Silkies in main coop

[Chicken poppy]

I'd heard that before. My two are not even the bottom of the pecking order.

I wonder if it's because my flock are all different breeds, so no one looks the same as any others. No one stands out because they all stand out. Or maybe because my top hen don't put up with no guff. She's a serious bird.

Here's my mini coop. It was really just a wooden box. There was a very low roost inside because they were so very young at that point, and I planned on adding a nest box later. And I included the only pic of it set up in the run that I could find, but it doesn't show the step stool.

In the 2nd pic, you can see the door to the walk in coop just next to the mini coop. This set up worked well. And I wished I'd kept the mini coop when we moved, but I left it because it wouldn't fit in the truck. Boo.
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I just remembered that I made this coop for free with materials left over from my main coop build and with a dismantled hot tub surround that my neighbors were replacing. Haha! I was so... energetic then. Now I'm like, can we just buy it? Smh.

Well, all mine are different to, and their all grumpy little grouches. I don’t know why! They are as spoiled as can be! I don’t even eat chicken OR their eggs! They get luxurious food and get to come in the house, to! So spoiled.

Thats how we were with the big coop we made for the big ones. We even planned on putting electricity in it.
The energy fades after a while, doesn’t it?

 

[Aunt Angus]

Well, all mine are different to, and their all grumpy little grouches. I don’t know why! They are as spoiled as can be! I don’t even eat chicken OR their eggs! They get luxurious food and get to come in the house, to! So spoiled.

Thats how we were with the big coop we made for the big ones. We even planned on putting electricity in it.
The energy fades after a while, doesn’t it?

Divas....

 

[YarrowFarms]

I'd heard that before. My two are not even the bottom of the pecking order.

I wonder if it's because my flock are all different breeds, so no one looks the same as any others. No one stands out because they all stand out. Or maybe because my top hen don't put up with no guff. She's a serious bird.

Here's my mini coop. It was really just a wooden box. There was a very low roost inside because they were so very young at that point, and I planned on adding a nest box later. And I included the only pic of it set up in the run that I could find, but it doesn't show the step stool.

In the 2nd pic, you can see the door to the walk in coop just next to the mini coop. This set up worked well. And I wished I'd kept the mini coop when we moved, but I left it because it wouldn't fit in the truck. Boo.
View attachment 3184724
View attachment 3184726

I just remembered that I made this coop for free with materials left over from my main coop build and with a dismantled hot tub surround that my neighbors were replacing. Haha! I was so... energetic then. Now I'm like, can we just buy it? Smh.

I like that set up. I don't have quite that much room, but I like that idea.

 

[Battlepants]

I have a full separate setup for my silkie girl. She was badly picked on and ended up getting pretty badly injured by our rooster, so she now has a coop all to herself with low roostbars.

I task her with raising chicks for the flock. She had 8 farmstore chicks that she monitored earlier this year, then went on to brooding 5 eggs (4 hatched) and is currently raising out those. Long term plan is to keep a small amount of friendly chickens living with her and allowing her to hatch as she wants.

 

[Chicken poppy]

Divas....

Pretty much.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I like that set up. I don't have quite that much room, but I like that idea.

Totally forgot: I am building a separate set up for my two special needs Polish. I converted a dog house I bought on Craigslist for $40. It will eventually go in my fenced front yard, so completely separate from the main flock. I'm working on the run now. It will be hog panels with hardware cloth all over it. I don't have any "after" pics because I need to finish the pop door, but here's the "before." I've since added lots of ventilation, a door to the side so I can clean it out more easily, waterproof flooring, and hardware cloth over any gaps.

You might be able to put a prefab in there, depending on your room available.

I've been lucky with that dog kennel run. We've expanded it over the years. It's now over 200 sq ft and fully covered.

 

[YarrowFarms]

I have a full separate setup for my silkie girl. She was badly picked on and ended up getting pretty badly injured by our rooster, so she now has a coop all to herself with low roostbars.

I task her with raising chicks for the flock. She had 8 farmstore chicks that she monitored earlier this year, then went on to brooding 5 eggs (4 hatched) and is currently raising out those. Long term plan is to keep a small amount of friendly chickens living with her and allowing her to hatch as she wants.

That's basically my plan for my silkies, living incubators as they see fit. I'll keep one silkie roo to protect them.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Can you maybe block the nests at night? The hens won't be using them at night. Maybe?