post your chicken coop pictures here!

[gpeters3]

I just did a little research. Didnt go to the scientific white page level but found some sites that seem to agree on the temp at least for pasteurizing eggs. Key words for search: 'pasteurize eggs'.

Just tried it and it only took about 10 minutes to heat the water and place them on a cooling rack (of course one rolled off and broke but i was getting ready to fix breakfast anyway so). I am going to cool them and see what they look like in the pan. I cooked some hot ones and they were really watery but they cooked up ok. I expect cooling will bring back their normal viscosity.

Since my eggs come out of the nest clean now i am going to persue pasteurization. No more warm storage or dish soap.

The process is very simple and only takes a few minutes. Place eggs in pan, heat on low to medium heat (you dont want hot spots on the bottom) to 140-150 degrees, remove heat for 3 minutes, cool and refrigerate. Instant thermometer is suggested but i tried both and decided on the candy mercury type. When you see bubbles just beginning to appear on the bottom of the pan it is roughly 140.

 

[gpeters3]

rollout nests are far from cold and they have been in existance for many many years. I plan on making mine out of wood. There are quite a few here at BYC that have made their own. Also they have a nest liner that looks like grass and is cleanable and it has a nap so that the eggs are encouraged to roll away and out of sight. Here is a simple DIY roll out box deb

Guess i didnt really think it through. Synthetic turf or outside carpet might be as comfy and warm as straw and if they dont sleep or roost in them they will stay clean. Ok, smoke is rolling out, light is getting brighter, might just rethink this. If i build a self washing conveyor for the floor i might not need straw at all....Just kidding, i need some humus for the garden anyway Wait a minute! Are you just trying to proove the fact that chicken coops are never done????

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote: Bwhaahahahah..... Yep. I want tunnel nests.... One tunnel nest works for about twenty chickens.... BUT Because of the heat in my envoronment and the fact that I cant always make it out to the coop.... I have designed tunnel test that has a roll out tray. I still have to build a prototype to fine tune the mechanics of it....

deb

 

[bruceha2000]

I just did a little research. Didnt go to the scientific white page level but found some sites that seem to agree on the temp at least for pasteurizing eggs. Key words for search: 'pasteurize eggs'.

Just tried it and it only took about 10 minutes to heat the water and place them on a cooling rack (of course one rolled off and broke but i was getting ready to fix breakfast anyway so). I am going to cool them and see what they look like in the pan. I cooked some hot ones and they were really watery but they cooked up ok. I expect cooling will bring back their normal viscosity.

Since my eggs come out of the nest clean now i am going to persue pasteurization. No more warm storage or dish soap.

The process is very simple and only takes a few minutes. Place eggs in pan, heat on low to medium heat (you dont want hot spots on the bottom) to 140-150 degrees, remove heat for 3 minutes, cool and refrigerate. Instant thermometer is suggested but i tried both and decided on the candy mercury type. When you see bubbles just beginning to appear on the bottom of the pan it is roughly 140.

I apologize in advance

........
Pre-cooking your eggs

I'm pretty sure that wouldn't fly in Europe either.

Bwhaahahahah..... Yep. I want tunnel nests.... One tunnel nest works for about twenty chickens.... BUT Because of the heat in my envoronment and the fact that I cant always make it out to the coop.... I have designed tunnel test that has a roll out tray. I still have to build a prototype to fine tune the mechanics of it....

deb

I have a 4' closed community box with a single central access hole. It is attached to the outside of the coop wall (in the barn alley) with a 2 part lifting top for egg retrieval. It is far from the favored place to lay eggs. Most prefer the open box, also 4' wide with 2 vertical dividers.

 

[gpeters3]

Ok, got a pic of a tunnel nest?

 

[BruceAZ]

Given how hot is it where you live, I trust you can open that coop up A LOT so you don't have baked chicken.
And yes, if you have the skills (minimal for a basic coop) and tools, a build your own will be a lot cheaper, a proper size and being custom, be exactly what you need rather than what someone thinks will work for everyone.

And regarding slope, indoor plumbing drains are spec'ed at 1/4" per foot slope. You don't need much to get water to run off the roof ASSUMING there is no sag, even 1/8"/foot is fine for that. The higher pitched roofs are usually made for volume inside or snow. Even a foot of snow won't slide off a 10/12 pitch roof as long as the temps stay cold. The narrower the apex of the "triangle" the more it can hold (for a given dimensional rafter) because the rafters are running the load more vertically to the top plate which is supported by the vertical walls.

I built this coop with a drill, jigsaw, sander and stapler. I didn't have the money to buy other tools so just used what i can afford at the time. 1st time is a bit more expensive since you have to buy the tools

You will not see it but i left a 3 in gap on the top (all 3 sides) of the coop + ventilation holes. I'm in Arizona so i don't see the point of closing up the coop so i left it open 24/7.. The run is secured. The chickens can come in and out of the coop whenever they want.

It's easy for me. I'll let them out around 6:30PM each day to clean out the run and coop as they free roaming around the yard. They will go back in themselves when i'm done with cleaning + refilling the feeders.

It's easier for me that way since i don't have to wake up at 5-6AM to let them out each day.

 

[gpeters3]

Eggs wont cook at 140 degrees any more than milk cooks when pasteurized. We used to run across the hey field to my grandpas to get 2 gallons of milk every nite and bring it home for mom to put in the pasteurizer. It was like a hot wax crock pot with a very well controlled temp but made of stainless and held about 2 gallons. Ill update you on my findings shortly.

 

[Trucker33377]

Here is my mobile chicken tractor. The front end of the tailor is closed off its about 10 ft x8 ft. Ok it's really not mobile,but as you can see if I want to move it I can. The plan is let the chickens out and under for now. I will place another ramp to a real tractor soon. I have 5 black and copper Marans.hoping to build from there.

 

[perchie.girl]

Ok, got a pic of a tunnel nest?

tried to find one that I went by..... but here is a sketch I did....



dimensions are 48 x 18 about 18 tall in the front and in the back tall enough to keep the hinged lid shut.
The original idea is to be able to collect eggs from each pen without going in. But I wandered off on other things.

My pen layout

 

[MeepBeep]

Eggs wont cook at 140 degrees any more than milk cooks when pasteurized. We used to run across the hey field to my grandpas to get 2 gallons of milk every nite and bring it home for mom to put in the pasteurizer. It was like a hot wax crock pot with a very well controlled temp but made of stainless and held about 2 gallons. Ill update you on my findings shortly.

On that subject, since I was a chef when I was younger and know a few tricks, egg whites cook at 144 and 149° F while the yolk cooks at 149 and 158° F so if you use one of the new fancy digital controlled combination steamer ovens and set it at about 145-148°F and 100% humidity you can make perfect soft boiled eggs every time, never a risk of overcooking and you can hold them in that oven for an extended period of time with no overcooking... Or you can set it for about 141-143°F and 100% humidity and make faux poached eggs in the shell, that again can sit in that oven and hold without over cooking for a long time...