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We aren't too far from each other. I live in East Central Missouri...
Thank you so much for the compliment on my setup here. I have only been at this for about 5 months or so. I've tried to think of everything, and done a lot of reading to gain as much knowledge as possible in a short time.
I think I've invested a lot of TLC. The coop was commercially built by a company located in Southern Missouri. But, I put a LOT of work into it myself. When I ordered the coop, I had the coop manufacturer install an electrical system inside the coop for a light and power receptacle on separate switches, an outside power receptacle for an extension cord that supplies the coop with power, and there's even a receptacle for a ceramic heater bulb in the ceiling that's temperature activated. I even went so far as to match paint color of our barn by going to Lowes with a paint sample, then added three coats to the already primed (tan) coop. Now the coop matches our red/white crossbuck barn exactly. I even water sealed the entire inside of the coop with several coats, including underneath it. The photos don't show this, but I recently put the coop up on blocks so I could easily rake the manure from underneath the breeze-way area where they perch sometimes in the late evening before going to roost.
I build the chicken tractor, which I initially purchased on
Ebay, but reinforced extensively with stainless steel pnuematic staples, installed heavy duty treated framing around the periphery to give it solid support, put wheels on it so I can roll it around, put wire mesh skirting all around the bottom for predators, installed a perch, put hooks in the ceiling to hang feeders and water, put carry handles on two sides so you can easily push it around, and put all kinds of hardware reinforcement to shore up the joints between the wood panels. I have also installed hinged hardware on two top panels and turned them into access hatches in addition to the side door.
Then, there's the "Aviary." The "Aviary," as I call it, is just a small dog kennel. I ordered a second door for the kennel so you can access the aviary from the side and also from the very end of it. I installed 1/2" wire all the way around it to make it as predator proof as possible. The commercially built coop included a small breeze-way where they can perch and stand, but it doesn't provide them with much room to roam around. So, the aviary was just something I put together so they would have a little more room to roam and exercise. I just pushed it up against the coop, and fastened it to the coop with clamps. Seems sturdy even in high winds.
Whewwww! a lot of work, and M-O-N-E-Y!!!! There is simply no way that raising 6 chickens pays off, at least not economically
Of course, you veterans already know that, right? But, the eggs are delicious, much better than the ones in the store, and I've enjoyed the experience a great deal!!
I feel like things have really come along pretty well, that the effort at actually caring for them day to day has been kept to a relative minimum as a result of all the planning/ hard work, and that the chicks look pretty healthy for it. It's early in the game, so we'll see how things go. My next project is to give them some more space to free range more, and exercise, something that will transition from the "Aviary" to a T-posted/poultry netted area much larger than the aviary, a place where I can let them out during the day, and feel that they're still relatively safe from predators without my having to keep a constant eye on them. We have an entire family of foxes that I see out at night, and hawks are regularly patrolling the skies, so I'm always mindful that they're around.
I'm getting a lot of satisfaction coming up with this setup I have. I've enjoyed doing this way more than I imagined I would. We originally got the chicks as pets for the grand kids. I anticipated that there would be some work involved, and that I might be biting off more aggravation than I wanted. I didn't realize I would enjoy the whole experience nearly as much as I have. The final analysis will depend upon how the winter's regimen progresses, and whether I can make it as relatively pain free as the summer has been. I've had a few horses over the years, and through that experience, I'm acquainted with the challenges of winter. So, I have some realistic expectations with respect to what winter can hold, even though horses seem like they're considerably higher maintenance based on my experience now with both.
The biggest obstacle I see is going to be water in the winter. The challenges of winter can be rigorous for several months. I have some ideas for deiced water that I hope will prove to be successful and relatively pain free with respect to my NOT having to be out in the weather dealing with the chicks for long periods of time when it's the coldest. I'll wait to test my theories before posting the details about the contraptions I've developed.
Deicing of their water is a subject I've researched pretty extensively, and there are a few ideas online, but not a huge number of ideas that meet the rigors of my own criteria. Nor is there much commercially available, durable, or as inexpensive as my criteria demands. My goal is to provide them with a water supply that lasts a long time, so I don't have to change it too often in the cold, that it is relatively clean at all times, and that it's automatically deiced during the coldest months.
I do intend to post my BYC page with photos and stuff...According to the forum rules I have to wait until I have ten posts. Just three more to go! Thanks again!
