We're getting chickens!

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Well, I think I have figured out what I want to get (but not sure I could even find them.) It sounds good on paper anyway.

3 silkies, 3 cochins, and 3 easter eggers.
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We started on the coop this weekend.

We found a pair of nest boxes at the flea market.


Weather was a bit nasty, so we slid the shed into the garage. Thirty years ago it was something of a double outhouse, but now just a metal frame with metal on the sides and top.


We cut out most of the metal framing inside that would be in the way.



The bottom was rusted, so we swapped out the bottom sheets with scraps we had, or in the case of the back where there was a bit overlap, we just flipped it over.



Two windows cut out in the front with hardware cloth on them. We have larger pieces of the corrugated metal that will bolt back over the holes to seal them up in cold weather.



Went with longer, narrower windows in the back. Pop door starts about 16" up. I would have done lower, but we had a piece of the frame in the way.


A few 2x4s stuck inside for roosts on one end. Right now they are just resting in between the corrugations until we figure out their final locations. Since I still plan on having the silkies, we'll keep one fairly low. Just not sure how to space the other two yet.



Pope door from the inside. We'll build a channel for a door to slide down on. We also added in a walkway type board and will add in a cinder block or something for them to hop down on.


For our winter ventilation, we have a 3.5" square cut out right now. Not sure if that will be enough.



We used spray foam on any gaps and I also put it on any pieces of wire that were sticking out. I'll need to do some trimming after it fully cures. The little dog tried to help me and ended up stepping in some and gluing her toes together. Took both of us to soak it in vegetable oil and then wash it off with dawn.

We're going to extend the roof out on both sides for added rain protection and attach wire to the bottom. Hopefully we are headed in the right direction.

I am wondering if we should add another "window" to the lower half of the people door. I worry about predators, but it might be a good location to bring in some fresh air.
 
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aatx said:
Well, I think I have figured out what I want to get (but not sure I could even find them.) It sounds good on paper anyway.

3 silkies, 3 cochins, and 3 easter eggers.
wee.gif
Click to expand...
If you are looking to have chickens for eggs I would like to warn you that the breeds you have chosen might not be the best. Silkies and Cochins are both great birds, but not great layers. They are both very broody breeds so for large portions of the year they are going to want to sit on eggs. That means that they won't be laying you any. Also when the do lay their eggs are not very impressive in size. They do make great pets though. Silkies are suppose to be one of the friendliest breeds, and I love watching the cochins funny waddle that is caused by their feathery feet and legs. I am not trying to say you should skip these breeds. Only that you might want to consider the ratio of these breeds in your flock.
 
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Odelia said:
If you are looking to have chickens for eggs I would like to warn you that the breeds you have chosen might not be the best. Silkies and Cochins are both great birds, but not great layers. They are both very broody breeds so for large portions of the year they are going to want to sit on eggs. That means that they won't be laying you any. Also when the do lay their eggs are not very impressive in size. They do make great pets though. Silkies are suppose to be one of the friendliest breeds, and I love watching the cochins funny waddle that is caused by their feathery feet and legs. I am not trying to say you should skip these breeds. Only that you might want to consider the ratio of these breeds in your flock.
Click to expand...
Yes, I forgot to update my preferences. Now it is just silkies and Easter Eggers and perhaps some domineckers. Cochins are out. Silkies would be for me. We maybe eat 6 eggs a month in my house, but my parents eat quite a few. I know a lot of the care is going to be my job, so I need the "pet" aspect to get me out there each day interacting with them and checking on everything. The others will just get taken good care of as a natural side effect. I think the EEs and Doms are pretty decent egg layers. We were thinking maybe 9 birds total, and 3 of each.
 

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