Chicken Coops for Sale in Holtville, California
Chicken Coops for Sale in Holtville, California
Adventures in Country Living at Shalom Engedi Farm
We've been raising meat chickens for a few years now and each year we've learned a few things to add to our list of disasters and a few to add to our triumphs.
Let me explain how we started. A few years ago when we lived in the city we built the worlds most expensive chicken coop. You can read about it . In many ways it was fabulous - for 6 chickens. When you get a few more - like 50 meat birds - it won't do at all.
Every summer that we've had chickens at the farm they've been in different pens. We would solve one problem by making a change the next year only to create more problems we didn't anticipate. The first year we used the only pen we had available in the barn but it was a little small for the 60 chickens that lived in it. We figured they would be outside most of the time anyway and it WOULD BE FINE. Leaving the feed in their pen at all times was also a mistake as it caused them to grow too fast. We didn't get the chicks until September which meant they needed 8 weeks to grow to full size which also meant we were getting into wintery weather by the time they left. Oh dear - can you say chicken poop? They were the laziest chickens you ever saw. They hated going outside even though we chased them outside every day. They just sat and got fat and pooped. End of story. By the time they were ready for the butcher we were REALLY happy to get rid of them because the coop was impossible to keep clean. Without enough exercise and with too much food they got so big they had leg problems too so we lost a few birds in the process.
Fast forward to the next spring when we had the great idea to build them a huge pen. You can read about that . It was such a good idea except now we couldn't get them to gain weight because they got TOO MUCH exercise. They didn't have any leg problems though!. After a few extra weeks of feed before we brought them to the butcher we ended up with really yummy but rather scrawny birds. Sigh* I don't think we got close to breaking even when we sold them that year.
So - lets try that again!!! We recently purchased an old dog kennel through Kijiji - it's 5x15 feet and made of chain link with a good sturdy door. We know from our past coops that Overkilled Fort Knox is the way to go. There can be NO WAY for animals to get in or reach in.
We started by wiring the chain link fencing on far more securely than it was originally - we wanted to keep a dog (and others) OUT! We used two 4 foot pieces of hardware cloth on the ground and zip ties to connect them together - slightly overlapping the pieces. This provides a strong bottom so predator animals can't dig under the coop.
Then we wrapped the top edge of the kennel with 3 foot wide hardware cloth - attaching it with zip ties as well. The bottom section is a full sheet of lattice. It covers the hardware cloth on the top and is connected with zip ties again to the frame and the hardware cloth that makes up the floor. The roof is plywood sheets cut to fit so there is a 6 inch overhang ( 4 sheets cut to 6 feet each - the roof is 6 feet wide and 16 feet long) We cut an old tarp to size and stapled it on top. We were going to have the tarp overhang and peg it to the ground but it made the interior too dark. It took some creative cutting to fill in all the little spaces around the door to create a tight fit but with enough space that we could still open the door.
After adding shavings and a waterer we had to solve the problem of feeding 50 starving chickens at once without them killing each other in the process. They get pretty excited when they're hungry. We have multiple feeders but they never seemed enough. I solved the problem by purchasing a new 10 foot eaves trough with ends and screwed some 1 foot pieces of an old 2x4 across the bottom to act as feet - I used four pieces. When it's situated in the middle of the coop the chickens can access it from both sides and finally there is room for everyone to eat. The coop is bright and airy and doesn't smell bad at all...of course I am not really an expert on that subject! There is great air flow, plenty of space but not too much space and it's a safe place for them to spend the night. We also built the coop within sight of the kitchen window so I can keep an eye on them. In past years we let them free range as far as they wanted to - but sometimes they didn't come back. Our losses were just too great so this year they are kept in a large fenced area. They still have access to plants and bugs and sunshine but they don't disappear as someones lunch! So far this year we haven't lost any birds to predators. We also situated the coop in the shade of several large trees. Meatie birds are not that smart and sometimes when it's really hot they will lay in the sun and die of dehydration before they get up and get a drink. | The rake in the picture is my Chicken Encourager - I use it to gently encourage the chickens to leave the coop! |
The fencing we used is something we've also used to fence our vegetable garden. The material is a plastic mesh that comes in 50 foot rolls for less than $15.00. The posts are a little pricey but since they can be easily moved and re-used we thought it was worth it. You may be wondering why the fence is so short - it's only two feet tall. The fencing comes in three foot height as well but the due to a problem in the pricing for the fence posts it was more economical to buy the two foot fencing instead. We've found that our meat birds grow so fast that they don't fly very well. Occasionally one gets out but they never go far and the fence is more to contain them than to keep them safe from predators.
