Looking for a Chicken Coop

[Done_Wrong]

My daughter was given 2 baby chicks and we want to get a chicken coop that will hold up to 12 and get some more chicks. Where can I find a chicken coop locally? Or does anyone know someone that can build one for us? There are some nice ones on the internet but they can be expensive. Let us know if you have suggestions for the design. Thanks!

 

[Robin]

My daughter was given 2 baby chicks and we want to get a chicken coop that will hold up to 12 and get some more chicks. Where can I find a chicken coop locally? Or does anyone know someone that can build one for us? There are some nice ones on the internet but they can be expensive. Let us know if you have suggestions for the design. Thanks!

Chicken Coops - How To Build a Chicken Coop. 200 Designs & Pictures

there are plenty of free plans and ideas on the internet.

 

[Done_Wrong]

Thanks! There are some great ideas on that site. I wish when I was growing up they had allowed girls to attend shop class - I'm terrible with a hammer.

 

[Beelzebaby666]

Aww!! Just do your best and I think you will find much satisfaction in building it yourself. It doesn't have to be pretty, just safe and functional.

And don't forget to let the kids help! You can even paint it up and make it pretty if it looks a little awkward

 

[ArkRescue]

wood shed kits for $100 make great coops!

I built one with a little help from my neighbor. I'm not great with a hammer either but I got it done.

Chickens have turned into a passion for me these past 2 years and I went from 3 chickens to almost 30! I've learned a lot along the way also. I am building a new area for them now using all I have learned, and you are welcome to come by and check it out to get ideas.

Oh and I'm using wood shed kits to make coops this time (3 coops) - I bought the kits for $100 each and the kit comes with directions and ALL the materials you need for the shed (including hardware). To convert it to a chicken coop we cut a couple holes here and there, put some boards inside, and added a couple hinges - that's it!

Thanks! There are some great ideas on that site. I wish when I was growing up they had allowed girls to attend shop class - I'm terrible with a hammer.

 

[Done_Wrong]

please let me know what company..

you bought your shed kit from. The kit sounds like it will work for me since I don't have a lot of tools. I sent you a PM - Thanks!

I built one with a little help from my neighbor. I'm not great with a hammer either but I got it done.

Chickens have turned into a passion for me these past 2 years and I went from 3 chickens to almost 30! I've learned a lot along the way also. I am building a new area for them now using all I have learned, and you are welcome to come by and check it out to get ideas.

Oh and I'm using wood shed kits to make coops this time (3 coops) - I bought the kits for $100 each and the kit comes with directions and ALL the materials you need for the shed (including hardware). To convert it to a chicken coop we cut a couple holes here and there, put some boards inside, and added a couple hinges - that's it!

 

[fuzzerd]

Here are some great websites, Critter-Cages.com, Chicken Coops, Welcome to Foy's Pet Supplies!, Poultry Supplies - Chicken Hatchery, Baby Chicks, Gamebird, and Poultry Products, http://www.omlet.us, Amish Built Mini Chicken Coop - Horizon Structures, Octashed Homepage, and Raising Backyard Chickens. Purchase Chicken Coops, Baby Chicks, Raise Pet Chickens in Your Backyard, Learn About Chicken Breeds!.
Also, a great book to have is "chicken coops, 45 plans for housing your flock".
We have about 15 chickens, but decided to build our own coop, since all the others where to much money. You could just use a shed, add a ladder as a perch, and put in a few nesting boxes. FYI, for every 4 hens you only need 1 nesting box.

 

[fuzzerd]

Here are some great websites, Critter-Cages.com, Chicken Coops, Welcome to Foy's Pet Supplies!, Poultry Supplies - Chicken Hatchery, Baby Chicks, Gamebird, and Poultry Products, http://www.omlet.us, Amish Built Mini Chicken Coop - Horizon Structures, Octashed Homepage, and Raising Backyard Chickens. Purchase Chicken Coops, Baby Chicks, Raise Pet Chickens in Your Backyard, Learn About Chicken Breeds!.
Also, a great book to have is "chicken coops, 45 plans for housing your flock".
We have about 15 chickens, but decided to build our own coop, since all the others where to much money. You could just use a shed, add a ladder as a perch, and put in a few nesting boxes. FYI, for every 4 hens you only need 1 nesting box.

