To Coop or Not To Coop, That is the question. Whether it is nobler to suffer the slings and arrows of outraged neighbors, or to take arms and hammer and build me a chicken coop and get some chickens.
I want chickens.
I have been plotting this for some time. For three years I have researched it and researched it some more. And I think that this spring I am going to do it. I’m a get me some chickens for my backyard.
The zoning in my town allows me to keep up to 6 hens in my backyard. I love eggs and we use quite a few of them in my house. The idea of fresh farm eggs everyday is irresistible to me. I also think the kids can learn some valuable lessons from the raising and caring of chickens. So I am now resolved to do it.
Currently I am trying to finalize my design so I can build a chicken coop or a chicken tractor. I think I have settled on Rhode Island Reds as the breed. But I am open to suggestions from the experienced.
Does anybody out there have any experience with chickens? Coops? Or anything chicken related? I would love to hear from you.
What do you think? Am I crazy or inspired?
November 29, 2012 at 1:53 am
Oh, buddy, do I have a cautionary tale for you! (http://www.lendingstrengthbearingwitness.com – check out the chicken story in favorite posts)
Regardless of the inherent difficulties, the fresh eggs are fabulous!
Kathy
November 29, 2012 at 3:40 am
I have had chickens for over two years now. One bit of advice on the coop and grazing area. Make sure they are completely secure from predators. If a racoon can get into a "secured" garbage can, they can get into a "secured" coop. So take special care in the design. I lost a few beautiful Leghorn hens last year when the Macguyver of racoons literaly moved a piece of heavy concrete (I didnt think any animal could move) to get into the outdoor grazing area. I am still not sure how he did it (but i made changes). Right now I have a single Rhode Island Red and a Barred Rock. Its plenty of eggs for me and my family since we dont eat them every day. However, mine are still laying despite the cold weather. I converted a Rubbermaid 7x7x7 roughneck shed into a coop. Its pretty easy to put together and convert, and once your done raising chickens (should that day come)… you have a shed.
The tractor coops are nice because you can move over to new ground for feeding. They can turn plush greenery into mud within a few months. Forget the free range stuff if you have neighbors close by. I have a 7 foot fence and my girls cleared that easily with a bounce and a flap. Having to bend down and chase a chicken in your neighbors yard looks bad no matter how "under control" you aim to look:) If you hatch chickens like i did in an incubator, you will likely end up with half being roosters. I was no good at "sexing" (determining the sex) no matter how many website and video tutorials i looked at. For me, it took about three to four months to see which ones were becoming roosters. If you have roosters, you will have angry neighbors unless you have a large property. So figure out if a local farm will take them off your hands.
November 29, 2012 at 7:40 am
We've been raising Black Australorps for about three years now, and just picked up some Black Copper Maran's last year from a neighboring farm. As Irenaeus recommends, get a chicken tractor if you want more grass than mud in your yard. Also, make sure you are comfortable harvesting the birds before you ever go into raising them. Even if you are only in it for the eggs and want nothing to do with meat you will inevitably have to harvest a sick or injured bird. Take the wife and older kids with you to a nearby farm offering instruction on harvesting chickens (many offer this, or are happy to do so if you ask), and make sure EVERYONE is okay with this before you get the first egg or chick. We let ours free range, and the neighbors actually love the chickens as much as we do (got quite upset when we didn't let them run through their yard!). Good luck, have fun, and don't be surprised if they very quickly become more "pet" than "livestock".
November 29, 2012 at 2:07 pm
My 85 year old dad wanted chickens in our backyard in Plymouth Meeting, PA. We started with 6 females – one Red (very nasty bird), two Wyandottes (prissy ladies) and 4 Easter Eggers (the best!). He converted 1/2 the old shed into a coop with boxes attached on the outside with openings inside for egg laying and easy retrieving. He also cut out a small door opening with a ladder for the chickens to enter. We started with a small wired enclosure which got bigger and bigger so that they could roam and eat bugs in the vegetable garden. If you get your birds just hatched, they must keep warm (we kept ours in an old plastic laundry basket under lights in the kitchen). When it is warm enough to let them go outside, keep them inside the coop for three days and they will learn and remember where their home is. Each evening they will make their way back to the coop on their own. They are very interesting to watch as each one has its own personality. The only time mine were a problem was when I had to shovel snow from the back door to the shed. And, of course, I had a particular pair of shoes I wore when I gave them food and water.
I have been reading your blog for a couple of months and you always give me a lift. Thanks!