Chickens
- Thread starter Diablo54
- Start date
OO2
Well-Known Member
That's a good looking coop. Mine was made out of pallets as well. Unfortunately the dang baby coons slipped through the fence and killed them.
How many chickens do you have T? We are done with chickens as long as Hank is alive. Let's just say the little bit of duck retrieval he has done created some habits. Bad habits of leaving them lifeless.
Buckmaster
Senior Member
I'd like to get started. Is electric required? About how much is startup? I live in the woods with plenty of raccoons and coyotes.
OO2
Well-Known Member
I didn't run electric to mine. Just have to make sure their water isn't frozen. If you secure your crate well enough it shouldn't be an issue. They found an unforeseen hole in barn that was supposed to be a solid wall.
I don't think electric is a necessity. Just helps with egg production in winter. And makes me feel a little better when it's 5degrees outside (not sure if they care or not as some of them sleep outside no matter what). I live out in the middle of no where. Lost 7 of my hens to coons in the first few months. After a lot of hole covering. (Anything I could get 3 fingers through) and live trapping 17 coons this year I haven't had a chicken killed in the night. It's a lot of fun and it's nice having 4-5 dozen eggs in the fridge all the time. They are fun to watch.
OO2
Well-Known Member
I will second that they are a blast to watch. My grandpa loved having them. When we went out to feed them they would come running to the greet us!
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Mason is a chicken whisperer. He refers to himself as the "flockfather". Ha. I'll get some pics of his coop and birds tomorrow. He has too many. Ducks and turkeys too. And goats, two of them.
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We brought home chicks for the first time in February last year so my daughter could grow up around them and for the eggs obviously. We started with 12 and lost 4 shortly after moving them outside. I built this coop for less than $900. It'll be here forever and was a project I really enjoyed. Compared to what they want for prefab coops, this was a bargain! Right now 3 australorps and 5 rhode island reds, we get 5-6 eggs a day. I have one heat lamp running when it's above 30 at night and 2 when it gets below that. I really enjoy having them around and look forward to moving to my parent's mini-farm next year so we can expand the operation.
I dumped a load of kitchen waster for them earlier. When I go collect eggs later, I'll snap some more pics.
I dumped a load of kitchen waster for them earlier. When I go collect eggs later, I'll snap some more pics.
Buckmaster
Senior Member
How long is your extension cord?
I'd always be worried about something catching fire since 2 of my friends lost their barns do to heat lamps and straw nearby.
I'd always be worried about something catching fire since 2 of my friends lost their barns do to heat lamps and straw nearby.
125'
I have the lamps hung from the ceiling and secured. I also added R19 insulation to the roof and walls for the winter. I made the roof such that I could plug/unplug the gap in "rafters" to block or allow air flow.