Good God. This coop is no joke with layers and layers. I got a lot of research to do. Thanks!
Hi Mike!
Lol. I feel bad here. Your article got put on the carousel home page— you’re getting lots of good folks commenting though albeit all differing ideas and philosophies.
Maryland near Pennsylvania. You maybe will get those colder winters so get birds with Cushion or pea combs. Research those. Here you’ll be preventing comb/wattle frost bite. Popular breeds are single comb unfortunately. Lower roosts 2x4 flat sid up prevent broken toes/feet and coverage for frost bite.
April 15th or so Grandma would get her chicks and brood. I like that time of year too. . At the 5-6 week mark temps are regulating warm pretty well and young birds growing still but fully feathered flourish in late May early June weather. You can put them in the coop at 5 weeks. Keep them in for a week so they know this is their home. You might find them in a feather pile at night still at this age. Apple cider vinegar . A capful to gallon of water 2-3 times per week helps set up a healthy gut and makes more efficient protein uptake and might make them feather faster. I’ve also seen it resolve Chick pasty butt. Lots to learn about chicks in the learning center so read there first.
Your coop should be built before the chicks come. The 5 weeks will speed by.
Considerations:
1: how many birds x 4 sq feet. Coop ; x 10 for the run.
2: poop removal. Make it easy on yourself. Poop trays with sand or sweet pdz or hammocks. Coop tall enough to stand in so you don’t break your back cleaning or a poop door to push it out into a wheel barrel.
3: nest boxes lower than roosts so they don’t sleep in them and poop in the nesting materials. Makes for messy eggs.
4: ventilation. It’s good for winter and good for ammonia release. Chickens have simple but sensitive respiratory systems that require cleanliness. Consider looking at a sauna diagram for lower and higher ventilation strategies drawing and pushing air. I think folks have an easier time with simple slant roofs vs. peaked roofs for venting out air and moisture imho.
5. Definitely make it matchy matchy with the house. I personally think a coop can add value to your property . We’re doing a pretty cool hobby here. Chicken coop may seal a real estate deal!
6. Predation on your birds and eggs! Know your critters in the area. I think you folks also have rat snakes down there and nothing more interesting finding a large black coil of reptilian fun in your nest boxes while your blindly reaching into get eggs. They help with other problems like rats and mice attracted to your coop but they also like eggs.
Hardware cloth is going to save you here. But it’s a expensive part of the coop build. You can trench in wire fencing about 10-12 inches out from the base of the run to prevent diggers.
There are lots of layers on the coop building. As blooie said just think it through one part at a time.
My coop is also linked in under my chicken fluff and dainty ankles there. Don’t get overwhelmed. Enjoy the evenings of immersing yourself in coop images and chicken paraphernalia. It’s truly a fun hobby.
Security Security Security. Thanks for the deatailed info! 10 weeks and then to the hen house... the more experiences i hear the better.
