The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[rowerjen]

Leah's mom - you asked for pictures of my deck railing roost. Here's one picture. I have a smaller 2x4 roost in front (occupied in this photo), and the deck railing is in the back. The smaller roost gives them room to spread out or a step up if they all feel like jamming in on the back roost.


Here's another picture of the setup. The deck railing is a little warped, which probably why it ended up in the cull bin. The chickens don't care.


A view of the run. I used some lattice with plastic sheeting to block the wind on the North west corner. I also repurposed the windows from an old garage door that I found behind my garage. One is attached vertically on the right with bungee cords. The other is along the bottom of the coop propped up with stakes and now held in place by the snow that slid off the roof of the run. They like to hang out on the logs and the 2x4 shelf in the corner when the weather is foul. Otherwise, they are out and about, no matter how cold it gets!



Speaking of which, here they are peering into the living room through the sliding glass door. No, you are not coming in the houses!

 

[countrygirl74]

A pullet would help with his attention. He will be fine..give him a few months. Right now his testosterone is running really high. It will tone down when he start to protect. Do you free range at all?

I'm having a similar issue... There are 5 hens, one of which is a silkie. For some reason our EE roo has claimed the Red as his favorite. The funny thing is the EE hen is usually the one that hangs out with him all day long but he never does anything to her. All he does is mount the Red, constantly! The Barred Rocks seem to boss him around so he hasn't tried them either, and he leaves the little silkie alone too. The poor Red spends her life hiding right now. He will not leave her alone. So far, no major feathers missing but she sure does seem tired of it. Half the time I find her either on the roof of the coop or inside the coop in the farthest, darkest nesting box - anywhere she can escape this crazy roo. They are all 18 weeks old. Do I just let it play out? Why her and no one else? The only time he leaves her alone is when I let them out for supervised free-ranging. Even then she stays a distance from the rest of the flock, but he doesn't chase her down then. When she sees me coming, she bolts out that door, so happy to be out, but I can't let her out unless I'm out with them all.

 

[aoxa]

Aoxia,

Love your plans. Love your doors..love how you will get double use out of them. Do need a grooming/FF room insulated with heat and hot water? Dirt floors are good and better for the live stock.


I apologies for giving wrong information about roosts measurements. I should have said circumference and used a tape measure instead of posting just a picture. Thank you for correcting me and letting me know I was wrong.

The wash/storage room with brooders will be heated year round for FF and chicks. I fixed that original plan to show the hot water heater and fuse box.





Here is the revised version.

 

[delisha]

Quote: Sounds like she needs to mature a bit more..eventually she will not allow this behavior. He leaves the others alone because they probably kick his butt.

 

[delisha]

Quote:
What are you using for lights?

 

[aoxa]

What are you using for lights?

I'm not quite sure yet. I spaced them out on the drawing like the lights we had before, but we're going to ask the contractor as well. I want them to be safe, energy efficient and a good price. I was thinking fluorescent like we had before.. But maybe they won't be safe.. I am not sure on that.. but the lights were energy efficient. I know that much.

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

I'm drawing up barn plans. One floor only with the appearance of a loft, but no loft.. I don't want to take stairs anyway, and it would be too costly.



So this is the look we are going for outside. But bigger... All the doors will be double dutch style. More windows than in picture.



Hope this makes sense... I drew this out myself. I didn't like the plans that the image above showed. I need a really big area for the poultry, as well as breeding pens against the back for outdoor runs. I hope it brings it up larger when you click.. The long boxes against the wall are windows.. the doors are open. The little square boxes are outlets. Everything else is marked (except the lights in the 14 x 4 foot breeding pens (which by the way - 1 is supposed to be 6 x 14 feet.. whoops. Will have to fix it.

Thoughts? Did I mention all doors are double dutch style?

I love it. Gives me ideas for way down the road in the future

 

[midnightroo]

Does fluorescent generate heat? LED would be more up front by they are supposed to last a long time and be very cost efficient. We have cfl's, but as they go I will be replacing with LEDs in the house.

 

[delisha]

Quote: I read an article about fire safety and lighting..they said fluorescent if contained is good..I am posting it if you want to read it.

http://firesafetyinbarns.com/03electrical.html

 

[aoxa]

I read an article about fire safety and lighting..they said fluorescent if contained is good..I am posting it if you want to read it.

http://firesafetyinbarns.com/03electrical.html

That link is great Vicki, thank you for posting!!

I think I will go with Fluorescent like I was before. They were contained.