Anyone know where to go in the Green Bay / Appleton area to purchase some baby chicks? Looking for egg layers. The family is going to get some chickens for eggs. Thanks in advance for any info. I know TSC in Appleton has them if you get there in time was just wondering if there is anywhere else or anyone whom would could go too. I do travel from Green Bay to Rhinelander and back every other Sunday as well and can go through the Wausau area or Antigo area as well depending. The son and I are going to build the coop next weekend. http://build-chicken-coop.com/pdf/chickencoop1.pdf This is basically what we are going to do but will probably go close to 5ft tall for sure on it. Any other tips you guys can offer will be great. Also will be doing the DLM as well so I will incorporate a step from the door into and out of the coop to help keep the litter inside.
Thanks in advance
I have one of those coops. I wouldn't put more than 3 hens in it. I would also put hardware cloth on the bottom and add some wheels on one end & handles on the other so you can move it around the yard. Making it taller is a good idea because it can be difficult to get in there & catch one of them, especially if they are in the area underneath the coop.
Personally, I would build a small insulated shed and attach a dog kennel or other fencing to it instead. They are so much easier to clean when you can just walk into them. I would also suggest you have a door wide enough to get a wheelbarrow through so you can clean out the deep litter in the spring. They usually do not come outside much in the winter so make the coop bigger than you think you need to give them some space to stretch their wings & not feel "cooped up". Windows, vents &/or skylights are good ideas for your coop so they get some sunlight in the winter, adequate ventilation to keep ammonia fumes down in winter & keep fresh air circulating in both winter & summer. A poop board under the roosts will help make cleaning easier & add a little extra "floor" space.
Are you looking to get chickens just for egg production? As hens get older, they slow down in the amount of eggs they lay, so if having lots of eggs is important, I would suggest one of the production breeds. They are egg laying machines, laying almost daily, but they stop laying and die between 2 & 3 years of age. The heritage breeds do not lay nearly as often as production breeds but they will lay for many years. They do slow down in the winter months but they pick right back up in the spring. And as they age, they do not lay as many eggs per year.
If you decide to go with production breeds, any
TSC or feed store will carry them. They are usually listed at
TSC as "assorted pullets" because they are sex linked birds. If you decide to go with heritage breeds, you might be able to find someone on here that might have the breed(s) you are looking for.
Good luck and welcome to the Cheesehead thread!
