Repurposing...

[andycowboy]

My new coop is made from used pallets - link for it is in my signature. I stopped at a local Community Center Thrift Shop this afternoon, and bought a couple of things:

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Recognize it? How many said "coffee table"?...look again...

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It's a brooder! A litlle hardware cloth, a lid, and a heat lamp....see it?

And I found this:

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Kitchen cabinets, right? Maybe...

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Side-by-side nesting boxes! Just a question, though, for your input...the area between the shelves is 12" deep, 11" wide, but only 9" high...when I add a lip on the front to keep hay inside, that's going to be a 7" opening, basically. Is that enough? Seems a little short, but the girls will be lying down, so not sure it matters.

If both of these work, total cost - $8.00!

 

[HEChicken]

Love it! I certainly can see both the brooder and the nest boxes. 7" is kind of low - are they large fowl or bantams?

 

[andycowboy]

Love it! I certainly can see both the brooder and the nest boxes. 7" is kind of low - are they large fowl or bantams?

No bantams...will be all Buckeyes. The hens get to about 6 pounds. So that's why I'm thinking maybe the height is too small. Taking a look at how much work it will be to take out the shelves - they're nailed in - then put one shelf halfway - that would be plenty high enough, but drop me down to 4 boxes - 13 hens - 4 boxes would probably be OK.

 

[HEChicken]

For that number of hens, 4 boxes will be plenty. They'll probably all queue up to lay in one anyway. Buckeyes are at the top of my wish list! I'm just waiting for a hen to go broody and then I'll order some Buckeye hatching eggs.

 

[andycowboy]

For that number of hens, 4 boxes will be plenty. They'll probably all queue up to lay in one anyway. Buckeyes are at the top of my wish list! I'm just waiting for a hen to go broody and then I'll order some Buckeye hatching eggs.

Well, if you're not in a rush, my Buckeyes are coming up on 4 weeks old (except for Maggie, my original Buckeye, who's now about 9 weeks - she'll probably be the alpha hen once she's introduced to the babies) and should be laying the 3rd or 4th week of September - two of them are supposed to be roosters, but only one got marked, so not sure. Point is, I'll have them segregated and the hens will be covered by at least one Buckeye rooster - maybe I can help you get a Buckeye flock started! After all, if they all lay as planned, I'll have 8-10 fertilized (hopefully) eggs every morning!

Anyway, looks like I might have to try to dismantle the cabinet a little to better accomodate the new girls. Thanks for the input!

Have a great day, and God bless!

 

[BigRooNTN]

Hey Cowboy

How about laying them long ways with the cabinet door up? Take the door off. That would give you a lip or 1 1/2 inch in the front to keep your hay in and maybe add a little space for the Buckeye's.

Just another idea for such a great buy for $8.

Lonnie N TN