Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[judge]

My coops are old houses. I have three of them. The houses are small so it works out great for a coop.
I agree that the coop needs to be as big as you can make it. Chicken math and enablers require more room.

This coop is 12X24 and divided into three rooms it has been used as a coop for 30 years


egg layer side

Juvie side

duck side

Movable broody box

West side of coop with covered run ..The run goes around all three sides and two sides are covered. I use them for ducks during breeding season because they stay outside. I free range my egg layers and they are locked in the building at night.

North side of coop with a small A Line coop for ducks nests

closed off nest boxes for broodys

What it looks like filled with a broody

Love this! How nice. We have an old building that we call the pump house. It still has the pully on the rafters and the well is on the floor covered with boards. Right now we use it for storage (well junk) and I would love to convert it into another coop.
Your flat broody on the bottom picture is hilarious. Did she make the nest like that, or did you do it for her?

 

[kristip]

School was cancelled yesterday but today it is just a swamp. My swail in the drainage ditch in our front yard is blocked by a pile of snow so i told the kids that we may have an ice rink tomorrow when it freezes. As long as it does not make its way to the basement I am happy.

my work situation should come to a head today. We will see which way it goes. Never boring is my life!
Need to get my rummage piles cleared up and some seeds ordered. Ready for spring to come soon!

 

[mazojoe]

I'm watching the Black Earth Creek rise by the minute, it is almost out of its banks! I dont think I will be going for a swim today! Looks like there is another storm coming up through Missouri at the Iowa border, not sure if it will make it here though.

almost half way on the turkey eggs and 3 do not look viable. I am just a surrogate and will give them up at hatch, might be a little tough!

Stay dry and keep the mop and paper towels handy for all the extra mud today!

Joe

 

[unkadan]

just plain nasty in the north country,

schools closed, everything here and to the NW is ice,,,not a good day to own a gh,,,,,I have to make a slide to town get some propane and ice melt,,,,,,and all the other essentials I should have picked up yesterday instead of fiddling with the heavy equipment again (go for it girls)

ice storms are really my worst nightmare here, not only the gh deal, but all the other buildings here are under 100yr old pines, always branches down,,,,and some of them huge,,,,ugggggg

ok,,,,bbl

danwishinghehadsometraks

<<<<hey lookie I hit 600!

 

[NDchickens]

Jelinek11. You will get a wealth of knowledge on this site!

Most of the schools were closed around us today. Our road was glare ice until I got to the main road then not too bad. Our driveway/farm yard is a slushy mess over a skating rink. Fun!

Hope it doesn't make it into our basement either.

DH started collecting eggs this weekend for a hatch. I think he's gonna start the bator on Thursday morning. Can't wait for the little chickies! He took one bunch for the Dom coop and one from the RIR coop. Should be interesting.

 

[JustJohn]

I don't think we all live in the same state sometimes. Here it is 53 degrees after thunder storms all night and 1.5 inches of rain. I do not normally post about the weather, but sheeeesh what a contrast. alot of you have ice and my chickens are out taking showers right now.

 

[Twizzlebee]

What a storm we had here last night! My mini donkeys grazed straight through it, and are soaked now. I am down to 6 chickens, 2 roosters and 4 hens. and my hens still aren't laying right(Picky phoenix's!) I think its time to get the bator going again!!! does anyone have hatching eggs for sale? I know its still early but I figured I'd ask. I simply can't wait until I have hens that actually give me eggs for the bator! I'm going to do a HUGE hatch this year, so I dont get down this low in numbers again.

 

[jvls1942]

good morning,,

looks like we had a good amount of rain.. about a quarter inch of ice on everything..
UndaDan, I am guessing there are much worse conditions to the North of me..

I didn't want to get dressed and then undressed to take my shower after letting the birds loose, so I went out with my slippers and a jacket.. It was that warm.. I will not have to water today, there are plenty of puddles to choose from..

Is Amber "Jetliner/Jelinek" ?? I missed something here..

Amber, is your DH in on the chicken raising ? Is he going to build your coop ?
I would not consider a chicken tractor .. they are OK in the summer, but can be a headache in the cold months.. if you build a coop, a concrete floor is a must, IMHO..

the first thing to consider is ease of cleaning.. that is an unsavory chore to begin with so you want to make it as painless as possible.. hence the concrete floor..

I can help with the construction of your coop if you want help.. I have lots of building experience.. I have all the tools needed..

If you want some coop ideas, come visit me.. I have 3 different designs.. but I would still like to build my dream coop someday.. but then if I did that I would have to get about 100 more birds.. can't have a coop setting empty can we ??

I think I will be building a peafowl breeding pen soon.. I figure about 10 x 13 at least.. maybe 10 x 24.. 8 ft high and covered..

I just have to find a good spot to put it.. I don't plan on moving it once it is set..

the peacocks are not going to like that one bit..

I forgot to mention that I backed down on to a patch of Ice with Ollie yesterday.. I was stuck, make no mistake about that.. Good thing Annie was here to drive the Blazer.. I had to caution her about being in 4WD.. You don't want to spin the tires .. she wanted to spread sand.. where do you get enough sand to cover 25 feet of ice ?? I mostly ignored her and linked up 3 chains to make 30 feet.. she was amazed how easily the blazer pulled Ollie..

this is mostly the post that I lost last night, so I am sending it now before I lose it again..

...jimhopingforagoodsubmit..........

 

[jvls1942]

I took some pictures of a couple barrocks,, I am thinking they are quite black.. I had some lither (more white) ones, but I couldn't find any yesterday..

what do you all think? are these too black ?





I guess my flash should have gone off.. the one on the roost is about the best representation .

as usual, click on the pictures to enlarge..

 

[unkadan]

Jim, after my research on barred rocks, I'd say the color is ok, just ok(need more zippers and contrast),,,but the birds look on the small side,,,just from what I have been seeing and listening to on a few Rock message boards

maybe if you filled that feeder the birds would be bigger

I did the trip to town,,,roads not to bad right now, but the temp is sitting at 32º and could go either way with the dreaded ice, The wires have a coating wouldn't take much for this to turn really ugly.

IF I had an offer from Jim to consult on a coop as a neighbor I would jump on it!,,,,just sayin'

dangoingofftoforageforlunch