Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Perris]

I don’t like the idea of plastic coops bc:

• The inside climate is not nice and healthy compared to wooden coops. plastic doesn’t regulate moisture. Imagine yourself in a plastic cabine and a wooden cabine. What would you prefer?
• Plastics are bad for the environment. Even the better recycled ones had a con. Because the tiny particles that come off, go everywhere.
• Plastics degenerates. How quick depends on the quality. Wood (if dry) has a longer lifespan. The lifespan of many plastic products is really short just because of differences in tensions in heat /cold. It often breaks near hinges or other critical points. (My neighbours bought a shed that lasted just 2 years).
• Wooden structures are easier to repair or to adjust.

The only advantage of plastic coops I see is mite control. I use DE as a paint & under the bedding in the nestboxes for lice/mite control. So far it works great for me (7 years).

These generalizations are too sweeping; it very much depends on the kind of plastic, and the kind of wood, and the design. For example, painted wood doesn't breathe either (unless you've used a special kind of paint); rotten wood is very bad for the health of any birds in it, and fungal spores can live in and on it; but I would agree that wood is definitely easier to modify the design. Your neighbour's shed may not be a representative example given there are 7 common types of plastic. Can I suggest you have a look at this site https://nestera.co.uk/ Do you really think they would be partnered by the RSPB, The National Trust, the BBC, wildlife trusts, the Chair of the Poultry Club of Great Britain, and others if what you think about them were true of them?

 

[TropicalBabies]

These generalizations are too sweeping; it very much depends on the kind of plastic, and the kind of wood, and the design. For example, painted wood doesn't breathe either (unless you've used a special kind of paint); rotten wood is very bad for the health of any birds in it, and fungal spores can live in and on it; but I would agree that wood is definitely easier to modify the design. Your neighbour's shed may not be a representative example given there are 7 common types of plastic. Can I suggest you have a look at this site https://nestera.co.uk/ Do you really think they would be partnered by the RSPB, The National Trust, the BBC, wildlife trusts, the Chair of the Poultry Club of Great Britain, and others if what you think about them were true of them?

Well, I think it is great that we have options and choosing wisely is the real issue. I did not stare at the site to see if it is recycling existing plastic. I'm totally into any and all things we can do to reduce our use of and or smarten our use of plastics (to not at all). I am next to the ocean where it seems to effect us the most. And on a small island where it is easier to see the big picture of what we as a whole are doing (and not) much faster than large land mass or landbound folks. The thoughtless production and use of plastics I think the point to be made. Less use, less demand, organic renewable sources seems the best. I do support the reuse of what we have already put out there- better than a landfill or floating in water, leaching and breaking down to microplastics.

"Microplastics are all around us, and yet many people don't know what they are — or how prevalent they are. Though studies have yet to reveal a tangible effect on humans, plastic debris can be destructive to marine habitats. Ultimately, we all share this planet, and global ecosystems influence each other — what happens in one will eventually find its way to another.

Preventing further ecological harm benefits every living being, from zooplankton to humans to blue whales. Microplastics are a major environmental threat despite their tiny size, but they don't have to continue affecting the environment if we all think big and act quickly."

I don't think we should be adding to- therein lies the problem and point. The breaking down of plastics and what it is doing to all things in the long term.
I hope, I hope, I hope we all do our best ♡☮

***edit
Unfortunately yes, I do think that they can get support from those folks. The real question is do they get ours and I think as a whole it should be a global and resounding NO

Do you really think they would be partnered by the RSPB, The National Trust, the BBC, wildlife trusts, the Chair of the Poultry Club of Great Britain, and others if what you think about them were true of them?

 

[TheFatBlueCat]

These generalizations are too sweeping; it very much depends on the kind of plastic, and the kind of wood, and the design. For example, painted wood doesn't breathe either (unless you've used a special kind of paint); rotten wood is very bad for the health of any birds in it, and fungal spores can live in and on it; but I would agree that wood is definitely easier to modify the design. Your neighbour's shed may not be a representative example given there are 7 common types of plastic. Can I suggest you have a look at this site https://nestera.co.uk/ Do you really think they would be partnered by the RSPB, The National Trust, the BBC, wildlife trusts, the Chair of the Poultry Club of Great Britain, and others if what you think about them were true of them?

I am a huge fan of plastic coops. Not many available here (pretty much just eglu) but I think they have many advantages. Yes it does matter what sort of plastic is used, and I've yet to see if the eglu (polypropylene I believe) will hold up to New Zealand UV (one of the nastiest UV in the world). I've only had it about a year. I do understand microplastics are an issue, but so are the chemicals they treat wood with so there's compromise everywhere you turn.

I wish I could get the coop Shadrach has here. I am planning to make another grow-out coop out of a 1000L water tote. Deconstructing plastic is much more in line with my building skills!

