roof top chickens

[ozzie]

Why don't you build a chicken tractor that fits over a raised bed. That way you could fit it over beds you're not using for the chickens to clean up and fertilize?

That's what I've done for my suburban garden. Once you've finished harvesting, you just plonk them on - let them scratch and eat up what's left, fertilize, put straw on, and then move them onto the next bed - let the existing bed compost for a bit and plant out again.

ozzie​

 

[patandchickens]

Exactly how hot does it get up there in the summer. I would be pretty concerned, if the temperature usually gets above 95 F or so. In principle, if electricity and water are available you could rig up a swamp cooler (misting fan) for them; in practice I dunno about Milwaukee but I know that much of the upper Midwest is fairly humid in the summer and that would really limit how much cooling value you'd get. Another possibility is to put frozen jugs of water (basically, ice blocks) in the shaded coop with them, that they can cuddle up to to stay cool, but I really dunno how much good that would do them for, like, an entire summer (as opposed to just the occasional heatwave). It might be a problem.

You might look into something like Naked Neck ("Turken") chickens; they are not as, ah, conventionally decorative <g> as typical chicken breeds but are supposed to be pretty heat tolerant *and* not as cold-intolerant as most of the other heat-tolerant breeds.

In winter, on a rooftop, you would need a LARGE coop with well-enclosed run, all of it very well draftproofed and tied onto the building so it doesn't blow away

; and it is possible that you *might* need heat. Put a max-min thermometer up there, not directly on the asphalt but raised up a couple feet on blocks if possible, and see how bad it gets. I wonder whether it might be possible to winter them somewhere else, like in somebody's backyard? That would be FAR easier and more pleasant...

Free ranging sounds like an exceedingly totally bad idea, unless you want chickens fatally plummeting onto pedestrians below at random intervals and making a horrible mess. And your run will probably need a floor of plywood or something like that, to prevent the chickens from scratching through the roof asphalt and causing leaks. Chickens have sharp strong toes and they aren't afraid to use them

Good luck, interesting project,

Pat

 

[HorseFeathers]

Quote:

All chickens can fly unless their wings are clipped. The question is "Do they WANT to?" Most don't. However, on a rooftop- not advisable.

 

[edselpdx]

OK, I absolutely love your rooftop garden... I'm jealous because I only have 2 spots in my front yard for my raised beds--too much shade elsewhere, though that's not so bad either. The idea of a chicken tractor that fits over your raised beds like in that great video is excellent.

I'm no expert, but I wouldn't want my (future) chicks on asphalt. They peck at everything and consume small rocks for their gizzards, and would likely ingest some petroleum products from the pebbles of the asphalt. I wouldn't want to be eating those eggs.

And that's nothing compared to the heartbreak of finding one or more of your birds splattered on the sidewalk below. I think in your situation, the moveable tractor idea is ideal, since you can compost the poo in situ and have them work your soil., moving the fallow spot around. Much less hauling of compost and poo that way!

Keep us posted.

Sonya

 

[fiftyfifty]

I agree that a movable tractor that fits over the beds would be a good idea. Even if you clipped both wings they could still hop/fly over 2 foot edges. I suppose you could fence the whole perimeter but then you would still have to worry about them wrecking the garden beds. They can do a lot of damage fast.

Don't be worried about the cold. Buy appropriate breeds and you'll be fine. But they will need unfrozen water. If getting water to them on the rooftop isn't practical you could always re-home them in the winters.

If water isn't a problem, I think the best idea of all would be to totally fence off that unused corner that I see. That whole area could be theirs. Build a *6 foot* fence and a *large* shed because you may be planning only urban chickens today, but you'll be wanting to add a couple of urban pygmy goats tomorrow......and an urban mini cow after that.

Best of luck!

 

[cmom]

Quote:
I agree with the other posts. Those are beautiful beds. Any chicken would be happy to eat everything up for you and they will try to fly even with their wings clipped. They will need shade in the summer and cover for the cold months. They can take some pretty cold weather. One thing is to keep it pretty draft free in the cold months.

 

[artisan1]

Wow, what a great site: so much good advice and enthusiastic support! I love the tractor idea, sizing it to fit over a raised bed. Here's some basic design questions. Most of the coops I've looked at on line have the roosting and nesting areas above the ground, with the run extending undeneath. Why is that? Can the necessary shade and ventilation be located mainly in the run, or does the enclosed area also need to be kept cool in the summer? Obversely, does the run need to be enclosed in the winter?

 

[edselpdx]

Welcome, and you're welcome. I will let others answer your more specific questions, and I'll be watching, since your questions may apply to my enclosure/coop, too. I'm still trying to figure out what the REAL difference between ventilation and "draft" is... apparently we need ventilation, but not drafts, and yet the coops I see have open areas at the top as well as bottom. Does "draft" mean just direct blowing wind?
Sonya

 

[andehens]

They like to roost off of the ground, the higher nesting boxes are primairly for our ease. Neither your chickens or us will do well in the frozen wind with no wind break, wind and drafts will bother them worse than low temperatures. Same in summer, the same temp that is ventilated is better tolerated than in a stuffy closed area! I can't wait for more answers, your garden is an interesting area to put chickens!

 

[NRacine]

Wow, what a great set up!

Just remember, chickens are very naughty and will get into any kind of trouble they can. Also, their brains are like the size of walnuts, thus not so smart. In the city, they need to be contained for their own safety.

I think building a coop on a raised bed will work well, then you can rake it out and your whole roof won't be full of poo. Most people have the coop raised and the run underneath as predator protection. I think the risk of predators on the roof will be greatly reduced. Just keep looking at all the pics of everyone's wonderful coops and make your own design based on what will work for your situation.

Good luck!