Chicken Coops for Sale in Hollywood, Alabama
Chicken Coops for Sale in Hollywood, Alabama
DIY Pallet Chicken Coop
I like chickens.
A lot.
Maybe because when I was small, I remember walking out to my mother’s chicken house, and gathering eggs…I’m not sure why I like them so much, but every spring I look at the signs that say: “Chicks here!” and want them so badly. We recently got a Murdoch’s Farm & Ranch store in our town. I love Farm & Ranch stores, by the way. Anyways, so when they started advertising ‘Chick Days’, I stopped in a few times to let the kids look at the chicks. At least that was my excuse! It was actually a good excuse for ME to get my chick fix. I have tried 3 times to keep chickens here, and they always get eaten – either by fox, coon, or skunk. I had told myself firmly that it was a waste of time, money and energy to try again. But on the third trip to Murdoch’s, I caved. I got 3 Red Star, 3 Buff’s, and 3 Wyandottes. I like variety. I also was trying to get cold-hardy birds, since they will be living in a drafty coop most of the year. If they survive.
I knew the set-up I had been using was not going to work, so I set out to build me a coop. Now, as you know, I am not a carpenter. I do, however, believe anyone can do anything if they want to bad enough. I think more ‘skill’, and ‘talent’ is in our hard work, than in natural ability. I think anyone can be a musician, great cook, cowboy, writer, or, yes, even a carpenter, with enough learning, perseverance, and hard work. I know certain people can naturally do certain things alot easier than others. But usually its more experience or desire than actual talent.
Case in point: My Cowboy never wanted to be a carpenter. Never enjoyed it. But he is an excellent carpenter. He can build anything, without a plan. And it lasts, believe me. Why is he so good? Because he started when young, and worked with his dad, who taught him all he needed to know, little by little, hard day of work after hard day of work.
Me? Why, I had a dad who despised carpentry, never built anything he didn’t have to, and therefore most of my family is slightly lacking in carpenter skills. (except for a few brothers who actually enjoy it, and learned later. ) So I had no examples, and certainly no help building things. But I have built my first freestanding, semi-solid, totally un-square, sorta-kinda-cute, and totally functional structure! It held my chickies for the first time last night, and despite the multitude of cracks, they (the chicks) are still all there this morning! I hope the critters don’t find a way in – cause I have certainly tried to make it critter-proof, if not weather proof. It does keep out the rain, thankfully, as it rained last night. Here is how to build a coop on the cheap frugal, with minimal zero expertise…
I dug about 24 of these 1×4’s out of the ranch dump. They are from a fallen windbreak, I think. They are 8 ft. each. I had to jerk out about 4-6 old nails out of each one.
Then I got 3 old pallets that were sturdy, and nailed the boards over the cracks. Instant studs! Yay!
I cut out a section of the one pallet for a nest-box entrance, and made a nest box out of scraps I found in the barn.
I missed taking pics of whole sections of the process, but anyways, here it is – the nest box isn’t finished yet, and it need some paint. The roof is longer in the back to help protect the nest box from rain/snow. (that sounds good, anyways…the real reason was because i didn’t want to cut metal, and this piece was basically the right size.)
The front. I did have to frame this, since I just couldn’t wrap my brain around how to cut/fasten a door in a pallet. It was pretty easy, tho. Took me two tries to get the angle right on the door cross-support. Just being honest here.
The inside. here you can see the pallets. I used some corner braces to fasten it to the floor. I couldn’t think of any other way. Didn’t have long enough screws to screw through the oak stringers. Check out my skylight! I wasn’t sure how to build a window, so I found this piece of clear roofing, and it works great as a skylight. Some days I will have to leave them in the coop all day, and I wanted them to get light.
Frank painted it last night. Well, some of it. See the nest box out the back? It missed getting painted, but I will finish it soon. I am quite pleased with my little coop. Not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but functional, and not totally sloppy-looking. And I didn’t have any help from the master carpenter, aka: My Cowboy. The cord is for the heat lamp, in case you wondered. Its still pretty cold here at night. (30º – 40º)
I was so worried last night, I kept waking and wondering if the fox/coons had found a way in to the coop…I went out this morning and there they all were – hale and hearty. I got that Tom Hanks/Castaway moment of “I can build! I have made a chicken coop!” Ha ha!