 

[GregnLety]

Itty Bitty is checking out the blind chick and the baby Guineas. I check on them often and the blind chick has a full crop and was taking a dust bath a few minutes ago. Given their similar size and age I think the chick can bond with the Guineas. I'd like to house the baby with the Guineas once I move them outside. I think the Guineas are scared of Itty Bitty but she is our most gentle hen.

 

[Shadrach]

with bechamel sauce?


I don't know about that. My original 12 came from a hatchery and had to teach themselves everything they needed to know about being chickens. I think they have some natural instincts on what to eat and what not to eat. Subsequent chicks have had a Mama showing them the ropes or those that had no broody hen to raise them could learn by following the rest of the flock.

Nope, no sauce but I'm quite certain that if I made a sauce with mature Orkney Cheddar the chicken would love it.

 

[Shadrach]

These generalizations are too sweeping; it very much depends on the kind of plastic, and the kind of wood, and the design. For example, painted wood doesn't breathe either (unless you've used a special kind of paint); rotten wood is very bad for the health of any birds in it, and fungal spores can live in and on it; but I would agree that wood is definitely easier to modify the design. Your neighbour's shed may not be a representative example given there are 7 common types of plastic. Can I suggest you have a look at this site https://nestera.co.uk/ Do you really think they would be partnered by the RSPB, The National Trust, the BBC, wildlife trusts, the Chair of the Poultry Club of Great Britain, and others if what you think about them were true of them?

I'm about to "modify" the new coop so I'll tell you how it went. In theory plastics should be easy enough to work with.

 

[RoyalChick]

These generalizations are too sweeping; it very much depends on the kind of plastic, and the kind of wood, and the design. For example, painted wood doesn't breathe either (unless you've used a special kind of paint); rotten wood is very bad for the health of any birds in it, and fungal spores can live in and on it; but I would agree that wood is definitely easier to modify the design. Your neighbour's shed may not be a representative example given there are 7 common types of plastic. Can I suggest you have a look at this site https://nestera.co.uk/ Do you really think they would be partnered by the RSPB, The National Trust, the BBC, wildlife trusts, the Chair of the Poultry Club of Great Britain, and others if what you think about them were true of them?

In the chicken Palace I have a mixed approach. It is mainly lumber (although in construction it felt like it was mainly harware cloth that stuff is such a pain to work with!) but we used plastic lumber (made from recycled milk bottles) instead of treated lumber in areas most likely to be in direct contact with grade.
I really hate treated lumber and would have used more plastic lumber but it is quite expensive particularly for structural framing lumber.

 

[Shadrach]

Wet and horrid most of the day.
C lost the key to the coop run this morning so the chickens didn't get fed properly. I found the key this evening on the path between the geese and the chickens.
Two eggs in one of the new coop nest boxes this evening; one from Matilda and one from a Golden Comet.
I think two slept in the coop but not on the roost bars. I doubt any will sleep on roost bars in the new coop until I've "adjusted" them.
They all came out for about an hour and then it started to tip down and they all went nad took cover.
More of the same tomorrow according to the weather forcast.

 

[RoyalChick]

Wet and horrid most of the day.
C lost the key to the coop run this morning so the chickens didn't get fed properly. I found the key this evening on the path between the geese and the chickens.
Two eggs in one of the new coop nest boxes this evening; one from Matilda and one from a Golden Comet.
I think two slept in the coop but not on the roost bars. I doubt any will sleep on roost bars in the new coop until I've "adjusted" them.
They all came out for about an hour and then it started to tip down and they all went nad took cover.
More of the same tomorrow according to the weather forcast.
View attachment 3153764View attachment 3153765View attachment 3153766View attachment 3153767

The space under the new coop looks like a nice sheltered area for them. I had not realized you had put walls on the coop stand - good to keep out the wind.

 

[BDutch]

These generalizations are too sweeping; it very much depends on the kind of plastic, and the kind of wood, and the design. For example, painted wood doesn't breathe either (unless you've used a special kind of paint); rotten wood is very bad for the health of any birds in it, and fungal spores can live in and on it; but I would agree that wood is definitely easier to modify the design. Your neighbour's shed may not be a representative example given there are 7 common types of plastic. Can I suggest you have a look at this site https://nestera.co.uk/ Do you really think they would be partnered by the RSPB, The National Trust, the BBC, wildlife trusts, the Chair of the Poultry Club of Great Britain, and others if what you think about them were true of them?

You are right. Rotting wood is not healthy. And paint is often not sustainable. I used a fungi with natural oil to preserve the wood of my old chicken coop. And when the coop was 2 years old I made a new/larger roof on top of the old one.

https://www.xyhlo.com/en/
It made my coop is very dark brown. It doesn't come in different colors.

About the Nestera coops : The smaller plastic ‘sustainable’ coops look as if they are too small for more than 3 bantams chickens. I think they make the same mistakes as with other prefabs. I can’t be sure bc they don’t give any sizes. Ventilation might be a problem. But a guaranteed lifespan of 25+ years sounds good.