donrae
Rest in Peace -2017
Some folks need or want a prettier coop. some just need functional, and pretty doesn't count for so much. I'm in the latter.
My coops are an old greenhouse that really needs to be rehauled, some hoop coops, a metal pipe and chicken wire pen, and two little coops from CL that have been re-worked and have runs added. Overall I think we've spent less than $300 for all of them. Lots of scrap wood used, and reclaimed items.
Feed--I buy a big tote from the feed mill. I think around 1500lbs for $350? I'll have to double check, it's been a while since my last purchase. We keep the canvas tote from the previous, and The Locusts bucket it from the new tote in the bed of the truck into the old tote. I then bucket it into garbage cans or buckets as needed for use.
We also give most all food scraps to the birds. I know from experience what my flock won't eat--peels, etc, and those things go to the compost. Everything else goes to the birds. Including their egg shells, although I do supplement with oyster shell also.
Honey built me an incubator that holds 141 eggs...as of last night, it's full! I sell sex linked chicks, I hatch other breeds or crosses and either sell them straight run or grow them out to sell sexed pullets. I sell point of lay pullets. I sell eating and hatching eggs. I've not found a market for cockerels yet, so they're culled young or I grow them out and we eat them.
No waste feeders. Folks waste a lot of feed and don't realize it, especially in brooders. Let the birds clean up what they spill. They're designed to eat off the ground, it doesn't hurt them a bit.
Prevention, prevention, prevention! I don't spend money on medications, wormers, treating parasites, etc. I manage my flocks so these things aren't an issue. biggest key is space, overcrowded birds are unhealthy birds.
Secure coops are a biggie, also. Replacing birds gets expensive, as does nursing an injured and usually non-productive bird that's been attacked back to health. This doesn't always mean a coop and run totally of hardware cloth, it can be fencing, electric or otherwise, dogs, etc. Predator control can be multi-layered, depending on your situation.
My coops are an old greenhouse that really needs to be rehauled, some hoop coops, a metal pipe and chicken wire pen, and two little coops from CL that have been re-worked and have runs added. Overall I think we've spent less than $300 for all of them. Lots of scrap wood used, and reclaimed items.
Feed--I buy a big tote from the feed mill. I think around 1500lbs for $350? I'll have to double check, it's been a while since my last purchase. We keep the canvas tote from the previous, and The Locusts bucket it from the new tote in the bed of the truck into the old tote. I then bucket it into garbage cans or buckets as needed for use.
We also give most all food scraps to the birds. I know from experience what my flock won't eat--peels, etc, and those things go to the compost. Everything else goes to the birds. Including their egg shells, although I do supplement with oyster shell also.
Honey built me an incubator that holds 141 eggs...as of last night, it's full! I sell sex linked chicks, I hatch other breeds or crosses and either sell them straight run or grow them out to sell sexed pullets. I sell point of lay pullets. I sell eating and hatching eggs. I've not found a market for cockerels yet, so they're culled young or I grow them out and we eat them.
No waste feeders. Folks waste a lot of feed and don't realize it, especially in brooders. Let the birds clean up what they spill. They're designed to eat off the ground, it doesn't hurt them a bit.
Prevention, prevention, prevention! I don't spend money on medications, wormers, treating parasites, etc. I manage my flocks so these things aren't an issue. biggest key is space, overcrowded birds are unhealthy birds.
Secure coops are a biggie, also. Replacing birds gets expensive, as does nursing an injured and usually non-productive bird that's been attacked back to health. This doesn't always mean a coop and run totally of hardware cloth, it can be fencing, electric or otherwise, dogs, etc. Predator control can be multi-layered, depending on your situation.
