Simple

[RubberDuck]

Hi,
I need to build a simple chicken house and run for 3-5 chickens.
Does anyone have a photo of their house and run?
Or does anyone know a a good website?
Anything would be helful!
Thanks!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Go to the coops page. There are a lot of small coops on there with runs.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/chicken-coop-small.html

 

[peewee]

Check out the link at the very top of the page. Look under coop designs. It has a bunch of coops in all shapes and sizes.

 

[gsim]

Learn about 'chicken math' first.

Meaning you will soon want more, so build for that now instead of later. Unless you have a deed restriction or some ordinance that restricts the size of your flock. For two people to have eggs at most all times year round, I would want around 8 to 10, minimum. The production is off during molting and wintertime. Then each year, they lay fewer eggs too. So for one person, 4 to 5 minimum, for two 8 to 10.

This forum has loads of ideas for coops of all sizes. You are in the right place.

 

[RubberDuck]

I have looked at te chicken math post, but I'm sooo confuseed!!!
What is chicken math (simplified)?

I tried it (and probaly failed!):
4 egg laying chickens=4 chickens

Is that correct?

P.S. My head hurts

 

[Cargo]

Chicken math means that despite all of your intentions to only have 4 chickens you will eventually end up with more.
The simple fact is that chickens are almost as addictive as heroin.
You will want more. Consequently the #1 recommendation for coop design is to: make it bigger!

 

[featherbaby]

As I understand it, chicken math goes something like this:

4 cute baby chicks + 6 RIR for eggs + 8 Cochins for broodies + 5 EEs for colored eggs + 8 roosters for meat + 4 Silkies for pets +7 eggs that hatched + 1 gorgeous phoenix from the last swap = 12 chickens.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

 

[Cargo]

 

[Keri78]

Rubberduck, Chickie Math is just one of those things in life you can't explain but you have to learn by experience!!!

I started out wanting 4 hens to lay eggs and before I finished my first order of day old babies I had about 12 chickens!!! From there things got worse at mock speed!!!

Once I had successfully raised our first batch to be old enough to move outside...well let's just say they needed friends! And I kept discovering new breeds that I just could not resist(frizzles, silkies, sizzles, seramas...oh my!!!

) Sooo one thing led to the next and then I discovered the notion of having different colored eggs in our fridge every morning!!! Oh boy!!!

My poor non-chicken lovin Hubby didn't stand a chance! So what originally started out as four egg layers has developed into 50plus chickens!!!...3 banty chicken coops for my fun cuddely cute chickens that I enjoy selling fertile eggs and occassionally hatching out and selling(and keeping) some chicks. And a chicken barn for my free range flock that is soooo completely diverse you woudn't believe it!!!

I now get chocolate brown, olive green, blue, light green, and all shades of brown, and soon white eggs from my flock!!!!

Our 5yr. old is sooo into it and is looking forward to putting out a sign this spring to start selling fresh eggs!

Sooo...in a nutshell....be prepared to add an addition to your coop in the future and to have WAY more fluffy butts running around than you can even imagine right now!

PS. The smart thing to do is have different ages so you'll always have some younger hens to really bump up your egg production! About every year or two you'll need to add to your flock...I also didn't account for loosing a chicken here or there do to predators, or just natural causes.


Congrats!!! & WELCOME TO

 

[Keri78]

Featherbaby!!! Your story is my story EXACTLY!!! The only difficult part has been trying to give practical explanations to my Hubby for all of these Cute Little Balls of Fluff!!!!

But he's a good sport!