I had several things I wanted in my coop. 1. Easy access to the nest box from the outside. Check. 2. Natural light source, so I wouldn’t have to run a light. Check. I have to have a heat lamp, but don’t want to have to run a light when they are grown. 3. Door big enough for an adult to get in, if necessary. Check. 4. Somewhat rustic/cute. Check. 5. Critter-proof. Check. I am satisfied.
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Chicken Coop Basics in Hollywood, Alabama
A good place to start any search is the internet. Simply plugging in the phrase "chicken coops for sale in Hollywood Alabama" into any one of the numerous search engines and a wealth of information will pop up. This information will provide links to other websites that will be informative and will provide the right direction for finding Hollywood Alabama chicken coops. What to look for when buying a chicken coop in Hollywood, Alabama With the significant increase in chicken maintaining there has been an equally huge rise in the array of chicken stuff for sale. Poultry real estate is an instance in point. It's also a timeless instance of the great old bandwagon being got on as different would-be fowl real estate experts market an array of lodging claiming to be the optimal solution to your chicken real estate requirements. Usually the rate looks appealing, your house looks desirable, hell even the clean-cut family standing there feeding the chickens look appealing. Definitely they recognize a quality chicken house when they see one? There are several cheap and also horrible coops swamping the marketplace. I know this as I've examined a number of them in the field, as well as seen a ewe run directly via one when the feed container showed up. The result was just a costly heap of fire wood as well as a tiny flock of bemused and also currently homeless bantams.
Chicken Coop Kits For Sale in Hollywood, Alabama
Most of the time these mass produced designs are created of fast grown hardwood - come the initial decline of rain they swell, leaving you either fortifying a door that will not shut, or tearing the doorway furniture off in a vain effort to release the squawking citizens. The very first cozy day suggests the timber dries out as well as cracks, the really felt roofing system bubbles and also boils, and also come nightfall the chickens choose not to go in. This is not due to their frustration at the decrease of their as soon as eye-catching commercial property however since the hovel is currently a haven for, and most likely abounding, the fowl keeper's bane, red mite. Add the fact that it said on the blurb that it would match 4 big hens when that equipping thickness was based on the Circle Line at 5pm on a Friday, and exactly what are you entrusted? A few hinges and some kindling. A decent coop for thee to 4 birds should cost you in the region of ₤ 300 though this could rely on whether you choose for a free standing house or one with a run affixed. Thinking you are varying your birds in a large space as well as the pop opening door is big sufficient for the type you keep, then the primary demands of real estate boil down to 3 points which will certainly specify the variety of birds your house will certainly hold; perches, nest boxes and also air flow. Most types of chicken will certainly perch when they visit roost in the evening, this perch must preferably be 5-8cm broad with smoothed off edges so the foot sits easily on it. The perch ought to be higher than the nest box entry as chickens will also naturally search for the acme to perch. A perch less than that will have the birds roosting in the nest box over night (which is incidentally when they create the most poo) bring about stained eggs the following day. They should not nonetheless be so high off the flooring of your home that leg injuries could occur when the bird comes down in the early morning. Chickens require about 20cm of perch each (in little breeds this is undoubtedly much less), plus if more than one perch is installed in your home they need to be greater than 30cm apart. They will certainly hunker up with their neighbors but are not that keen on roosting with a beak in the bloomers of the bird ahead. Ideally your house should have a the very least one nest box for every three birds and also these must be off the ground and in the darkest location of the house. Your house must have adequate air flow: without it after that condensation will develop every evening, also in the coldest of climate. Understand, ventilation deals with the principle of warm and comfortable air leaving via a high gap attracting cooler air in from a reduced void - it's not a collection of openings on other wall surfaces of your house as well as at the same level, this is just what's known as a draught. If you have a house with a run connected then the points above are still true, but you ought to also take into consideration the run dimension. The EU optimum legal equipping thickness for a totally free variety bird is (as well as let's encounter it, one of the inspirations for maintaining some chickens in your home is perhaps enhanced or much better welfare) 2,500 birds each hectare, that's maximum one bird per 4m made even. Take a close check out some of the deal residences - it could well be your house has the ideal perches, proper air flow and also sufficient nest boxes for a reasonable variety of birds, however will each of the chickens have anything greater than an A4 sized piece of ground to spend the day on? Therefore as the claiming goes, "you get exactly what you pay for". You could assume you've grabbed a deal, yet you and your flock can rue the day you did. Purchase the appropriate house and it will last for a couple of decades, otherwise longer given the appropriate treatment. Ultimately your chicken and also your poultry maintaining experience will certainly be considerably the much better for it.chick chickens
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