This is the only space i have, is it going to be enough ?

[Reg]

Coops parts coming together .

Wire being delivered this week.

Should have chickens in for March !

Roll on spring !

 

[Reg]

Great now have 1"x 1" wire fencing & the perspex for the windows.

She's not ready yet but its all coming together nicely.

Still looking good for chicken shopping trip in March.



Wish me luck

 

[Reg]

Plywood shell of the coop is now up.

Trays finished.

Doors & perches under way.

All being made in my shed. Next door know i'm building something but have no idea what yet.

Wont they have a shock in March. Dont think they like chickens, Noisey smelly things

Days are getting lighter. light until 5 pm now.

 

[silkiechicken]

It will work for 4 hens... however, I HIGHLY recommend starting off with 4 chicks and raising them up in that size coop their entire lives... and perhaps not letting them out to use more space. Reason being, if they grow up in that space, grow up together, and don't taste "freedom" they will never know what it is and will be 100% content. Give them freedom, move them to a smaller place if their former home was large, and put two birds that have not figured out picking order before they could hurt each other (unlike 2 week olds), you may end up with issues. Give them freedom for 2 months and when you stop letting them out they will pace back and fourth and give a ruckus. Trust me on that last one.

It is certainly more space than the eglu's which claim something like 3-4 birds.

 

[Reg]

Quote:
Just when you think you have it all sorted someone chucks a spanner in the works.

All sound very wise tho

Thank you for your imput.

Reg

 

[LilChickCoop]

I originally had that coop- I wouldn't put more than 2 chickens in it... we have since built a bigger one (got more chickens)... that one was just too small. It was cute though!

 

[silkiechicken]

Quote:
Just when you think you have it all sorted someone chucks a spanner in the works.

All sound very wise tho

Thank you for your imput.

Reg

Really, chicks aren't that much work, when they are small, you can even brood them in the coop part. You can tend to them as much or as little as you want. Fill feed, change water once a day, or even use a rabbit water bottle and change it every other day. They will be much more friendly and attached to you than any adult you can get.

 

[Reg]

Quote:
Just when you think you have it all sorted someone chucks a spanner in the works.

All sound very wise tho

Thank you for your imput.

Reg

Really, chicks aren't that much work, when they are small, you can even brood them in the coop part. You can tend to them as much or as little as you want. Fill feed, change water once a day, or even use a rabbit water bottle and change it every other day. They will be much more friendly and attached to you than any adult you can get.

But will not produce eggs until the end of the summer

 

[Reg]

Quote:
I am copying design for looks but they are my sizes. Not sure what size the one for sale on the net is !



The coop is not massive but me & the misses could sleep in there with out any problem, surely 4 hens would manage ?

 

[silkiechicken]

True, but you still may be waiting a month to get eggs from current layers as they get over the stress of moving to new diggs and having new room mates.

I would still try and find "chicks" 6 weeks or younger so they are still impressionable.

On this side of the pond at least, if you get females in the spring, you'll be getting birds that have already laid the first 6-8 months of their most productive time of their lives, which usually goes for 18 months or so before they slow down. The chicks you raise this year won't lay till summer, but will likly lay all through winter, while year old hens will take a month or two off in the winter.

Of course, your ultimate goal on chicken rearing will change what you might want. If pets only, then doesn't really matter what you get or how well they lay, if you want them for mostly their eggs, you'll want to plan on keeping them for about 3 years before replacing them for new layers. By the 4th, most will slow down to just a few a week.