Taking the Plunge.

[PuffyChick]

Thank you all for the warm replys.

Today we went shopping for coop lumber/supplies and WHEW!

When my hubby gets an idea under his hat he surely has to have it just right.

In the end we got a shipping crate that is very sturdily built from a Habitat restore for 10$

We will make a roof for it and cut out door/nesting hatches and a cleaning hatch and then run a run out from the side like a chicken tractor.

Hubby thinks it's better to use the box length wise so you can get chickens on 2 roosts with the nest boxes in the back.

I thought it would be better to go width wise with a nest box on either side and a roost poles in the middle of them tho the roost space wont be as big as his.

The box is around 3 1/2 ft long and 2 1/2 ft wide or ..depending how you do it (my way) its 3 1/2 ft wide 2 1/2 ft long ..Heh about 3ft tall or so.

The hatchery where I will get my girls says their next hatch date is June 13th! so not too many days to go now.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Hello all,

We have finally decided to take the plunge and get us some chickens!

I am excited yet apprehensive at the same time. I hope I am starting out right and not over looking anything.

We are currently shopping around trying to figure out the bare basics we need to start out.

Hubby is feeling adventurous and wanting to build a coop like the Catawba coops so we can move it around to keep the smell down because that is my number ONE reason for not getting them so far. We dont want to upset the neighbors even tho they dont live right on top of us so to speak.

We are on a 3/4 acre lot In Missouri (zoned county)with a big fenced in back yard and a large garden with a lab and 2 kids. I think chickens, once we figure them out will make a lovely addition.

My only concern so far is how to take care of them when winter hits, how do they get exercise in snow?
Do they like to run around in it a little?
I might just move them into the garage for the winter.

The girls I am thinking about getting ( I only eat brown eggs all other ones gross me out oddly) are,

Buff Oprington
Black Sex Link
Red Sex Link
Barred Plymouth Rock.

I am lucky that there is a good sized nursery near me and I can goin to pick them up so I wont have shipping problems.

So thats me (Puffy) and the chicks which I hope will be equally "puffy"

Awesome Introduction.

Welcome to the site, there's lot's of great people here that enjoy poultry and are very knowledgeable.

The Buffs and the Plymouth Rocks are very winter hardy birds. The snow shouldn't be a problem for them. I have no personal knowledge of the Sex Links, I've never had them. All your choices of egg breeds are well thought out. Of the breeds that you are looking at, the Buffs will be on the lower end of egg production and won't produce as many eggs as your other choices. But the Buufs are such a nice breed and so easy to work with.

You are going to have a great time.

Enjoy.

 

[Fierlin1182]

Thank you all for the warm replys.

Today we went shopping for coop lumber/supplies and WHEW!

When my hubby gets an idea under his hat he surely has to have it just right.

In the end we got a shipping crate that is very sturdily built from a Habitat restore for 10$

We will make a roof for it and cut out door/nesting hatches and a cleaning hatch and then run a run out from the side like a chicken tractor.

Hubby thinks it's better to use the box length wise so you can get chickens on 2 roosts with the nest boxes in the back.

I thought it would be better to go width wise with a nest box on either side and a roost poles in the middle of them tho the roost space wont be as big as his.

The box is around 3 1/2 ft long and 2 1/2 ft wide or ..depending how you do it (my way) its 3 1/2 ft wide 2 1/2 ft long ..Heh about 3ft tall or so.

The hatchery where I will get my girls says their next hatch date is June 13th! so not too many days to go now.

Yay, that's so exciting!
Good luck with your coop. Both your ideas sound pretty cool. I've always noticed that my chickens like to squash up against the wall when they roost though. Maybe our coop is just really draughty, I don't know