The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[lalaland]

Quote:
cardboard boxes work. dresser drawers. baskets. 5 gallon buckets on their side propped with wood scraps to keep them from rolling. anykind of container big enough for a hen and some hay. someone told me their aunt put a couple haybales in the corner, pulled hay out so there was some nest/bowl shapes, and hung gunny sacks for a curtain to kind of close off the area. Hens don't really care, they just want an out of the way place that feels safe or enclosed.

 

[fallenangel79]

we done the dresser drawers. but my hens are not laying yet

 

[aoxa]

anyone with any thoughts about putting my broilers out with lows in the 40's? three weeks old, not many feathers on their bottomsides. 25 of them, and the back half of the tractor is sheltered? They're running out of room in the grow out box but I don't want them freezing outside!

I'd wait a bit longer with those lows and that age.

I have 4 week old broilers that I haven't let out yet because of the temps (and because I have 25 that are 11 weeks and will eat them), but this weekend they are going out. I have a lot of room for them inside though, so that is why they are still in. We have been pretty cold lately. Especially in the mornings. Frost and all. I'll wait until it warms up some on Saturday. I find they are a little stupid for a few days on where to go back in. I like to be home for the first two days they are out.

 

[armorfirelady]

For those who wanted pictures of my set up for running electricity to the coop I made a member page for it.

Here is the link:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/electricity-in-coop-for-winter-or-anytime

 

[lazy gardener]

For those who wanted pictures of my set up for running electricity to the coop I made a member page for it.

Here is the link:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/electricity-in-coop-for-winter-or-anytime

Please, Can you post a pic or details of your cattle panel coop and your construction details? Your panel looks different than mine. Perhaps a lighter ga. with the wires spaced closer together. It looks like you used 1 x 4 for the base? Is your coop skirted? What is the "hole size" in the cattle panel? Have you used any other wire over the panel, or just the white tarp? Interior framing? Have you had any predator problems, and what kinds of predators do you have in your area? I'm asking all these questions b/c my cattle panel coop is built like a tank. I over thought the process and ended up with a coop that is way too heavy to move without some major de-construction and use of a small army. It was SUPPOSED to be a tractor. I want to build an add on hoop sun room, but want it to actually be MOVEABLE! Thanks.

 

[aaggjg]

I have tried the Rubbermaid nest box and my girls turn their nose up at it! I have an old cat carrier whose door broke .... They go in and check it out sometimes hang out for a bit, but still have not laid in there. My biggest easiest success??? I took both an old cabinet door that used to be on my coop & an extra piece of plywood and I created 2 lean-tos in corners of my coop. Currently I have 3 broodies under one and all the girls still want to lay there!!! It literally took 30 seconds to make!

 

[lalaland]

love that idea, leaning boards against the wall, secured so they can't slide down. Easy is best!

 

[lalaland]

well, I was so proud of my efforts earlier this year to make a coop area for the new chicks. The brooder worked great, but my plans regarding the roosts were a total flop.

underneath the brooder area, I put a roost. They used it for about two weeks, one still uses it to this day. The other 17 pullets and roos? they fly up to the shelf you see, which goes around all sides. And then they climb into boxes and pails or roost on my snowshoes, and leave droppings over everything! I put a tree limb so it is on the shelf, going across the space, and they use it to walk back and forth but generally don't roost on it.

these shelves are higher than my head, so I have to stand on tip toe to see the shelf. I did finally put some hay on the flat areas, and turn buckets, etc upside down, but am dismayed at the idea of trying to clean off the poop off of everything!

I haven't ever had chickens that preferred to lay on hay or flat surfaces to a nice roost.
dang it.

I think I will wait til the extra roos have been culled (in about 4 weeks) and then create total chaos by closing off this area and forcing them to integrate into the coop area with the 9 hens. Plenty of room in there. There will be some caterwauling!

 

[armorfirelady]

Quote:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/armorfireladys-fire-chickens-hoop-coop
Here is the link to my coop as I built it. It can be moved with 2 people but its heavy. I did not make mine as a tractor to be moved. But it can be moved
ETA: I did wrap the cattle panels with welded wire that has 2 inch openings.

 

[Quailsong]

Hey all, still alive. I'm 1169 posts behind, so I'm dropping the idea of catching up for now. I just wanted to update that I finally got all the windows & doors in my new coop. Just in time for winter as the temps at night are dropping near freezing here. I hope you're all staying warm and happy. Please take care!