The Kansas/Missouri Chat thread! Everyone Welcome.

[ChickenPeep]

Howdy from Olathe!

ChickenPeep - ran into someone else that has a small flock here in Olathe. This person is just South of the courthouse. Our numbers are growing.

That's great. Did you mention anything about BYC to them? I might know who you're talking about.

 

[ChickenPeep]

Im in Independence MO

Welcome!

 

[pikeman94]

That's great. Did you mention anything about BYC to them? I might know who you're talking about.

No I didn't bad Pikeman.....This person is friends with someone I know - Cullen Stapleton. The individual's name is
Lisa Groszek-Demaree.

 

[kathyinmo]

 

[ChickenPeep]

Pikeman- I will have to check with my family to see if we know then.

Welcome Kathyinmo!!

 

[Gifa]

We decided to move forward despite MGEs excavation plans for next year... Getting our babies on Thursday. Brooder box gets built tonight or tomorrow.

Doesn't look like I'm going to get the Australorps I REALLY wanted right away though... But I will be getting the SLWs and EEs.

Going for 6 to start, 3 of each... they are coming from Estes Hatchery. I have read some good and some bad about Estes...but nothing that indicates we should avoid them (customer service is bad/weird, chickens are good/healthy). We generally try to be conscientious when it comes to stuff like this. But, I don't have a lot of insider knowledge or experience on this kind of thing, so I hope I am not doing something revoltingly wrong by getting chicks that come from there.

Anyway, there might be other varieties available at the feed store where we are picking up from... For example, we KNOW they are expecting some RIRs also... but I have read/heard from numerous sources that the have a reputation for becoming lethally aggressive to more docile flock mates, and I don't want to have to deal with that if I can avoid it. (I chose to have a shetland sheepdog and a mini-aussie over a Rottie and a Pit for a similar reason. Sure Rotts and Pits are not always the monsters they are made out to be... but Shelties and Mini Aussies are always the sweeties they are made out to be... so... you know...there it is.) The feed store might also be getting some Welsummers too. The young girl at the till wasn't sure when we were asking about it... but if so, we'll get at least one of those instead of a third EE... And if we lose some chicks along the way for whatever reason (She's turning out to be He's or whatever), we'll replace with Australorps in the future.

Also, our original 4' X 4' X 4' coop design has been expanded to a 5' X 6' X 4', their run will be 5' X 20' X 5' so it should be PLENTY roomy for 6.

Here we go.

 

[pikeman94]

We decided to move forward despite MGEs excavation plans for next year... Getting our babies on Thursday. Brooder box gets built tonight or tomorrow.

Doesn't look like I'm going to get the Australorps I REALLY wanted right away though... But I will be getting the SLWs and EEs.

Going for 6 to start, 3 of each... they are coming from Estes Hatchery. I have read some good and some bad about Estes...but nothing that indicates we should avoid them (customer service is bad/weird, chickens are good/healthy). We generally try to be conscientious when it comes to stuff like this. But, I don't have a lot of insider knowledge or experience on this kind of thing, so I hope I am not doing something revoltingly wrong by getting chicks that come from there.

Anyway, there might be other varieties available at the feed store where we are picking up from... For example, we KNOW they are expecting some RIRs also... but I have read/heard from numerous sources that the have a reputation for becoming lethally aggressive to more docile flock mates, and I don't want to have to deal with that if I can avoid it. (I chose to have a shetland sheepdog and a mini-aussie over a Rottie and a Pit for a similar reason. Sure Rotts and Pits are not always the monsters they are made out to be... but Shelties and Mini Aussies are always the sweeties they are made out to be... so... you know...there it is.) The feed store might also be getting some Welsummers too. The young girl at the till wasn't sure when we were asking about it... but if so, we'll get at least one of those instead of a third EE... And if we lose some chicks along the way for whatever reason (She's turning out to be He's or whatever), we'll replace with Australorps in the future.

Also, our original 4' X 4' X 4' coop design has been expanded to a 5' X 6' X 4', their run will be 5' X 20' X 5' so it should be PLENTY roomy for 6.

Here we go.

Gifa, welcome to craziness!

I am building a new coop and I am capturing the build process here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/gallery/album/view/id/6215133/user_id/66378

I am using modified plans from here: http://poultry.purinamills.com/NUTRITIONMANAGEMENT/HenHouseHutchDesign/default.aspx

I am making my coop 4'x8'. I am also, moving access doors around, nesting boxes around, etc.

I have purchased all of the wood off of Craig's List and I have only spent about $100 so far.

Let me know what you think or if you have any questions.

 

[Gifa]

Hi Pikeman,

Those plans look similar to what we are planning.


We're actually going to reuse wood that we tear out of our basement. The basement was shoddily finished by someone before we bought the house (we suspect to hide the condition of the foundation), and we're finally tearing it out. We even have a bunch of free shingles leftover from when we re-roofed our house 9 years ago. So... We're mostly using free materials. The only thing we're really going to need to buy is the hardware cloth, screws, bolts and window materials. These were our original plans:





Just imagine it a hair wider in that mock up. We're hoping by putting them here along the boundary between us and those woods that they'll have a continual influx of bugs to eat.

Aside from the size change, we have modified the clean out door. Instead of it opening on just the bottom half, we are going to design it to open the whole side for easier cleaning. We are also planning for larger windows for better light and ventilation.

I notice that your nest boxes are positioned higher up in the coop. Is there any particular reason it's up off the floor? Or will this design be alright?

 

[pikeman94]

That is a really good looking design.

I will have my nesting boxes lower to the floor of the coop. Also, I will not have 17" of space under the coop. I am taking 12" off the height as I don't want this going above the fence. I am thinking my access doors will be on the sides of the coop that way I can clean it out easy. I hope to get more of the framing done this evening. More pictures to follow.

 

[pikeman94]

Coop v2.0 progresses!

I got the floor attached as well as the legs attached!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/gallery/album/view/id/6215133/user_id/66378

Hopefully, tonight I can get more of the framing in place.