You could always just use a shed, add a ladder as a roost, and add a few nesting boxes. But if you want to keep your hens from becoming a midnight snack, like us, you will need..
Heavy, thick, wire mesh over any open windows, if there is any.
NO DIRT FLOORS. Any animal can easily dig in
A door that closes and latches at night.
If there is a gap that is 2 inches or more, fix it. A weasel will slip right in and kill them all
Also it is a very good idea to order the Back Yard Poultry magazine. It has great Ideas on anything and everything to do with chickens. That is where I got all the websites and the book from. Chickens will bring you alot of fun

 

[luvscats]

weasels? for real? do we have weasels here in the area? wow, I had no idea. This week in the front yard, I've seen mom fox and 3 kits, two wild turkeys, a box turtle, eastern painted turtle headed for our pond, and a buck just starting to grow antlers. fascinating!

 

[fuzzerd]

weasels? for real? do we have weasels here in the area? wow, I had no idea. This week in the front yard, I've seen mom fox and 3 kits, two wild turkeys, a box turtle, eastern painted turtle headed for our pond, and a buck just starting to grow antlers. fascinating!

weasels. Yup, but you see them very rarely. We have tons of deer, turtles, and frogs. We also have tons of deer flies. Ugh

 

[ArkRescue]

This time around I am using hardware cloth (metal with small holes) across the floor of the entire pen area and my building has a floor this time too. I saw so many rodent holes before and critters could dig under. Anyway you put soil on top on top of the hardware cloth so the mesh in underground, and nothing can dig up through it (usually). I will also be adding pine shavings as litter to help keep the area clean as the plain dirt floor method wasn't easy to clean. I also have a roof over the entire area now too so I won't have any mud issues either. I am also using a heavy guage metal mesh exterior instead of chicken wire - this mesh has much smaller holes and is heavy duty and works way better than the chain link fencing I used prior.

In 2 years of having chickens I have not had any losses due to predators, but I am taking extra steps this time around to be sure I won't have worries over predators. I'm sure my dog being near the chicken pen has helped reduce the predators that visit and I also use that red flashing light that is supposed to deter predators. I've been lucky too I guess because predators can get through chain link I've heard since the holes are so big. That's why I'm using better materials the 2nd time around.

 

[Done_Wrong]

Thanks for all the great tips and web links! And the magazine sounds good too. The chicks are doing really good now and have grown a bunch. And one is staring to look like a rooster!

Here are some great websites, Critter-Cages.com, Chicken Coops, Welcome to Foy's Pet Supplies!, Poultry Supplies - Chicken Hatchery, Baby Chicks, Gamebird, and Poultry Products, http://www.omlet.us, Amish Built Mini Chicken Coop - Horizon Structures, Octashed Homepage, and Raising Backyard Chickens. Purchase Chicken Coops, Baby Chicks, Raise Pet Chickens in Your Backyard, Learn About Chicken Breeds!.
Also, a great book to have is "chicken coops, 45 plans for housing your flock".
We have about 15 chickens, but decided to build our own coop, since all the others where to much money. You could just use a shed, add a ladder as a perch, and put in a few nesting boxes. FYI, for every 4 hens you only need 1 nesting box.

 

[fuzzerd]

Thanks for all the great tips and web links! And the magazine sounds good too. The chicks are doing really good now and have grown a bunch. And one is staring to look like a rooster!

We ordered 25 chicks and only 2 where supposed to be roosters. But it turned out 5 were, so we had to sell 3. Handle the rooster alot. If you don't, it might become agressive. We leta hen sit on eggs, it was fun to watch the chicks with there mom, but one was crippled and ended up not making it. But that happens very rarely. And one last thing, If the chickens aren't free range, you might wan't to put netting or chicken wire over the run for 2 reasons.
1. they sumtimes fly out if there wings aren't clipped
2. a hawk could swoop down and get one
we learned that the hard way. but you don't really need it.
Chickens are a bit of work, but definetly well worth it!

