Check out my new redneck hill-billy chicken coop!

[keljonma]

Wonderful! Our local fire dept has an auction every October. The items are all donated by the community members.

I got 5 large new pella window panes for $1 a couple years back. They were wonderful especially in winter for blocking wind and letting sun inside the hen house....(Quail_Antwerp has them now and I hope she gets as much use out of them as we did).

So if you have small local auctions like that in your area, you may want to check into them for inexpensive items for chicken housing.....

 

[okiegirl1]

why is it all the cool stuff happens somewhere else?

can't wait for all this snow to melt so I can start playing with my new doll house....er... I mean chicken coop!

 

[big brown horse]

What kind of chicks are you going to get?


If you start now you will have eggs by June or so...

 

[okiegirl1]

welll....... I really like the buff orps, or the RIR's, but beings as I'm a newbie when it comes to chickens, I'm not completely sold on any. I'm wanting them for eggs for sure, but I'd like a good fryer too. Like maybe cook up the roosters that come on a straight run. ('cause you know you'll never get all girls)

a thought just occurred to me. some of you know we are in the process of adopting. what if that would make a better play house for little ones.??? hmm... makes me think.....

can you imagine the look on my hubby's face when I say "darling, thanks for bringing that beast home, but how about you build me another chicken coop?"

ever catch yourself thinking out loud?

 

[The Vail Benton's]

welll....... I really like the buff orps, or the RIR's, but beings as I'm a newbie when it comes to chickens, I'm not completely sold on any. I'm wanting them for eggs for sure, but I'd like a good fryer too. Like maybe cook up the roosters that come on a straight run. ('cause you know you'll never get all girls)

a thought just occurred to me. some of you know we are in the process of adopting. what if that would make a better play house for little ones.??? hmm... makes me think.....

can you imagine the look on my hubby's face when I say "darling, thanks for bringing that beast home, but how about you build me another chicken coop?"
ever catch yourself thinking out loud?

The trick is to make hubby think it's his idea to build another one - Work it, Okiegirl!!!

 

[okiegirl1]

ohh! good idea!

 

[justusnak]

Hey Okie...as for the chickens....I have BO, and RIR, and Wellsumemrs, and Barred Rocks. I would have to say, for the eggs...the Barred rocks are the best, and the roosters get to a great roasting size! The Buff Orps are great layers...the first year or so, and have the tendancy to go broody. Last year out of my 9 hens ( the BO) 5 went broody at the same time. There went egg production!
As for the little house...coop...I agree with VB Make him think its HIS idea...then it would be great!!

 

[okiegirl1]

Hey Okie...as for the chickens....I have BO, and RIR, and Wellsumemrs, and Barred Rocks. I would have to say, for the eggs...the Barred rocks are the best, and the roosters get to a great roasting size! The Buff Orps are great layers...the first year or so, and have the tendancy to go broody. Last year out of my 9 hens ( the BO) 5 went broody at the same time. There went egg production!
As for the little house...coop...I agree with VB Make him think its HIS idea...then it would be great!!

How are the Barred Rocks temperment? If we're gonna have little ones, I don't want overly aggressive chickies. Our neighbor has white leghorns that are gentle as a lamb and has RIR's that a bit flighty.

 

[justusnak]

My BR are great! Not flighty at all. Of course, a LOT of it has to do with handling them as much as possible when they are young. I have one that likes to hop on my shoulder...when I go in the pen! Never wear "good" clothes when ya have a shoulder hoppin chicken!

 

[The Vail Benton's]

I have found that almost all of the chickens I hatched myself and handled as baby chicks are friendly, some more than others, but I can catch ALL of them out in an open field without chasing them around. It is a nice selling point when I have someone looking to buy. I don't think it matters that much what kind you get if you raise them from day 1 or so and then handle them alot so they get used to you, so if you're starting that way, choose a breed that will produce what you want - eggs, meat, both - and then choose something you like looking at.