roof top chickens

[The Chicken Lady]

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It's BYC.

To quote my students, "That's how we roll."

You won't find another place like it online.

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I think this is because those designs have been developed with the idea of using a smaller space "footprint." With the run under the coop, less space is used. These types of coops are often more popular for urban or small flock owners.

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Why not do some research on the National Weather Service site about temperature and humidity averages in your area year-round? Take into consideration extremes as well.

The enclosed area will also need to be kept cool with some form of ventilation. The chickens will go in there to roost and to lay eggs. It's important that the air circulates, especially because the top of a city building is usually quite warm with all that tar.

In the winter, you're going to get lots of snow and fierce winds up there. Remember, temperatures vary from ground level on up. Even several stories' height can make a difference.

I would suggest wrapping your run with tough plastic such as tarp or Visqueen in the winter. You can use a staple gun to tack it on, or tie the tarp on using the grommets and tough twine. If you find that one side is especially windy, consider creating a windblock from some wood or hay bales on that side of the run.

As you gain experience, you can make changes, as well.

 

[Ms Ellen]

Silkies don't fly do they? Of course you are not going to go into commercial egg production with silkies but maybe it would be safer? I don't know I am new too so don't go by what I say.

I love your garden! I have seen Garden Girl before and she is cool too. Do you garden organically?

 

[chickiebaby]

Above all, artisan, just promise to keep us posted. We really would love to see what you come up with. You're a pioneer, dude! Or dudette?

 

[vermontgal]

Very nice roof-top gardens.

I agree with those who suggest doing a rotating chicken tractor to put atop fallow raised beds. This also means you won't have to haul fertilizer up to replenish your raised beds (just chicken feed).

For the summer, you definitely want good shade, and keep the chickens away from any hot exhaust fans on the roof.

In the winter, however, you might see if there is a place you can build a more permanent shelter, that might take advantage of any heat lost through exhaust fans from the building? Will it be too cold/windy/nasty up there for you to go up there to take care of them? One possibility if this is the case is to raise meat-chickens -- you don't keep these through the winter (except in the freezer). I am thinking of doing this with my chicken tractor in the community garden plot.

I definitely agree that you do not want the chickens to free-range. My chickens have a coop on the second floor of my barn. The window that I let them out of is about 8' up, with a ladder. Sometimes they don't use the ladder, and they go THUD. They have a barely-controlled landing. I think this why they are called Plymouth Rocks. They fly like a rock.

YES, even THIS is too high for a chicken to fly down from...

 

[purr]

I have 3 silkies that are lucky if they can figure out how to jump up to get in the coop they can't seem to figure out the ramp.
And I have 2 that fly up to a 4ft roost, go figure

 

[Clay In Iowa]

I don't have any advice to offer as I'm new to this as well, I don't have your restrictions either. I have 10 acres of farm land to pasture my birds.

However, I think you roof top garden is FANTASTIC and love the idea of adding a few egg laying fertilizers. I find the whole project captivating and will be checking back often to see you progress and hopefully some pictures.

Good luck!!

 

[artisan1]

Great advice. I have the "farm" covered with a seasonal greenhouse. Chickens probably wouldn't mind it in there? 70s during the day and 30s, but windless, at night.

Fresh salad into December!

My goal in this project (and soon chickens) is to encourage others to green our cities and eat locally. If anyone wants roof-top or small space garden advice, I have lots of great sources.

Erik

 

[andehens]

I am stunned!

 

[andehens]

I was so stunned I forgot to ask:

How deep are your garden boxes?

What are they filled with?

Is the cover on now? and it doesn't blow off?

 

[artisan1]

The boxes are filled with amazing compost from an even more amazing Milwaukee organization, Growing Power (www.growingpower.org), whose founder, Will Allen, recently won a MacArthur Genius Award. The soil is about 9" deep, though I have some deeper boxes for carrots and beets.

The cover is secured to the boxes and some additional framing with 1x4 cleats, and is made of a reinforced plastic that is generally used to cover scaffolding so that the underlying space can be heated during cold weather work. The main framing is one of those packaged semi-permanent shelters that people erect to cover a boat or vehicle, sold at The Home Chepot. I ditched the enclosed tarp and used the reinforced plastic instead.

Last night it went into the low teens, but the lettuce, kale, kolrabi, and broccoli is still hanging in there. Its truly amazing what can be done by pushing the boundaries in the way that Growing Power showed me can be done. Roof-top chickens are just the logical next step. If only I can figure out how to hide cattle from the local building inspector!


Cheers,

Erik