Which came first: the chickens, or.....the coop?

[cmjust0]

I can allllmost relate to that, Tocks.. Ours will be 4wks Monday, and we've got 28 in a 2'x6' brooder box. I thought it would be big enough to hold them until they're fledged and plenty ready to go outside, but now I'm thinking...maybe not...and "probably not" is gaining ground every day.

The coop is still entirely in my head, too...so that's not great.

I've got no choice really but to start on a coop and work NONSTOP this weekend. All I can say is that I hope I can get feathers and weather to work together before they start pecking each others' eyeballs out in 12sqft.....

Just you watch, though.. I'll get the coop done and ready enough for them to go out just as they're bursting the brooder and it'll turn off too cold again. Guess I'd just have to build an auxilliary brooder..?

Or, maybe I'd just turn them loose in the house and move into the coop myself.

 

[Karrie13]

Chicks first of course! They are now 3 weeks old and I have most of the lumber for the coop…. but that is about it. DH has half the plans drawn out; I guess he will need to get busy this weekend! I pick up more chicks next week.

 

[cimarron]

we built brooder, got chicks and worked on the coop while they were growing. but the catch is, you DO have to actually build the coop.

 

[The Chicken People]

The chicks came first then hubby built a little 5 foot by 3 foot pen...just for day time use back in brooder for nights! Finally the coop is almost done but okay enough for the girls...or the guy too since one of my pullets is a darn roo!! I am so depressed by that cause its a Buff Orpington which was my favorite! Hubby may eat him but I am now considering some breeding and hatching...dont tell him!!LOL!!

 

[TeaLady]

Chicks first. That made the coop a priority (convinced DH that I was serious about chicks). Then a day run and an evening pen. Then a bigger stronger run under a tent, which served an a coop all winter. Then more (many more) chicks, and DH has been working on a truly great coop since early April.

 

[RevaVirginia]

Chicks 1st, Coop is a work in progress inside/outside a barn. They'll probably never lay eggs for all the commotion but they'll cuss like sailors and be great carpenter critics.

 

[The Zoo]

Chicks first (begining of April 2008) and we then spent Memorial weekend building the coop and pen. 7 trips to Home Depot later....and the chicks were finally outside and NOT in my guest bathroom. Yea!

 

[ams3651]

well......I had the shed already on the property and I had cleaned it out and laid the flooring. THen came the chicks just because they had them at the store when I went in. It was about 2 weeks later till the coop was, well i wont say done because it still isnt 1 year later but I guess at this point its as done as it will be. I intended on giving them half of the shed but it didnt work out that way, which was actually fine this winter when they ended up not going out for weeks at a time, the extra space was a good thing.

 

[mamichi]

Our chicks came first. I felt it was the only way to light a fire under our butts to get the coop constructed. I was right

(well, we have a few finishing touches to make, but the girls are in there)

M

 

[mmtillman]

NOthing like a box full of flying chicks to get the coop plans ramped up , huh??