Backyard Chickens?

[MyBuddy]

Some cool little designs!
Chicken Tractors & Mobile Chicken Coop Designs - BackYard Chickens Community

*Edit
Heck, I'm sending this to my daughter in law!

 

[WiglWerm]

If you do decide to build a chicken tractor, keep it small. My husband built mine to my specifications and it is one HEAVY MOMMA. Needless to say it doesn't move around much. lol

 

[MischasMomma]

I got a maybe!!! And that was without getting into all the info on here! He said maybe right away when I said we only need the 4 square feet per chicken and then told me to shut up well talk more when it gets a little warmer and to stop while I was ahead haha

 

[MyBuddy]

I got a maybe!!! And that was without getting into all the info on here! He said maybe right away when I said we only need the 4 square feet per chicken and then told me to shut up well talk more when it gets a little warmer and to stop while I was ahead haha

WooHoo and OMG how funny!! Can't wait to see you posting about your new chickens!!!

But I'll shut up now and wait for summer.

 

[MischasMomma]

WooHoo and OMG how funny!! Can't wait to see you posting about your new chickens!!!

But I'll shut up now and wait for summer.

I totally stopped at the farm supply store today to look at chicks lol... They only have 1 of 3 breeds I had picked out though and require you to purchase a minimum of 6. I only want 2 or 3!

 

[MyBuddy]

I totally stopped at the farm supply store today to look at chicks lol... They only have 1 of 3 breeds I had picked out though and require you to purchase a minimum of 6. I only want 2 or 3!

Oh, that would be very dangerous for me! The cute factor would be way too much lol I probably would be saying, "6 will be fine I'll take it! "

 

[AresMyDobie]

Lol buy six then give 3 away Hahahaha

 

[MyBuddy]

"They're small, take 6!". LOL

 

[Ingrid H]

I read today that chickens are the gateway livestock to becoming a farmer...

 

[MischasMomma]

My kids dad and I get along pretty well. He said he's adding to his flock this year so he'll take however many we don't want. I'm actually looking at coops and the one I like sounds like it's actually cheaper to buy than it would be to buy materials to build it the same way plus time and labor, and it houses 4-5 so maybe I'll keep 4.

Here's a link, what do you guys think? Could we save money by building it ourselves or does that seem like a decent price?
Producer's Pride Hen House, Forest Grey, 4-5 Bird Capacity - For Life Out Here

 

[GennyB]

My kids dad and I get along pretty well. He said he's adding to his flock this year so he'll take however many we don't want. I'm actually looking at coops and the one I like sounds like it's actually cheaper to buy than it would be to buy materials to build it the same way plus time and labor, and it houses 4-5 so maybe I'll keep 4.

Here's a link, what do you guys think? Could we save money by building it ourselves or does that seem like a decent price?
Producer's Pride Hen House, Forest Grey, 4-5 Bird Capacity - For Life Out Here

Is there one there at the store assembled? I would take a really good look at it and maybe do some hands on inspecting. In my experience most of the ones you can but are cheap junk that you will be trashing after a year in the elements. We looked at several before we decided to build our own. There were a few, probably most, that were a complete joke. Keep in mind that once the local critters discover you have hens, they will do just about anything for a easy chicken dinner. Even dogs will do their best to get a shot at a snack.
Our coup is designed by me and was installed on top of a buried cider block (2 deep) wall to keep the critters from being able to dig their way in. It is reinforced everywhere it can be and there are even locks on the doors. The sides are hardware cloth instead of chicken wire to keep snakes out. Yep, even a snake wants shot at least the eggs. I even had to put a solar electric fence around it to keep my dogs at bay. Drake tried to get in and broke a tooth and cut his lip pretty good. Drake's in surgery
When looking at coups, think like the devil himself in trying to get in there.

 

[MischasMomma]

I'll have to go back to the store and check it out. We planned on building it then I started looking online for ideas of how to build it and found these. I have been doing a lot of reading though! I would be replacing any wire with hardware cloth and ensure there's locks on all doors.

A few questions, mainly the other half's concerns... How stinky are they? How often do you clean the coop? What do you do with the poop? (Or course he's mainly worried about bird poop lol) do you use a dust bath? Do you use a heat lamp when it's cold? (how cold requires one if so) how hard are they really to take care of?

 

[WiglWerm]

When I had my first coop ALL I did was clean it, then I read about the deep litter method and I only have to clean out the compost in the spring, which goes in the garden. It does get a little stinky in the run in the wet months. Chickens + rain= stinky. As long as you turn the litter in the hen house their is no smell. I used to use sand in the chicken run and a cat litter scooper to keep it clean. ALOT of work. If you use a poop board under the roosts it's alot easier to maintain. Check out the Backyard Chicken website, they have alot of great tips too.

