We're building our first coop tomorrow!

[lisebarb]

At a town meeting a month ago I was told that our small cottage was zoned agricultural and the we cold even have a cow if we wanted. Well, I'm not even going to go there but a dream of mine has been to have 3 or 4 chickens as pets and for their eggs.

Last weekend I attended a local agricultural fair and met a may who raises Americanas (Easter eggers) and I fell in love with them. I also fell for the Plymouth Rock Barred I saw.

My question is, can I mix the two types? Get two of one kind and two of another. Apart from wanting their eggs I really want them as pets. I want to be able to handle them and had feed them the worms that I raise as composting worms.

We're going to be getting our birds in a couple of weeks and would it be alright to bring them home in a portable doggy kennel?

My other questions are around what type of feeding and watering container I should buy. We are on the north shore of Lake Erie and while we don't get a lot of snow, we can have occasional cold snaps.

Is there somewhere I can go to learn more about the winter care and storage of the birds?
Thanks so much.

 

[bwebb7]

Yes you can mix the two types.
Yes they can come home in a doggy kennel try to provide them a rug or something so they can comfortably grip their toes-feet
We like the hanging models because we keep deep litter method of shavings and if they are too low they fill with shavings -the waterer too a hanging model-they come in galvanized they should handle your weather.
As far as birds????????????I'm from Fla-we don't weather proof our birds

 

[chicken farmer meigs]

My coop was insulated with fiberglass insulation and cavered with house wrap. to keep the hens from eating the insulaton. This last winter when it hit -10 degree I just pluged in a heat lamp for them and the coop stayed about 30 degree I also put a heat lamp on side of the 3 gal. metal waterer to keep it from freezing and give the ladies a little warm water to drink. the laid eggs all winter long. My coop is 4 ft wide by 6 ft long 8 feet tall. just right for 5 hens.

 

[credmond]

You can mix the breeds, we just got a few easter eggers and a couple plymouth barred rocks...
as far as weather, i'm in MIchigan, and it can get cold, so I am going to insulate the inside, and use a heat lamp if neccessary....
as far as feeder and waterer....i'm keeping it simple...just going to change water once a day to keep it clean.......
enjoy your chickens

 

[3 sisters farm]

I have 8 hens.....only two the same kind, I do have an amerecana and plymouth barbed rock...they get along fine.