting hens to lay but my birds occasionally eat the seeds of sweet or hot peppers and one hen curiously pecks at the leaves as well but peppers are not a real favorite w/the flock. As for stimulating hens to lay -- my Mom on the farm never believed in artificially inducing laying. She felt the seasons were created to give all livestock a productive cycle as well as a rest cycle and lights or feed stimulants were never forced on her farm. She never tried to "break" a broody either. She let nature take its 3-week course w/ a broody in her empty nest and just made sure the hen took a couple breaks every day to eat/drink/dust-bathe until the hormones subsided. Just my take on nature since our hens are pets rather than utility. We just don't want to see our hens "spent" after only a couple years of laying.

Where do you get your Safeguard from -- is it put in water or in the feed? A link to a website for ordering it would be helpful since I can't figure out what Safeguard form can be used with chickens. I've been using Ivermectin but want to alternate w/another dewormer. ty

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_n...ywords=safegaurd&sprefix=safegaurd,lawngarden
that's safe guard....you can use it in water at 2 1/3 tablespoons for five straight days...then after the fifth day dose in another five straight days.....don't miss these steps as most people don't use this when certain other worms require higher doses to kill the worms....I found the best deal you can get....I would buy now they only have two left....you wont find a better deal and it is very effective....
http://www.amazon.com/VALBAZEN-SUSP...=UTF8&qid=1423488997&sr=1-2&keywords=valbazen
the valbazen above can be given orally at a single dose at 1/2 ml/cc per bird and then repeat after 10 days....then I would recommend doing a fecal test with your vet...just call ahead of time and take different specimens and tell them you just want a fecal test done for worms and such....as long as you don't have any show up or eggs in the count your golden....this product will last a long time...just make sure to shake whatever you get a lot before you use it for the solution settles....if you have any questions just pm me and I can find the answer for you...heres another great site for information on different wormers and how to use them....below
https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/medicine-chart
tractor supply will carry most of the wormers...but it will be labeled for goats and such...not for chickens....that's y you prolly cant find it....
edited to add you will use a lot more safeguard then valbazen so cost wise its better for the valbazen...and for the price above its a no brainer to buy the valbazen...a bottle of safeguard that size will run close to 130....compared to the 85 for valbazen....make sure to buy a 3 ml long syring without the needle to do the oral doses...the shorter ones are a lot harder...if you need help with the oral administering part just let me know its a little tricky but once you do it once, your a pro and it goes by smoothly

 

[lacymorgan]

It has been my experience that peppers or acidic foods will delay laying and will stop laying for a few days until it passes through their system. I never try to force my hens to lay. And never put the pullets on laying feed until after they have laid their first egg or two. Laying pellets, crumble, mash can cause a hen to lay to large of an egg her first time and it can and has resulted in death when she could not pass the egg. They stay on grower/finisher until after the first egg. I have never heard of peppers being good for deworming or good for anything in a chicken

 

[birdman55]

the biggest thing I heard peppers being used is when the bird poops the oc...pepper...is in the poop and it deters animals....

 

[KensingtonHens]

I hope you can make out the roost bar in my pics. I was wondering if this will work so close to the nest boxes. The coop is for 5 bantams coming feb 26. We will have time to rework it if the hens don't like it or they sleep in the boxes. Maybe I'll cover the nesting box with curtains? What do you all think?

 

[BonRae67]

I hope you can make out the roost bar in my pics. I was wondering if this will work so close to the nest boxes. The coop is for 5 bantams coming feb 26. We will have time to rework it if the hens don't like it or they sleep in the boxes. Maybe I'll cover the nesting box with curtains? What do you all think?

The bar may be a little close and high. I do like the curtain idea. But only way to tell is to let the girls see what os best for them. Good luck. I love the coop. Great repurposing.

 

[KensingtonHens]

The bar may be a little close and high. I do like the curtain idea. But only way to tell is to let the girls see what os best for them. Good luck. I love the coop. Great repurposing.

I think you're right. But will give the girls a chance to try it out. There is another roost mount closer to the bottom of the nesting boxes. I'll just try things out. Thanks. so much!

 

[smcgill]

I like it!

 

[SouthernFarmChick]

Wow!! Would I ever love to have some 'coops' like these! They're absolutely fabulous!!!