| Ok, I have been a bit derelict in my duty to keep up to date with current events, so this will be a bit of "old" unreported news. Back in March, we tried our hand at becoming chicken farmers. I really don't know why we thought this was a good idea, but none the less we ventured forth. At first we just acquired some birds and kept them in the garage under a light until the got big enough to take out side. The kids proved to be more than the little chicks could bare, and we had to replace all but 2 of them before we could move them from the garage to the out doors. We borrowed the little tin pail that dad made with the light in it for a chick house, and put it in the dog run in the back yard. We then put the light on a timer to keep it on. After putting the 6 chickens out side, we only lost one, but that one broke its leg with more help from the kids, and eventually it gave up the fight. |  |
 |
When the chicks out grew the pail they started roosting in the corner of the former dog run/now chicken coop. So we ventured forth and made them a chicken coop. This happened about a month ago on a Friday or Saturday when I was home. It was all constructed out of 2x4's (and probably should have been made from 2s2's. |
mmm  |
The kids helped me put it together. They marked the boards for cutting and held them as we put in the screws to hold it together. This coop needs to house 5 chickens - 2 small black (banties?) one mid sized road island red and 2 large orange ones. The kids really liked helping with the building process, until the frame was complete. After that they didn't want to help with the siding, roof, or hinges. The way it was built, the entire roof is hinged and can be opened form the front of the coop. |  |
 |
It was poorly laid out as it is Rachel's job to take care of the chickens, and she can't even reach the roof, let alone open it. So that job will probably fall back to Terra. The bottom of the coop is 1/4 x 1/4 inch open squares. I hope that it will be sufficient for the chickens. We vented the top so that it wouldn't be too hot in the summer, but I hope it isn't too cold in the winter as well. |
| As with most things I put together, this is probably over built for the chickens, but I just don't want to have to put another one together again in the future because this one failed. The laying boxes that we constructed inside of it are 12 inches square. I don't know if this will be big enough for the large yellow chickens, but plenty big for the small black ones. |  |
 |
Once finished, we put it in the chicken run. The purpose of elevating it was to allow the chickens to be able to run around under it, but still use the space above for the nesting. I know it isn't perfect, but there you have it. I wanted to extend their enclosure, but just haven't gotten to it yet. We also want to acquire a pig, but we haven't got that cage finished either. |
| When we finished, Landen went into the house and got some eggs to put into the chicken coop. I don't think he realized that the chickens were supposed to lay the eggs rather than purchasing them and then populating the nests for the chickens. |  |
 |
The chickens are locked up in the pen for the most part of the days, but occasionally I let them out and allow them free access around the yard. I know they need more space, but if they don't have a secure fence they wont last long. I think just about every predator eats chickens. We have had coyotes and bob cats in our back yard since moving here, so the chickens wouldn't last very long. |
| This is a view through the opened roof at the inside oft he coop. This is obviously after they have been using this cage. So far it seems to be working as they seem to be using it to sleep at nights. |  |
 |
This isn't a very good shot, but I think one of the large yellow chickens is a rooster, but it has not yet started crowing. I would really like to have a crowing bird in the back yard, but tis one on the left I hope will eventually figure it out. Terra really doesn't want a rooster, but Rachel sure does... |
| Today (the reason for the letter finally getting posted) was that Mia told me that her chickens had laid some eggs. So I went out to the coop, and opened the lid, and sure enough, one of the small black ones (assumed) laid a small egg in one of the laying boxes. I have placed it next to a quarter for a size comparison. Maybe one of the pigeons or doves is also using the coop as a nesting box as well and this didn't come from the chickens... The older boys don't really care for eggs that much so small eggs might just be the trick to feed us and not overwhelm us with eggs... Here's hoping. |  |