Chicken Coop Improvement Channel?

[paulmon]

Well, some do it for the same reason that some crazy peeps outfit wood shops to build furniture that's five times as expensive as something one could get at a store downtown.

You don't do it to save money.  Reasons to do it:

- You like having chickens.  Some folks do.

- You like knowing where at least some of your food comes from.

- They provide great hopper and tick control around the acreage.

- The eggs taste better.  They really do.

The chicken palace out here at our place:

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That's a great looking coop. If I didn't live in the suburbs with neighbors I would have more than just 2 chickens for sure. As it is, I also have bees.

[R Clark]

We have had the birds now for over four years.  The chickens have always been LOML's desire and project.  But in the same way she has encouraged my wood shop, and now my old Lund fishing boat insanity, I've supported her chicken project. 

We had 26 at one time, and that was about the max for the coop.  We got as many as two dozen eggs in one day, and sometimes I was hauling some in to the office for any takers.  

Our first flock had a rooster; the wife and daughters named him Ed.  Ed turned mean and it got to the point you couldn't go near the coop without a stick.  The hens hated Ed, and once, when he challenged me, I knocked him over.  The hens had their chance as soon as he was one his back, and several of the hens jumped on top of him and began pecking at him.  Shortly thereafter, Ed's name was legally changed to "Chicken 'n Dumplin's."  Since then, we culled any cockerels that managed to join into the flock.

I've considered raising a flock of some meat birds, but that's a lot of work, and I'd rather not be tied down right now with a project like that. 

We always free-ranged the birds, only shutting them up at night.  LOML really enjoyed having the birds come running to her from the field when she got home from work and went out to put out some scratch.  

Coyotes and hawks took their toll, and we lost 8 in two separate running dog attacks.  Still, LOML wouldn't let me build a better enclosure that would have protected them better.  We're down to two now, and LOML says when these two are gone, then she's done with chickens.  Yeah, right.  She'll walk into the farm supply store next Spring, the display will be out with the cute little chicks, and, well, here we go again.

Thanks for letting me hijack your thread and prattle on, Paul.  I do enjoy seeing your projects and video productions.

[brewmaster]

Just ordered some ducklings to add to our 3 chickens. No, it doesn't make financial sense. We, as humans with disposable income and time do that.

Eggs are good too.

[paulmon]

We have had the birds now for over four years.  The chickens have always been LOML's desire and project.  But in the same way she has encouraged my wood shop, and now my old Lund fishing boat insanity, I've supported her chicken project. 

We had 26 at one time, and that was about the max for the coop.  We got as many as two dozen eggs in one day, and sometimes I was hauling some in to the office for any takers.  

Our first flock had a rooster; the wife and daughters named him Ed.  Ed turned mean and it got to the point you couldn't go near the coop without a stick.  The hens hated Ed, and once, when he challenged me, I knocked him over.  The hens had their chance as soon as he was one his back, and several of the hens jumped on top of him and began pecking at him.  Shortly thereafter, Ed's name was legally changed to "Chicken 'n Dumplin's."  Since then, we culled any cockerels that managed to join into the flock.

I've considered raising a flock of some meat birds, but that's a lot of work, and I'd rather not be tied down right now with a project like that. 

We always free-ranged the birds, only shutting them up at night.  LOML really enjoyed having the birds come running to her from the field when she got home from work and went out to put out some scratch.  

Coyotes and hawks took their toll, and we lost 8 in two separate running dog attacks.  Still, LOML wouldn't let me build a better enclosure that would have protected them better.  We're down to two now, and LOML says when these two are gone, then she's done with chickens.  Yeah, right.  She'll walk into the farm supply store next Spring, the display will be out with the cute little chicks, and, well, here we go again.

Thanks for letting me hijack your thread and prattle on, Paul.  I do enjoy seeing your projects and video productions.

thanks for the chicken tales. Love 'em!

[Admiral]

Years ago when my inlaws were still alive (vegetable farmers, yes, in NJ!) my FIL bought a flock to produce eggs to sell at his farm stand and gave me a half dozen Rhode Island Reds, so I built a coop and had a grand time with them. Interesting creatures, and they produced excellent eggs. I found that buying the best feed produced eggs that were quite large, much better than anything you could buy. We moved so I had to give them up. I've often thought I should get some more but my bride has nixed the idea.

[Snipe Hunter]

Great thread, Thanks OP. Love this stuff

[paulmon]

Years ago when my inlaws were still alive (vegetable farmers, yes, in NJ!) my FIL bought a flock to produce eggs to sell at his farm stand and gave me a half dozen Rhode Island Reds, so I built a coop and had a grand time with them.  Interesting creatures, and they produced excellent eggs.  I found that buying the best feed produced eggs that were quite large, much better than anything you could buy.  We moved so I had to give them up.  I've often thought I should get some more but my bride has nixed the idea.

Rhode Island Reds are my favorite. My sister also says that's all she's going to get in the future.

[Bob10]

I have been giving this some thought yet the bees may have pushed the limits already with my wife.  I am not sure how many raccoons would have to die while I try to keep chickens alive.  I have to ask about the wire being used, I was led to believe it needed to be 1/2" to keep out rats.  I have been warned about the 3 Rs Rats, Raptors and Raccoons was I misled?

[R Clark]

I have been giving this some thought yet the bees may have pushed the limits already with my wife.  I am not sure how many raccoons would have to die while I try to keep chickens alive.  I have to ask about the wire being used, I was led to believe it needed to be 1/2" to keep out rats.  I have been warned about the 3 Rs Rats, Raptors and Raccoons was I misled?

When we first started looking at getting chickens, I read all that (stuff) about this wire, that method of securing the coop, electric this and that.  I started to buy into some of it, and then, not so much.

As you can see from my pictures above, I use standard chicken netting (chicken wire), and I put heavier stuff all around the run, but it's standard home improvement welded wire fence.  I put chicken wire around the base to keep some smaller critters out.

But none of that stuff is of very much usefulness if you free range your birds like we do.  And if you free range your birds, you're going to lose birds gradually.  LOML accepts that we'll lose birds to natural predation.  Our birds are only locked up at night, otherwise, they're out all the time.


Coyotes and hawks are the main threat here.  We've had a raccoon from time to time, and if I ever see one, out comes the trusty old Marlin Model 60.  We've also had skunks and possums.  I don't know that we've ever had an issue with rats, but I can't say that we haven't.  

Against the federal law to shoot raptors and I wouldn't anyway; they're beautiful birds.  However, coyote season is open here year round, 24/7, no daily limit. 

We have had three separate running dog attacks, and lost a total of about 11 birds between the three attacks.  That's the kind of thing that will upset LOML.  Those dogs were just running loose, and all had owners.  Running dogs get treated the same as coyotes around my place.  Running dogs kill chickens for the fun of it, not for a meal like a coyote will.

[Scoony]

My dad told me that when he was a kid growing up on the farm, he learned that you could add different things to the feed that would change the color of egg yokes. It was totally harmless but he would freak out his mother when she cracked an egg with green yokes.