CHICKENS!

**~mikey b** · 01-23-2014, 06:08 PM

I FUCKING LOVE CHICKENS

And I'm in the process of developing an unused section of our property into ChickenLand. I have not had chickens for a while, and when I did, the space was already there. Just add chickens. But now I get to start from scratch. Also tearing apart an deck around the hot tub to redo that, and I've got a bunch of material from that I am planning to use to build a coop. Trying to go all recycled/reused re-purposed materials. You shouldn't buy a bunch of expensive shit for chickens because, well, they're chickens.

Give me some ideas. Show me your coop and associated accoutrements.

SHOW ME YOUR CHICKENS!

**mud** · 01-23-2014, 06:11 PM

**brice618** · 01-23-2014, 06:13 PM

http://www.rootsimple.com/category/animals/chickens/

Good people and blog.

I'm a fan of their plans:

http://www.rootsimple.com/2013/06/lo...en-coop-plans/

**Kenny Satch** · 01-23-2014, 06:14 PM

Originally Posted by mud

that's so nasty but I can't look away

**BCMtnHound** · 01-23-2014, 06:18 PM

Meat or Layers? Recommend seperate living quarters due to food and aggression issues.
Planning on trying to incubate your own replacements? Need a rooster (allowed in your neighbourhood?), and another space for the broody hen or mechanical incubator and chicks when they arrive.
Bears an issue? Other predators common in your neck of the woods to consider? Feed and water (or reliable sitter) for extended trips away? 12hrs without adequate water and they are done for.

Have fun and good eating!

**~mikey b** · 01-23-2014, 07:39 PM

gross

layers to start - maybe meat too

might incubate

definitely a rooster - gotta have a rooster - and a broody hen - I'll tell you the stories about Rodrigo the rooster and Annie the hen some time - both Banty

bears, lions, coyotes, raccoons, skunks, hawks, cats, dogs...

food and water not a problem I can't solve - got babysitters, and MIGHT go in on the project with my neighbor

**iceman** · 01-23-2014, 07:47 PM

Originally Posted by telemike

bears, lions, coyotes, raccoons, skunks, hawks, cats, dogs...

You don't have foxes?

Just remember, like the man said, everything eats chicken.

Not Miley chicken though. That shit is non-edible. bah.

**TomCrac** · 01-23-2014, 07:50 PM

Growing up, my neighbors kept chickens and roosters. One by one the raccoons, etc. gottem'. I was about 10 or 11, I squat down to pet the rooster, fucker pecked me right in the eyebrow, right to the bone. Bled like a bitch. No doubt he was going for my eye. He's dead now.

**iceman** · 01-23-2014, 07:57 PM

That would be a cool story if you had then grabbed the fucker by the head, snapped his neck with a quick flick of the wrist, and served a fine Coq Au Vin that night for dinner.

But I guess that didn't happen.

**TomCrac** · 01-23-2014, 08:09 PM

Well to be honest, it was about that age I did learn about chocking the chicken, so I got that going for me.

**iceman** · 01-23-2014, 08:11 PM

Originally Posted by TomCrac

Well to be honest, it was about that age I did learn about chocking the chicken, so I got that going for me.

Can't just let them chickens roll down the hill.

KQ · 01-23-2014, 08:39 PM

Ain't nothing like fresh fresh eggs. I hardly ever ate them before I moved to a farm but now that I've tasted fresh eggs I'm all over them. Oh, and fresh dead chicken is AMAZING. Makes that stuff you get in the grocery store taste like tofu.

If you want a rooster but not chicks (if you are just having layers) you can get a Bantam. Once in a while they can connect and you'll get a chick but for the most part they don't have the stature to get with the full size hens.

**ate'em** · 01-23-2014, 11:26 PM

just wrote a bunch about my henhouse in another forum, I like how it operates. check out the link and feel free to ask any questions.

http://www.permies.com/t/31757/chick...al-perspective

you would obviously want a smaller coop, but all the same design factors apply, just a smaller footprint for fewer hens.

**~mikey b** · 01-23-2014, 11:55 PM

Originally Posted by ate'em

I have tried them in many positions, and I really think the hens like them best on the ground. Wasnt my first guess, but then again, I'm not a chicken.

sweet blog, yo!

thanks

**bgrayvy** · 01-28-2014, 10:45 AM

Thanks for the chickenblog! Very nice.

Sent from my HTC One X using TGR Forums

**Beaver** · 01-28-2014, 12:24 PM

I've got chickens. About 12 layers and 3 roosters. Possibly fewer, I found a rooster on the lawn half eaten by our standard poodle pup last week and haven't counted the remaining birds since. I fixed the tiny hole he was getting through (little fucker) he appears huge but can get through a 6" hole.

I incubate my own but last year the chicks decided they liked sleeping in the pig pen and the pigs ate them so no replacements came from that hatch.

I had a barred rock rooster a few years ago that my kids called Rainbow, he was a nasty fucker. I saw him jump/fly at my daughter and try to spur her one day so I grabbed my handy machete and when he tried to run away I took his head off as he ran past me. My daughters made a song about killing rainbow, they were happy because now they could go in the chicken yard without fear of him attacking.

As for predators, my biggest one is a 10 month old standard poodle lately but in the past I've had coyotes, hawks, ravens and raccoons confirmed. Possibly a bobcat or cougar but hard to catch them (ie. shoot them). I've got a ladder leaned up against the house so at a moments notice I can be on the roof with my Ruger 10/22 and 2 25 shot clips spraying lead.

**riser4** · 01-28-2014, 07:58 PM

This thread is sure to attract some bald-headed chicken fuckers.

**irul&ublo** · 01-29-2014, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by Beaver

I had a barred rock rooster a few years ago that my kids called Rainbow, he was a nasty fucker. I saw him jump/fly at my daughter and try to spur her one day so I grabbed my handy machete and when he tried to run away I took his head off as he ran past me. My daughters made a song about killing rainbow, they were happy because now they could go in the chicken yard without fear of him attacking.

This you?

**TurxSki** · 01-29-2014, 10:22 PM

Originally Posted by telemike

I LOVE FUCKING CHICKENS
...But now I get to start from scratch...

Heh!

**sftc** · 01-29-2014, 11:08 PM

Originally Posted by riser3

This thread is sure to attract some bald-headed chicken fuckers.

Attract them? Shit, have you ever seen the guy who started this thread?

**Rip'nStick** · 01-29-2014, 11:27 PM

I has been mentioned before but everything eats chickens. And they will come.

Also please don't make your kids collect the poop and make it into "tea" for your organic garden. That chore was lame. If you want tea for your garden, make it yourself.

**Game Over** · 01-30-2014, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by Rip'nStick

I has been mentioned before but everything eats chickens. And they will come.

Also please don't make your kids collect the poop and make it into "tea" for your organic garden. That chore was lame. If you want tea for your garden, make it yourself.

Always compost before making tea. There are lots of pathogens in chicken shit that will make us sick as a dog

**flyman683** · 01-31-2014, 11:38 PM

If you get the right breeds you can get away with a simple "hoop house" covered in tarp. Use cattle panel and make arches. Ours looks super rednecky, not like the painted chicken taj mahals my wife originally wanted.

Also, stick with layers. Meat birds were disgusting, vile, and got fat and squashed some of the laying hens.

**flyman683** · 01-31-2014, 11:40 PM

Oh and look into the chicken watering nipples - you can use aquarium heater if cold. They drill into buckets and then just fill a 5 gallon bucket or two. Lasts awhile and with a lid they won't crap the water, like they do with everything else they touch.