 

[WiglWerm]

I would highly recommend a light weight chicken tractor, you can build one for minimal money and move them all over the yard so you won't end up with a dirt run. Chickens will decimate a patch of grass quickly, and moving them often will give them fresh vegetation/ bugs and if you do it right you may never have to mow again. LOL

 

[GennyB]

I do things a little different than @WiglWerm. We use mulch in the bottom of the coup, it's a very good mulch called black gold. I put a very thick layer and the hens love scratching around in it for worms. In the indoors part where the nesting boxes are, I use pine straw. The smell of the pine is a deterrent to mites. I also put some in the bottom on top of the mulch. The hens make little next everywhere so the pine straw serves 2 purposes in the bottom. It gives them nesting material and puts a layer down that is easy to rake up at cleaning time. I personally don't use the poop in the garden. I have a fear of solmenilla. I know people do it but not me. I usually put it in one of those brown paper leaf bags along with other yard refuse like leaves and trimmings. We have no problem with smell. People are surprised to find out we have hens.
I do use a dusting bowl. I bought a huge plastic bowl at the dollar store and dug a hole to put the bowl down at ground level. The bowl is 50% very fine dirt and 50% diatomaceous earth which helps with mites. The hens love their dust baths. They actually line up and take turns. If one takes a little too long, they get run out. I also sprinkle some diatomaceous earth on their feed to keep down internal parasites. My hens do get vet visits just to make sure they are healthy. I figure I am eating what they produce so I want my food coming from a healthy source.
As far as extra work, yep they are work. But keep in mind you are caring for a living creature that produces food for you. In the end it is worth it. I also think it is a great experience for kids, the educational value is priceless.
I almost forgot, we do use a heat lamp although not much this winter. I also recommend a heated bowl for water. Mine has a wire thing on top to keep them from sitting on it and pooping in the water.
I think I answered all your questions but if you come up with more....just ask. You'll find a thousand different ways to care for chickens, do your research and you will find the one that works for you after some experimenting. Hens are very curious and like to try new things, have fun with it.

 

[MyBuddy]

All fascinating to me! Even if I never have chickens, this is something I am pretty curious about so therefore, learning! And if my little 'farmer' DIL ever convinces our son, I'll have some knowledge to share!

A few questions, mainly the other half's concerns... How stinky are they? How often do you clean the coop? What do you do with the poop? (Or course he's mainly worried about bird poop lol) do you use a dust bath? Do you use a heat lamp when it's cold? (how cold requires one if so) how hard are they really to take care of?

All questions that I have had! lol And the smell and poop is one of our sons biggest concerns. Remember, this is the guy that freaks at bird poop on his vehicles! Which, of course, he's right to be concerned, right @Gelcoater ? LOL! But I digress....

Chickens will decimate a patch of grass quickly, and moving them often will give them fresh vegetation/ bugs and if you do it right you may never have to mow again. LOL

Ok, I did not even know that chickens eat grass! I have been told that there are great buggers!

I do use a dusting bowl. I bought a huge plastic bowl at the dollar store and dug a hole to put the bowl down at ground level. The bowl is 50% very fine dirt and 50% diatomaceous earth which helps with mites. The hens love their dust baths. They actually line up and take turns. If one takes a little too long, they get run out.

That's hysterical....and so cool! So is this 'bowl' a given when you are raising chickens? If they don't have one, are they rolling in the soil?

 

[GennyB]

If they don't have one, are they rolling in the soil?

They "dust" to control mites mainly, but also it cools them off on hot days. They will find a place to dust themselves.

This is one of my girls right after she dusted her self in one of my flower beds. They flip the dust on them with their wings and even will roll in a dusty spot like a dog.

You can see she is still laying on her side after dusting and you can almost see the little "bowl" she made.

 

[GennyB]

Ok, I did not even know that chickens eat grass!

They eat almost anything. I give mine scraps all the time. They loves their "treats"
They get watermelon, lettuce, ground up egg shells, bananas, apples...the list goes on and on.
Chicken Treat Chart The Best Treats For Backyard Chickens - BackYard Chickens Community
And here's a list of what NOT to feed.
Toxic Treats! What NOT to Feed your Chickens | Fresh Eggs Daily®

 

[MischasMomma]

Thank you so much, very informative!!! And all very helpful information!! My last question for now... Is there a "best" time of year to get started? He keeps telling me wait well talk about it later (the more info I learn the more I want to share with him!) but I feel like he should be making a decision soon so we can prepare to be ready for chicks by the beginning of April ish...

 

[GennyB]

Thank you so much, very informative!!! And all very helpful information!! My last question for now... Is there a "best" time of year to get started? He keeps telling me wait well talk about it later (the more info I learn the more I want to share with him!) but I feel like he should be making a decision soon so we can prepare to be ready for chicks by the beginning of April ish...

My personal thoughts are get them young. They are more fragile when young but IMHO much better. We brought ours home when they were tiny babies. I kept them in a dog crate with a heat lamp. Once they started getting their big bird feathers I started acclimating them to outside slowly.I think that was in May?
I like them young because I need hem to be very people friendly. I let mine free range in the backyard and I need them to come back to the coup when called. The more you socialize them when they are young, the easier the whole experience will be.