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Do We Have a Chicken Thread Here?

Lil'John said:
How sensitive are meat birds to loud noises? I have two neighbors who love weekend shooting.:usa:
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Those stupid things have a heart attack when they get confused if they want to go to the feeder or the water trough next lol... I guess it depends on how close your neighbors are. :flipoff2:
 
Island rules said:
Those stupid things have a heart attack when they get confused if they want to go to the feeder or the water trough next lol... I guess it depends on how close your neighbors are. :flipoff2:
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I'd say in the 100 yard range maybe less. When they start shooting, the cats get annoyed but the dog doesn't car:homer:
 
Here we go
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We initially got a notification from the hatchery we ordered from that USPS wasn't going to ship any chicks due to their increased work load, but it now looks like they will be able to ship. Now our order is going to be delayed a bit due to them having to push orders during the time they could not ship.
 
This is the first year I won't be getting chicks in quite a while.

My flock size is good now.

I miss those little PITA baby birds.

I am surprised at how much I live raising chickens, the stupid things make me happy.
 
The 4 I raised last year I hand held those most out of any I have ever had.

Each one was held multiple times a day.

Well now they are 1 year old and are the most tame chickens I have ever seen.

I can pick any of them up at any time.

When I sit outside at my picnic table they all come over and sit on the bench with me.

They are like little puppies as they follow me around any time I am outside.

Of course it depends on what you are raising them for, if for eating then I'd skip the holding shit.

Mine are just pets, they free range on my 3 acres all day and get locked up at night.
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crispins said:
The 4 I raised last year I hand held those most out of any I have ever had.

Each one was held multiple times a day.

Well now they are 1 year old and are the most tame chickens I have ever seen.

I can pick any of them up at any time.

When I sit outside at my picnic table they all come over and sit on the bench with me.

They are like little puppies as they follow me around any time I am outside.

Of course it depends on what you are raising them for, if for eating then I'd skip the holding shit.

Mine are just pets, they free range on my 3 acres all day and get locked up at night.
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we are handling them a good amount so far and introducing them to the dogs. My husky is drooling more than normal
:lmao:
 
I should show you what its like in the mornings for feed time. The 40 are like dogs and come running to you at the house when the door opens, its rather funny. The only stupid thing is they will then proceed to squat right infront of you. I trip on them, often.
 
Anybody have good coop design thread/plans? Wife and I have talked about it for awhile.... Only problem is being gone on weekends. Seems like with an automatic door it wouldn't be an issue?
 
Grnd93 said:
we are handling them a good amount so far and introducing them to the dogs. My husky is drooling more than normal
:lmao:
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Are you selling squares or some type of wager as to the DATE the Husky eats the first chicken??
 
Grnd93 said:
Here we go
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6869704x4 said:
Cool, post pics of the progress
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Indeed, keep us posted. What breeds did you get?

Per my previous post of eggs coming out of our ears, wife cooked this last night for dinner. Coupla scratch bloody mary's and it was tits. Highly recommend. Note the 8 hour fridge rest, must be done.

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/221988/eggs-benedict-casserole/

And per a previous post, handling the birds is double-edged. They come flying/flapping/running over to us anytime someone steps outside. Little mooches.
 
Java230 said:
Anybody have good coop design thread/plans? Wife and I have talked about it for awhile.... Only problem is being gone on weekends. Seems like with an automatic door it wouldn't be an issue?
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I would recommend one of the more shed styled ones. It would be nice to be big enough to go inside the coop when needed.

I have the opposite. I have this style and I hate it. The roosting area sucks, its a popular one that shows up in google. I got it for free from a friend. its 4x8 and impossible to reach the other side without putting your chest in pine shavings/ chicken shit.

CreativeMom_Chicken_Coop_Plan.png
 
Java230 said:
Anybody have good coop design thread/plans? Wife and I have talked about it for awhile.... Only problem is being gone on weekends. Seems like with an automatic door it wouldn't be an issue?
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We leave ours for days at a time. If you have a run for them they can get out and stretch their legs.

Automatic doors are good if you don't have predators around if you do, they'll chase them into the coop in the day
 
Here is my coop.
I built it on a trailer
I wired in a plug for a brooding light, a fan and a light. I terminated it all to a plug on the out side I could plug a extension cord in to.

It needs some touching up, but you get the idea

It is the size of the big cart Tractor Supply was selling ( the one with the expanded metal floor).

