My garden and chicken coop advice

[jdmyprez_deo_vindice]

So our garden this year iso really coming together. We are planting more stuff than we ever have. In addition to some fruit trees we have 20 tomato plants going in (various types), watermelons, cantaloupes, honeydew melons, broccoli, pole limas, cauliflower, carrots, various types of onions, beets, asparagus, peas, green beans, lettuce, blueberries, raspberries and tons of other stuff that we have decided to try. In addition we were just offered 7 free hens. I have never kept hens and would like some advice and knowledge from those who have and do. I am looking into coop designs and what I am finding are real elaborate designs that seem really overkill in both design and expense. Does anyone have a blueprint for something cheap, effective and simple? Also, how much feed would I be looking at to feed 7 each day and how many eggs on average would this amount of hens produce? Thanks for any advoce and if any of you find yourselves in Eastern Maryland this summer be sure to let me know as we will have more than we can possibly eat and can and would love to send some fellow liberty lovers home with some organic food and maybe even some seeds.

[Seraphim]

7 hens = 5-7 eggs per day (it's just under 1 egg per day, per hen as an avergage).

I am doing the same as you this summer...including about 5 chickens. I'll be watching this thread for similar reasons.

[foxtrotterz]

Keep it simple. Will the coop also be their cage or will they be free range with a coop to roost in at night and lay eggs in? Chickens don't need much at all. Some lay boxes and something to perch on that is all out of the wind and rain. Leave enough room to put a source of heat(usually a heat lamp) in there for them in the cold of winter. They are birds, with down feathers, I am not sure if I have ever heard of a chicken freezing to death. If they have room to run around in the summer, it is nice to offer some shade if they choose. Mine usually just walk the yard, but I have a 50% or greater mixture of shade to sun. Try and create a couple vent holes in in that air can flow through in the summer, but they could be plugged back in the winter. Also, try and make it fox/possum/racoon proof. I have seen a mouse in our chicken coop, but it didn't seem to mess with them.

[raystone]

Do you have predators in area? Can your chickens roam freely (including in your garden - trick question) ?

If they must be caged due to predators, etc. coops get more complicated quickly.

One big thing you'll learn is that fencing is to keep predators out, this is more important than keeping chickens in.

In coop, they need nesting boxes - anything from custom wood boxes hung on wall to the large enclosed cat litter boxes.

They need a constant source of water and food. Keeping water from freezing in the waterers is a whole article right there.

They need a roost, space for everyone. They need a way to get outside, and outside they need a run (fenced in area that will quickly turn to feces and mud).

This is why you really want free range chickens if possible, or electric netting enclosed area you can move every 1-3 weeks as they eat the grass. Eggs from chickens that eat grass and bugs in the grass are what you want. (They still need some grain or chicken feed)

Movable chicken tractors are nice, but seem more suited for southern (warmer) areas.


Read this primer: http://www.chrismartenson.com/blog/r...chickens/49527

Review forums here for your questions: http://www.backyardchickens.com/

[Noble Savage]

yeah no need to make it too fancy because they're just going to shit all over it roosts on one side boxes on the other, dittos on predator proof, gotta watch hawks also if your in an area that is prone to them especially when they are chicks.

[jdmyprez_deo_vindice]

Well I am in the middle of a town of around 3,000 so not too many predators to worry about. We see the occasional possum and garter snakes but really nothing that could do them real harm outside of my dogs. Our entire back yard is fenced in so for the most part they would be rather free range. Good note on winter heat as it is something I had initially overlooked in making a list of things I needed. I have plenty of heat lamps because we have raised and bred exotic reptiles on and off for many years. I know this is probably a dumb question (please keep in mind that this would all be pretty new to me) but how much noise can I expect them to make. I obviously want to be a good neighbor and not get animals that are going to keep them up all hours of the night.

[foxtrotterz]

Hens will nearly be silent as far as your neighbors are concerned. The most noise they make is in the morning when laying, mine anyways. They kind of cluck a little louder then, otherwise you hardly ever hear hens. I live in a neighborhood and my neighbors on both sides of me honestly never noticed the chickens when we had only hens. Now we have a rooster.... his days are numbered. He calls ALL day long, nearly every 3 minutes with few breaks throughout the day. It would be cool if I was on a farm, but I hate it for my neighbors sake. Not sure what you meant by having possums, but nothing that will do them real harm. Possums and racoons will both eat chickens. We have had 4 killed by predators and we think they were all killed by either a racoon or possum.

[jdmyprez_deo_vindice]

Not sure what you meant by having possums, but nothing that will do them real harm. Possums and racoons will both eat chickens. We have had 4 killed by predators and we think they were all killed by either a racoon or possum.

I just meant that our yard is totally fenced in and I have only ever seen one in the yard even before it was fenced in. I know they can be an issue, I just don't expect it to be much of one here though I would still like to take some precautions.

[fisharmor]

I just meant that our yard is totally fenced in and I have only ever seen one in the yard even before it was fenced in. I know they can be an issue, I just don't expect it to be much of one here though I would still like to take some precautions.

You can still expect to lose some to predation. You're basically advertising free meals by having them. Friends of mine north of Frederick MD had little problem until they went on vacation for a week, and even with neighbors watching things they came home to an empty coop.

I am not a big fan of fenced in chickens. I had a job with a small coop which was never cleaned, and getting near that thing a couple times put me off eating chicken for a whole year. Every time I smelled cooked chicken there was the tiniest hint of chicken shit in the aroma.

I think ideally you'd have animals protecting them. If your dogs take a liking then you're set. Some people keep roosters to protect the hens, but then you've got the crowing, and also the fact that you're basically keeping a fighting cock in your yard. The ideal rooster to watch your hens is unfortunately the giant dickhead you have the least problem eating.

[donnay]

The Portable Coop!

http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/th...e-chicken-coop


Allowing the chickens free range, they will keep the bug population down. I want some guinea hens so they eat the ticks!!