Spring Break Breeder Pens Progress (It's got paint!)

[TeamChaos]

great pictures, I'm enjoying this thread- Nice work!

 

[Zahboo]

Thanks. All the coops are built just no roosts or nest boxes yet. I had rabbit wire and thought I was going to do that, but after looking at it I am going to take that wire back and either get deer netting or something similar.

 

[Zahboo]

Okay

Heres what I've gotten done. Like I said, need wire and then I'll be able to work on it again. Thursday calls for rain so MUSH MUSH GO

You can see the end isn't technically closed because I don't have the wire. I just used a tarp and scrap wood that is warped to hold it. Of course their box fan is going it says its 82, but boy it feels hotter.

This is just another view .

 

[WestKnollAmy]

You just made me look bad! My Cochins thought they were getting new digs this spring, too but I haven't had time to build them. Now word has it mine want to come live with you!

Looking good! Keep up the hard work.
If you see about 160 bantam Cochins on your doorstep send them back home to me, please!

Oh! Great name! My DD is named Leah but we call her PooCoo most of the time.

 

[Zahboo]

Quote:
I'll send some of them back. My advantage is Spring Break. All my close friends are out on family vacations or at the beach (Yes they were stupid enough to go to the beach this week. TOO crowded.) How much space do yours have? I know measurement wise on paper its enough room, but it just looks small.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Mine are in large quarters. I have a trio in a 30x30 pen with a small 4x4 coop. I have 10 Mille Fleur project Cochin growing up boys in a 7x14 coop and their run is about 30x60. I do not cover mine but the coops can be closed up tight at night. They are well ventilated, even in winter.
The smallest tractor I have a trio in is my blue/yellow tractor. The coop area is 3x4 and the run part is 4x6. One hen complains daily to me that she hasn't enough room to get away from her room mates. Not that they don't get along but she likes her privacy. I think she is about to go broody.
The good thing about the tractor though is that I can move it every day or every other day for fresh dirt, grass and bugs.
My white bantam Cochins finally cleaned up all the grass in their pen and now need new quarters so they won't be on dirt all the time. I will move them out for the summer and let the grass grow back in there for later use.

I hear you about the beach! I like to go when no one else does. No lines, no noise, no trouble. We usually take the kid out of school and go.

 

[Zahboo]

Mine free range all the time when I'm home. The only thing they would do in a coop is lay. They roost in the run even in winter, which I never understood. I try to make them happy and my wallet content. I am trying to figure out which wire I'm going to use. Rabbit wire is a no and they can stick their heads throught 2x4 welded wire. Deer netting is my first choice but TSC doesn't carry it.

 

[Zahboo]

Slow progress today. I got the netting I needed, not deer netting but similar and thicker. I used hardware cloth on the end that is not chainlink. The cochin pen is done. I used 1x2s to make the gate and used the netting to fill in the square. Not sure how I'm going to lock it, right now I'm using a ziptie. One out of 4 pens done. I locked the cochins in it to see if they are going to jump the 4'gate and be naughty buggers. I'm hoping they'll just stay in their spot. If I can find another 8' 1x2 I'll finish the silkie one and have them both in there today, but I can't find anything buy 4x4s in the scrap wood which is just too heavy. I hope to be painting this weekend.

Picture of a cell phone picture because my phone isn't sending the pictures correctly; quite annoying. It gives the gyst of the pens for now.

To do list:

Finish gates
Plant grass seed
Build Roosts
Build Nest boxes
Find and install locks for individual gates
Put chicken wire at the bottom of chainlink
Rebuild pigeon aviary that I had to take down.
Come up with feeder and waterer system or just keep using feeders and litter pans

 

[Zahboo]

I am satisfied with the gates. Not only do they divide the space into 4 pens but they act as a door to the coop. If I want to use one coop and have them with 2 pens I just swing the door open all the way and it covers the other coop opening. It is hard to explain but handy for chicks, broodies and storage.

Just the cochins in their spot with the gate open


Here you see how the gate closes the coop like I said

The gate still open (they were free ranging

The silkies in their coop, still roostless

 

[Zahboo]

More photos

haven't finished leveling ground but oh well

side before the wire was put on. that's just netting