The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[stonykill]

the previously pictured Sumatra pen. Of course including broody's!


the selective mutt breeding pen run and front. The thing on the front is a free skylight. Love my Splash's

way in the background on the right is the vinyl sided coop. That is the other selective mutt pen

. The former Runner, soon to be Sumatra breeding coop is seen onthe left. I built that on a skid so I could move it easily. Most of the top is another free skylight.




I think I have more in Photobucket. I'll take a look

 

[Crafty-Duck]

I built this coop (with lots of help) out of recycled wood.

Love the spool ideas!!!

 

[stonykill]

the previously pictured Sumatra coop in it's entirety


my 1st coop where the RIR's and their offspring mutts live. After it was 1st built and before they free ranged.

 

[Ashdoes]

Speaking of re-using, my neighbor has two of the big wooden spools, like three feet tall, any ideas for them? I thought maybe I could use them as something my vines could climb? I have wisteria, chocolate vines and bitter melon all being babied through winter to be planted spring time. Any other ideas?

Can you maybe stack the spools and then strain the vines to grow up?

I have a lot of nieces and nephews, plus my two girls. I imagine them climbing, so stacking things isnt a good idea here.
Aoxa-that coop is so cool! And I like the table ideas too.

 

[jlynnet]

Stoney, love the pics! I remember my Granddad having ducks in the same pen as chickens. They did just fine.

 

[stonykill]

Stoney, love the pics! I remember my Granddad having ducks in the same pen as chickens. They did just fine.

my Sumatra's are in and out of the duck pen all day long.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

I have a lot of nieces and nephews, plus my two girls. I imagine them climbing, so stacking things isnt a good idea here.
Aoxa-that coop is so cool! And I like the table ideas too.

HHMm yes Iwouldnt want tha either. What about a pole up the middle of the spool?

Very nice coops Stony.

 

[Bulldogma]

Right,, wonder about grabbing them off the roost, and into an inside work station with low lighting until it was over would help.. I will cry too, but do realize if I add more birds as I want to this spring only the ones that produce should be kept. (Right now I feel like no one is EVER going to produce

) Too bad we don't live near each other, we could do it together! Have to ask BDM, as she just got through her first experiences with it. Also if I order straight run, I will have lots of teenage boys with no purpose.

MB

I wish I lived near you, too. I cried during the first cull - which I botched a bit and worried about causing my poor girl unnecessary suffering. The next was easier (but I cried losing such a beautiful cockerel). After that, the four guineas were easy! And delicious!

a few coops I have pictures of

inside the RIR coop. 2 broody's. A few of the lil ones. This was my 1st coop. It is on a trailer frame to make it mobile. I haven't moved it in years

. They are free range and go wherever they please

more to follow

Great pictures and explanations, Stony! Can I use the pic with the broody RIRs for the RIR blog post that will be coming up soon?

My own recycled coop is in my signature. This past week we added an 8'x4' run to the existing 4'x4' run for those rare times we might have to keep them locked up. It will make for a nice bantam coop in the near future for our 2 bantam cochins and 2 silkies. I also have a secondary coop that is currently being used as a quarantine coop. It's just a modified rabbit hutch I got for $25 and a pen I picked up for free. I'm hoping Santa will bring me a large coop in January after we get our tax refund.

 

[stonykill]

Great pictures and explanations, Stony! Can I use the pic with the broody RIRs for the RIR blog post that will be coming up soon?

absolutely. I have pics of them as well with their lil ones...but was going to use them on the broody blog I'm working on for you

. Feel free to use this one for the upcoming RIR blog. FYI these 2 girls are from old farm stock. From a chicken farm of 60 years or so that closed. These 2 are between 4 and 6 years old.

 

[stonykill]

egg extremes. Terrible pic...but left to right Sumatra pullet egg, egg from a 5 to 6 year old RIR(she still lays these 4 to 5 days a week!) (jumbo almost as big as my Pekin eggs) and a quarter .



the vinyl sided coop with the girls and their new rooster. He is a Sumatra ans Black Australorp mix. Was low on the pecking order and is just growing his tailfeathers back now that he is the only guy in the coop



about 1/2 of the free range flock