 

[ArkRescue]

I hand raised several roosters that attacked me. One is about to lose his spurs because he is also trying to attack his adopter. I know she said they usually don't bother you if you let them run free in a large area (and he is now), but he's being stubborn apparently - bad boy! Those polish chickens don't get very big so they wouldn't make a very good roaster/fryer LOL.

I am looking for an alternative to hardware cloth for the pen floor - anyone know of anything that has small enough holes that would work? Needs to be metal so critters can't eat through it. The hardware cloth cost $50 for a 4' x 50' roll and it took 2 rolls to do just under 1/3 of the pen - yikes ! Means I'd need 5 more rolls to finish the pen. Someone suggested I check the metal screen material sold for doing window/door screens - not sure if that is durable enough though?

 

[highnote]

I am looking for an alternative to hardware cloth for the pen floor - anyone know of anything that has small enough holes that would work? Needs to be metal so critters can't eat through it. The hardware cloth cost $50 for a 4' x 50' roll and it took 2 rolls to do just under 1/3 of the pen - yikes ! Means I'd need 5 more rolls to finish the pen. Someone suggested I check the metal screen material sold for doing window/door screens - not sure if that is durable enough though?

I got some fine wire mesh at Stauffers Feed mill, the price for a roll was pretty reasonable (they will sell by the foot, but its cheaper if you buy the whole roll).

The screen material used for windows is definitely not durable enough.

 

[ArkRescue]

too late - I already ended up buying the additional rolls of hardware cloth and I still didn't get the entire area covered but I did 90%. So far so good as my only issue now is that I need to install a gutter the entire length of the roofed area. The rain today is clear evidence that I need to get the gutter ASAP to avoid the creek running across the front of the pen which soaks into the bedding along the front and makes a mess.

I got some fine wire mesh at Stauffers Feed mill, the price for a roll was pretty reasonable (they will sell by the foot, but its cheaper if you buy the whole roll).

The screen material used for windows is definitely not durable enough.

 

[tp70731]

Great Chicken Coop in Maryland!!

I stumbled upon this site a couple months ago and love what I found. I bought a coop from a college kid named Tyler who is trying to pay his way through college. It's turned out to be a very well build, sturdy and most importantly CUTE chicken coop! Let me know what you think!!

Buy A Locally Made, Sturdy, Hand-Built Chicken Coop in Maryland Northern Virginia and Washington D.C.

 

[CountryLady]

I built one with a little help from my neighbor. I'm not great with a hammer either but I got it done.

Chickens have turned into a passion for me these past 2 years and I went from 3 chickens to almost 30! I've learned a lot along the way also. I am building a new area for them now using all I have learned, and you are welcome to come by and check it out to get ideas.

Oh and I'm using wood shed kits to make coops this time (3 coops) - I bought the kits for $100 each and the kit comes with directions and ALL the materials you need for the shed (including hardware). To convert it to a chicken coop we cut a couple holes here and there, put some boards inside, and added a couple hinges - that's it!

:worthless




LOL

 

[ArkRescue]

:worthless




LOL

Been a while since that post - I ended up moving and selling off all the roosting coops I had then. Right now I am using the "canopy bed" method to give the chickens a sleeping area in their pen that shields them from wind, yet holds in some of their body heat while still providing enough ventilation to allow for a healthy flock.

Canopy Bed = I have a thick quilt draped across the top of the roosting area and thick sheets hanging down around the sides. yeah I know how weird huh? Maybe by next year I'll have built another roosting coop for them out of wood.

 

[sm8]

weasels. Yup, but you see them very rarely. We have tons of deer, turtles, and frogs. We also have tons of deer flies. Ugh

That must be what I saw in the road down towards lexington park the other day. I thought someones ferret must have gotten loose.