It was a chicken tractor concept to be used in conjunction wit a PVC hoop house I was playing with.

Due to my dogs, I never truly utilized it
yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7


coop1.jpg


coop2.jpg


coop 3.jpg
 
Austin said:
We leave ours for days at a time. If you have a run for them they can get out and stretch their legs.

Automatic doors are good if you don't have predators around if you do, they'll chase them into the coop in the day
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So if I have enclosed run, door closing at night isnt as much of an issue? We have coyotes, and owls, but I dont see the coyotes in the back yard ever. Its fenced.
 
dwygrsshpr said:
Indeed, keep us posted. What breeds did you get?

Per my previous post of eggs coming out of our ears, wife cooked this last night for dinner. Coupla scratch bloody mary's and it was tits. Highly recommend. Note the 8 hour fridge rest, must be done.

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/221988/eggs-benedict-casserole/

And per a previous post, handling the birds is double-edged. They come flying/flapping/running over to us anytime someone steps outside. Little mooches.
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We got a pair each of Black Australorp, White Leghorn and Olive Egger.

wife found someone selling a brooder on marketplace, so we picked that up at lunch. Heat lamp is now keeping my weed seedlings warm :smokin:

in a few weeks we are going to buy a store bought coop. It’s going to be spendy to build what I want, so I’ll be doing it a little bit at a time. Goal is to have it done by winter.
 
Java230 said:
So if I have enclosed run, door closing at night isnt as much of an issue? We have coyotes, and owls, but I dont see the coyotes in the back yard ever. Its fenced.
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If it's totally enclosed, roof included and sturdy enough to keep something from breaking in. Also need to be sure nothing can dig under and get into the run. We have a coop and completely enclosed run all on a concrete pad. Nothing can get inside, and the door between coop and run stays open.

If you do this it needs to be 1/2" hardware cloth. Weasels and rats can go right through chicken wire openings.
 
Dethmachinefab said:
If it's totally enclosed, roof included and sturdy enough to keep something from breaking in. Also need to be sure nothing can dig under and get into the run. We have a coop and completely enclosed run all on a concrete pad. Nothing can get inside, and the door between coop and run stays open.

If you do this it needs to be 1/2" hardware cloth. Weasels and rats can go right through chicken wire openings.
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Yes predator aprons are necessary, we find clawing marks all around ours but they can't get through.

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We hid it under the rocks.



our biggest threat is hawks. Once they find a coop they come by and check it frequently. They have got two of ours. One about 50' from the coop in the open, and one inside the coop while the door was open and they were ranging. We can't even let ours out anymore unless we are out with them.
 
Austin said:
Yes predator aprons are necessary, we find clawing marks all around ours but they can't get through.



We hid it under the rocks.



our biggest threat is hawks. Once they find a coop they come by and check it frequently. They have got two of ours. One about 50' from the coop in the open, and one inside the coop while the door was open and they were ranging. We can't even let ours out anymore unless we are out with them.
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We only let them free range when we are outside. Too many animals looking for an easy lunch. They love the porch on this coop. Only problem I have is bears. I've got a feeling they will be out any day now. They love the chicken feed and can smell it far away.

Here's one of our set ups, and my crazy chicken lady.
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I’ve never tamed ours, but when we step onto the deck they run over expecting table scraps.
 
Java230 said:
So if I have enclosed run, door closing at night isnt as much of an issue? We have coyotes, and owls, but I dont see the coyotes in the back yard ever. Its fenced.
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You still want to lock them up at night into something secure to avoid predators like foxes, raccoons, ect...

For my run I used 2 - 10x10 dog runs and built roofs for them to make them predator proof.

I let them out normally to free range during the day, however when I travel for a night or 2 they are fine left locked into the runs.
 
Thanks everyone. Not sure I'll take the plunge this year but we will see!
 
Grnd93 said:
We got a pair each of Black Australorp, White Leghorn and Olive Egger.
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Click on "quick stats" and then expand to get more deets on each breed. Looks like you picked some good hearty birds to survive Michigan winters.

Black Austgraolorp: https://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/black_australorps.html

White Leghorn: https://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/pearl_white_leghorn.html

Olive Egger: this is not a recognized breed but a cross between a blue layer (like Ameraucana) and any other dark(er) brown layer. But, they are very well suited for cold environs and I imagine will be quite productive.
 
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