Chicken house

B. White

Senior Member
The internet was not around the last time I had chickens and my memory has dumped a lot of info. I put up a pen in the woods behind the house back then and built a small house with scraps and siding I had. Seemed to work just fine and I also raised a few in that pen that I put in the freezer.

I would like something a little nicer at the place we just moved to and I will add one of the automatic doors I have seen mentioned here. Do any of you have plans or pics of something simple and functional, both inside and out? Searching chicken coop brings up a lot of ads and hippies and stuff that I am not interested in. I just want to refresh my memory on the minimum space I need for boxes and good design for roosting for about a half dozen. I may add more covered space and wire, in case I do want to raise a few for the freezer here and there.
 

Flash

Actually I Am QAnon
Have you looked up/thought of a 'chicken tractor'? @gacowboy might have one, or @leroy he knows a little about chickens
 

B. White

Senior Member
I have heard of them, but if it is what I think they move them around. I want the house in one place and use the automatic door to let them out every morning.

We will probably have 3-6 around for eggs. I also would like enough room to mix in a few cornish rock crosses here and there for the freezer, so I need to plan for population spike that would only last a few weeks at a time.
 

B. White

Senior Member
There is an old building I had initially planned to use, and may still go that route and wire off a portion inside on the right end. There is an opening (you can see it just inside the gate) that I think the old folks had used for a dog to go in and out and a small penned area. The pen has grown up with a holly about 30 ft tall. Many years since it was used. I could use it for other things, but with lumber prices high, it might be the best option.

I may have to add some plywood to the floor inside. I have not gone in and walked around, since a buzzard has decided it was good enough to use to nest and hatch a few. Trying to wait until they leave the nest before I start poking around too much.


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Dbender

Senior Member
You only need 2 nest boxes at the most, no need taking up room with boxes. Make the boxes so they can't roost above them. I would put a roof over the entire structure 5x10 is plenty big if you are going to let them out during the day. Make it tall enough so you can clean it out easily. Roost needs about 10-12 inches per bird roughly. I'd just close in the sides where the roost is. Doesn't get cold enough here to need heat lamps and all that mess. Tractor supply has all their chicks and ducks 1/2 price right now
 

B. White

Senior Member
B.. whatever you use, predator proof it. It only takes one night to get your flock wiped out.

I had a big run before with no where you could get your hand through the wire on the top, bottom or side. Lost a couple and one day had a very big hawk inside. Never figured out how he got it, but he couldn't get out.
 

Dbender

Senior Member
I have no experience with any fancy doors. The stronger, more secure the better though. Everything loves a chicken nugget!
 

GeorgiaGlockMan

Senior Member
We had 3 pet ducks for 2 years.

The whole ordeal was interesting.

Birds are smart.

Not shown is the white Pekin duck.

My daughter named that duck "Chuck Norris" I changed it to "Chuck Norris Super Duck".

We had a hutch that we kept them in on the porch....in hindsight it wasn't a great idea but worked.

The king Shepard was their guardian and watched over them really well when they were loose in backyard.

Craziest thing that was. Dogs and ducks as best friends!!
Go figure.
 

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B. White

Senior Member
I started on this now that the garden is winding down. I got the 20ft+ hollies cut from the old dog pen they had attached to the barn. Had grown up so thick I could cut them and nothing fell, since all tangled up in the tops. Hauled off either 3 or 4 utility trailers full.

The pen is about 16'X20'. I think I am going to go ahead and put a tin roof over it, but I hate to have to buy the lumber to attach it to. It would be simple if it was 8' wide, but I guess I will have to add some posts in the center to deal with the span. I'd rather go ahead and do it with a roof than put chicken wire on the top and have critters get in. I've got 8 that are a week old, so a little time to deal with it before I move them out there.

Cleaned out a section of the interior that is approx 6'x10' and I will just need to add a wall of rabbit wire, door and nest boxes.


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B. White

Senior Member
I'm about done. Old dog pen was not square, so working off of it was aggravating. Inside was about as bad. Used the level and square, but it didn't make much sense with an old building. It was still worth it considering I was able to overlay chicken wire on the dog fence. Wire is high as lumber. Recycled some 1X2 and 1X1 wire to fortify the top and bottom.

Used some old lumber stored in an old pole barn, but bought tin to put over the run. That was the biggest expense.

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