Siding material, ventilation, and other coop questions.

[NatJ]

Thoughts on how I can make money as a kid in a pandemic?

Your ideas look like a good start!
Other things I can think of:

Some parents pay kids for good grades.
Some relatives give money at birthdays and Christmas.

Mow lawns, rake leaves, shovel snow (all are outdoors, so probably reasonable even during a pandemic.)

Help other kids with their schoolwork (tutoring): either siblings or online. (Only works if you know more than the students about the subjects in question.)

Definitely do not neglect your own schoolwork and chores-- you do not want your parents getting rid of the chickens because you are too busy working to earn money!

Do your parents buy the chicken food, or do you need to budget for that too?

If the rental chickens get returned, you would have the option to save up the money BEFORE getting the coop, instead of paying it back after. That might be a more comfortable situation. (I recognize that if you keep the rental chickens, they need a suitable coop before the weather gets bad this winter. But do think about the benefits of being chicken-less while saving up money for the coop.)

 

[black_cat]

Your ideas look like a good start!
Other things I can think of:

Some parents pay kids for good grades.
Some relatives give money at birthdays and Christmas.

Mow lawns, rake leaves, shovel snow (all are outdoors, so probably reasonable even during a pandemic.)

Help other kids with their schoolwork (tutoring): either siblings or online. (Only works if you know more than the students about the subjects in question.)

Definitely do not neglect your own schoolwork and chores-- you do not want your parents getting rid of the chickens because you are too busy working to earn money!

Do your parents buy the chicken food, or do you need to budget for that too?

If the rental chickens get returned, you would have the option to save up the money BEFORE getting the coop, instead of paying it back after. That might be a more comfortable situation. (I recognize that if you keep the rental chickens, they need a suitable coop before the weather gets bad this winter. But do think about the benefits of being chicken-less while saving up money for the coop.)

I REALLY wish that my parents would pay me for good grades. I'm currently getting straight A's, so I can't really improve upon that to get paid I've never gotten money at christmas aside from things that go directly into my education-and I'm not complaining about that. Tutoring/homework helping is a good idea! There are lots of younger kids right near me that we know. Most people near me hire lawn professionals to mow, but raking leaves is a great idea, and so is snow shoveling! I don't have any usual chores. I honestly have no idea why I get allowance. Parents pay for food and shavings-they understand that I don't have a steady income. With chickens, it's also $10 every 2 months or so, which they're willing to pay. I'm going to start saving up for this ASAP-I will probably be in debt for a while either way, though. Rental chickens may get returned, and though I love them, I understand that that may be a sacrifice that I have to make.

 

[NatJ]

I REALLY wish that my parents would pay me for good grades. I'm currently getting straight A's, so I can't really improve upon that to get paid I've never gotten money at christmas aside from things that go directly into my education-and I'm not complaining about that.

I also grew up with no money for grades, but I got small amounts of birthday money from grandparents ($5 each year from one set.)

I know that some families do things differently, and I was trying to help think of any money sources you might have forgotten. (Like you, I got A's and that was just considered normal in my family.)

 

[black_cat]

My mom suggested this:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/181650...MImuvT4o7L6wIVBobICh0-HApWEAQYBCABEgJHavD_BwE

Building plans. Changes I'd make:
Dimensions (to fit our setup sizes
make hen house floor lower,making hen house taller
put pop door on side, so bedding doesn't come out
Have external nesting boxes (question about those coming in the next post)
Thoughts?

 

[black_cat]

For nesting boxes, do I want them framed more or less like this (taken from free plan) with one seamless piece of flooring?

 

[NatJ]

My mom suggested this:
Building plans. Changes I'd make:
Dimensions (to fit our setup sizes

"Inside, the run offers about 50 square feet of space. The henhouse offers 15 square feet, including room for a couple roosts and a double nest box" (quote from the description)

So that "henhouse" is really only roosts and nestboxes. Not nearly enough space for the chickens to stay inside during bad weather.

I'm not sure how much help the plans would be, given how much you would need to change the size of the house part. (Unless you make the "run" predator proof and protected such that the chickens can use it at all times, in ALL weather.)

 

[black_cat]

"Inside, the run offers about 50 square feet of space. The henhouse offers 15 square feet, including room for a couple roosts and a double nest box" (quote from the description)

So that "henhouse" is really only roosts and nestboxes. Not nearly enough space for the chickens to stay inside during bad weather.

I'm not sure how much help the plans would be, given how much you would need to change the size of the house part. (Unless you make the "run" predator proof and protected such that the chickens can use it at all times, in ALL weather.)

Wouldn't changing the plans just be adjusting the dimensions, and the materials accordingly? I really need the general materials list and the instructions. With external nesting boxes, a 6x6 coop with a 6x14 run should be enough for 7 standards 2 bantams, right?

 

[NatJ]

Wouldn't changing the plans just be adjusting the dimensions, and the materials accordingly?

Well, yes, but by the time you move the pop door, move the nestboxes to be external, make the run longer, make the house wider or longer or both, and make the house taller: you have quite a lot of adjusting to do!

I really need the general materials list and the instructions.

Have you tried googling for free chicken coop plans?
I seem to find quite a few, some of which look quite similar to that one (they tend to need similar modifications, too.)

(It is quite possible that the ones for sale might have better or more thorough information than the free ones-- without buying it myself, I can't easily check that. So buying it might be the sensible choice, if that's the kind you want to build.)

With external nesting boxes, a 6x6 coop with a 6x14 run should be enough for 7 standards 2 bantams, right?

Yes, 6x6 coop is 36 square feet, which should be enough for 8 standard hens or 7 standards and 2 bantams.

 

[black_cat]

Well, yes, but by the time you move the pop door, move the nestboxes to be external, make the run longer, make the house wider or longer or both, and make the house taller: you have quite a lot of adjusting to do!



Have you tried googling for free chicken coop plans?
I seem to find quite a few, some of which look quite similar to that one (they tend to need similar modifications, too.)

(It is quite possible that the ones for sale might have better or more thorough information than the free ones-- without buying it myself, I can't easily check that. So buying it might be the sensible choice, if that's the kind you want to build.)



Yes, 6x6 coop is 36 square feet, which should be enough for 8 standard hens or 7 standards and 2 bantams.

I suppose you have a point. I was looking at those plans because they were suggested by my mom...which now that I think about it.....means that we are building/buying a bigger coop and having some chickens!
I have looked at free plans and you're right, a lot of them are similar but a lot of them also need similar modifications. Maybe a mishmash of plans, where I use the run, run door, and roof framing (with size adjustments) and then adjust different plans for the hen house?

 

[NatJ]

I have looked at free plans and you're right, a lot of them are similar but a lot of them also need similar modifications.

http://www.homegardendesignplan.com/2017/01/ms101-chicken-coop-plans-construction.html
This one is trying to get you to pay for the complete plans, but the free page has lots of views that show the framing and dimensions, and there's even a materials list.
It has a 6 x 6 foot house part, with external nestboxes, and 6 x 12 foot run.

That one happens to be about the right size, although I know nothing about the quality of the plans. I'm mentioning it mostly because I liked the pictures