chicken coop

[Mace]

Looks like I need to build a chicken coop for the two chicks My wife and kids picked up.

I live in Vegas, so the temps are high not low.

Feral cats and are about all I am concerned about with predators. And I suspect that the chickens are going to be plenty big enough to handle them.

Anyone have a good, simple and cheap design for a chicken coop?

 

[krzyabncanuck]

I built one here for ours but it was not too simple. It is 12 ft x 20ft x 8ft tall. Then of course built some structures for them to be in.

I did this for the same reason. Wife sent me a text that i needed to bring some stuff home from Tractor Supply for them to bed down in. They were one week old at the time.

 

[splitshot]

Simple chain link fencing in concrete with a a gate, and some chicken wire for a cover. Used pallets work great for a hen house/roosting area.

Chickens wiil bring on the predators, make it beafy.

 

[D'Animal]

Use a dog run and milk crates for them to sit on until you get them something really built.

I will take some pics of my neighbors setup.

 

[apbb2]

Bury the chicken wire at least 8in below ground around the perimeter.

Predators don't mind to dig for food.

 

[monniepoo]

We had a chikin in a coop my boyfriend made for a while till the dog broke in and ate her. I know how cute they are but smelly and messy are a major problem, for me anyway.

 

[Rhinoliner]

Check out mobilechickencoops.com. I bought their plans for a large coop and built it a couple of months ago. It works great. I hook it up to the 4 wheeler every 2 to 3 weeks and move it to a different location.

 

[KonTiki]

did you finish your coop?
I had 8 foot walls on mine but eventually had to bring the walls all the way up to the roof to keep the owls out. I had a big great horned owl killing 2 chickens every night.

 

[household6]

Our chicken coop area is enclosed in bird netting. Its great stuff, lightweight and easy to work with. Our coop area is quite large and is framed nicely with chicken wire for the sides. We also tacked up the bird netting over top the chicken wire and above so that the entire coop is covered. Keeps preditors out. The sheets of bird netting were $5 for 14 ft squared. We have loads of red hawks, gold eagles and other large hunting birds in our area.

 

[jonharis]

Building a chicken coop myself (will post pics soon) and thought this thread would bee a good place to start. The coop I built is basic 4'x4' built with 2 pieces of OSB and scraps. It has 10 nesting boxes although I think i will start with 4-5 chickens. Done on the cheap. I wont install it in it's final location till spring and the Chickens will go in after. Can anyone provide some advice?

When is the best time to buy Chickens (I live in an average climate in Colorado)

What Breeds of Chickens?

Any Good Books?

I hope to feed my family of 4 and understand that chickens are not clocks but how many should I get to start out with. We eat 12-18 eggs per week and I would like to be able to give to neighbors.

Chicken Diet?

Any other Do's and Don'ts?

I appreciate any incite from any of you poultry pros

 

[spressomon]

The best tasting eggs and arguably the highest nutrient value come from chickens with a diet of green grass, bugs, worms, insects and other seemingly unappetizing things like maggots, etc. that break down pig/cow waste ...probably not practical unless you have a good size piece of property and/or farm.

 

[Mace]

I ended up using a shipping container (4x4x8 ft) on it's side about 2' off the ground. Then put some chain link dog kennel panels around it. Worked pretty good for the three chickens I have.

 

[Cuerno Largo]

Rather than burying the chicken wire down in a ditch in line with the wall, bend a 90 degree angle out and bury it slightly under the soil. Predators will go to the wall and try to dig in, but will hit the wire unless they start two feet from the wall.

 

[Jetboy]

The cheapest and easiest option is to have a BBQ and buy some eggs from your neighbors.

My parents have around 30-50 chickens for pretend ranching. The biggest issue they have is that they need a lot of space to make sure the runs don't turn to mud pits. Not sure what the area is per chicken, but 30ish chickens do OK on about 300sf of run and 3 acres where they can be sort of "free range" during the day.

 

[Cuerno Largo]

But do the same rules apply if we divide the space into quadrants?

BTW.....I love my chickens in quadrants. Best way to BBQ them in my opinion.

 

[$out]

I know it's gay but look it up on pinerest! They have some cool coops on there.

 

[merryweather]

Google "chicken chalet coop." Some friends of ours built one and it works great. Plan to build one later this year.

Its pretty major, and there are a few variations, but, if nothing else, you can see the basics of what you need and adapt for your space available.

 

[kybishop]

Mine.

Here is mine, simple. I actually bought it from a friend that ended up not having chickens. It has 4 or 5 nesting boxes on the lower side and a roost on the high side. Door for grabbing eggs our of the nests and a door for cleaning poop from the coop.

I put a solar powered door on it that closed it at night and opened at sunrise. I lost most all the chickens to dogs. They were flyers but just couldn't watch them 24 - 7.

Put wheels on it as well so I could move it around the back yard/field. Will try more chickens once I can be out and watch them more.

Good luck with yours, great to have them around for aerating the soil, eating bugs and great fresh eggs.