This coop is not going to be used in the winter - it's a little too airy for subzero temperatures but it could be modified in a pinch. Necessity is the Mother of Invention they say! If you can get a good deal on a kennel and shop around or use what you have already have you can make a similar coop and have the fencing like this for under $450.00. If all goes well it should pay for itself this summer and last for many years. The chickens seem to like their new digs and are growing well! Three tries and I think we got it right!! 
Chicken Coop Run Plans in Holtville, California
A good place to start any search is the internet. Simply plugging in the phrase "chicken coops for sale in Holtville California" 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 Holtville California chicken coops. What to look for when buying a chicken coop in Holtville, California With the significant increase in chicken keeping there has been a similarly big rise in the variety of chicken paraphernalia for sale. Chicken housing is a proceedings in factor. It's also a traditional instance of the excellent old bandwagon being got on as various prospective poultry housing professionals peddle a selection of lodging declaring to be the excellent remedy to your chicken real estate needs. Typically the cost looks eye-catching, your house looks attractive, heck even the clean-cut household standing there feeding the chickens look desirable. Definitely they understand a professional chicken house when they see one? There are many economical and unpleasant coops swamping the market. I understand this as I've tested a number of them in the area, as well as seen a ewe run straight via one when the feed container appeared. The result was only an expensive pile of fire wood as well as a small flock of bemused and now homeless bantams.
Chicken Coops For Sale in Holtville, California
Most of the time these standardized designs are built of fast grown hardwood - come the very first decrease of rainfall they swell, leaving you either blockading a door that won't close, or ripping the door furniture off in a vain effort to release the squawking inhabitants. The initial cozy day means the lumber dries and also cracks, the felt roofing bubbles and boils, and come nightfall the chickens refuse to go in. This is not as a result of their disappointment at the decrease of their when appealing building however considering that the hovel is now a place for, as well as most likely abounding, the poultry caretaker's nemesis, red mite. Add that it claimed on the blurb that it would match four huge chickens when that stocking thickness was based upon the Circle Line at 5pm on a Friday, as well as what are you left with? A few joints as well as some kindling. A good coop for thee to four birds must cost you around ₤ 300 though this can depend on whether you elect for a cost-free standing house or one with a run affixed. Assuming you are varying your birds in a large room as well as the pop hole door is big enough for the breed you keep, after that the main requirements of real estate boil down to three points which will certainly specify the variety of birds your home will certainly hold; perches, nest boxes and air flow. Many types of chicken will perch when they visit roost in the evening, this perch ought to preferably be 5-8cm broad with smoothed off edges so the foot rests conveniently on it. The perch should be higher than the nest box entrance as chickens will certainly also normally search for the highest point to perch. A perch less than that will have the birds roosting in the nest box overnight (which is by the way when they produce one of the most poo) resulting in soiled eggs the list below day. They shouldn't nonetheless be so high off the flooring of your house that leg injuries might happen when the bird gets down in the morning. Chickens need regarding 20cm of perch each (in tiny breeds this is undoubtedly less), plus if more than one perch is set up in your home they need to be more than 30cm apart. They will hunker up with their neighbors but are not that crazy about roosting with a beak in the bloomers of the bird ahead. Preferably your home should have a the very least one nest box for every 3 birds and also these should be off the ground as well as in the darkest area of your home. Your house needs to have ample ventilation: without it then condensation will certainly develop every night, also in the chilliest of weather. Know, air flow works with the concept of cozy air leaving through a high gap attracting cooler air in from a lower gap - it's not a set of holes on opposite walls of your home and at the very same level, this is exactly what's called a draught. If you have a house with a run affixed then the points above are still real, however you ought to also think about the run size. The EU maximum lawful equipping density for a cost-free range bird is (and also allow's encounter it, among the motivations for keeping some hens in the house is perhaps enhanced or much better welfare) 2,500 birds per hectare, that's optimal one bird per 4m made even. Take a close consider several of the deal houses - it could well be your home has the right perches, right ventilation and sufficient nest boxes for a sensible number of birds, but will each of the chickens have anything more than an A4 sized piece of ground to spend the day on? And so as the claiming goes, "you get exactly what you pay for". You might assume you've got a deal, but you and also your group might rue the day you did. Purchase the right house and it will certainly last for a couple of years, otherwise longer offered the right treatment. In the end your fowl as well as your chicken maintaining encounter will be a lot the far better for it.chick plans
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