Chicken Coops for Sale in Mokelumne Hill, California
Chicken Coops for Sale in Mokelumne Hill, California
Make a Thrifty DIY Swingset Chicken Coop
Do you have one of those old A-shaped swingsets rusting in your backyard? If you do, then you have the basis for an awesome swingset chicken coop! (And if you don’t, watch Craigslist – there are frequently people offering them for free to whoever comes to pick them up.) Creativity is key .
When we moved recently we had to leave our wonderful chicken coop behind, since it was attached to the barn. While I drooled over some of , I’m on a pretty tight budget so it was important to use items that I could acquire either cheap or free. Luckily, the house we moved to had some pretty interesting stuff in a shed and an old rusty swingset in the woods.
I don’t have a lot of construction skills but the guy who put up my fence does, and luckily, he was on board with my wacky, freebie-scrounging ideas.
For the price of some labor, some hardware, some chicken wire, and a fancy-dancy hanging chicken waterer, I got a snazzy new coop that keeps my chickens safe and sound.
Here’s what we used:
- A swingset with the swings removed
- 2 pieces of corrugated metal on the top 3/4 plus a strip of it over the top to help weather proof
- Some sheets of plywood for the bottom back of the coop
- A piece of chain link fencing for the bottom in order to keep out predators
- Some old pieces of fence posts for the bottom of the coop to attach the chicken wire and chain link to
- Some lumber for the door
- Chicken wire (It was cheaper than from my local store)
If you’re making a scrounged chicken coop, be creative and see what you components you can find for cheap or free. Because most of the items used were found, this isn’t as much a how-to as it is something to inspire you. Here are some photos so you can see how my coop was assembled.
The Scoop on my Swingset Chicken Coop
The door is very heavy, which adds a layer of security against critters that might try to get in during the night. During the day, I use a bungee to hold the door open in the event of wind so no chickens get squashed. (They’re at the door because they know they’re either getting food or getting out.)
There is also a heavy duty double hinged latch that I fasten with a carabiner at night for an added layer of security. (.)
The bottom is covered with a piece of chain link fencing that is attached to the boards that form the bottom edge of the coop.
My biggest splurge is this hanging 5 gallon water dispenser. It stays much cleaner raised a few inches off the ground, only needs to be refilled every few days, and I used the exisiting hook for a swing to hang it from. (You can – it is a lower price than it was at my local feed store.)
Here’s the interior of theswingset chicken coop. The chickens like to roost on the cross bars on each end, and there is an extra bar from an old closet that was also installed. I used some cubbies from my previous garage for nesting boxes. (I probably should have taken the interior pic before I put the chickens in here to poop on everything. Of course, anyone who has chickens knows that a coop only looks clean for about 10 minutes.)
The coop in all of its glory. I’ll be painting the plywood soon to make it a little prettier.
Thor, our LGD, is happy to follow the chickens around and protect them because he realized they’re like little feathered Pez dispensers, dropping nice little egg treats around the yard for him to enjoy. I lock them in the coop a couple of days per week and that gives us more than enough eggs for our needs. The rest of the eggs get scattered around the yard for a doggie version of an Easter egg hunt. Thor’s a little skinny so the added fat will do him good. You can see him licking his dog lips in the photo below.
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Chicken Coop Building Plans in Mokelumne Hill, California
A good place to start any search is the internet. Simply plugging in the phrase "chicken coops for sale in Mokelumne Hill 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 Mokelumne Hill California chicken coops. What to look for when buying a chicken coop in Mokelumne Hill, California With the big boost in poultry keeping there has been a similarly large surge in the array of chicken materiel on sale. Poultry housing is a proceedings in factor. It's additionally a classic example of the excellent old bandwagon being jumped on as numerous prospective poultry housing specialists market a selection of cottage claiming to be the suitable remedy to your chicken housing needs. Commonly the price looks eye-catching, your diy-chicken-coop-planshome looks attractive, hell even the clean-cut household standing there feeding the chickens look desirable. Certainly they understand a quality chicken house when they see one? There are lots of low-cost as well as nasty coops swamping the marketplace. I understand this as I've checked a variety of them in the field, as well as seen a ewe run directly through one when the feed pail showed up. The result was just a pricey heap of fire wood and a little flock of bemused and now homeless bantams.
Chicken Coop Run in Mokelumne Hill, California
Most of the time these mass produced models are constructed of fast grown up lumber - come the first decline of rain they swell, leaving you either blockading a doorway that will not close, or tearing the doorway furnishings off in a vain attempt to launch the squawking citizens. The very first warm day means the wood dries out and splits, the felt roof covering bubbles and also boils, and come nightfall the chickens refuse to go in. This is not because of their disappointment at the decline of their when desirable home however due to the fact that the hovel is now a haven for, as well as probably abounding, the chicken keeper's bane, red mite. Add on that it claimed on the blurb that it would certainly suit four big hens when that stocking thickness was based on the Circle Line at 5pm on a Friday, and also exactly what are you left with? A few hinges and some kindling. A good coop for thee to 4 birds ought to cost you in the region of ₤ 300 though this can depend upon whether you choose for a complimentary standing house or one with a run connected. Thinking you are ranging your birds in a large room and also the pop hole doorway allows sufficient for the breed you keep, after that the major demands of real estate come down to three points which will specify the number of birds the house will hold; perches, nest boxes and also air flow. A lot of breeds of chicken will certainly perch when they go to roost in the evening, this perch ought to ideally be 5-8cm wide with smoothed off sides so the foot sits pleasantly on it. The perch ought to be more than the nest box entry as chickens will certainly additionally normally search for the highest point to perch. A perch lower than that will certainly have the birds roosting in the nest box overnight (which is by the way when they generate the most poo) leading to stained eggs the following day. They should not however be so high off the flooring of the house that leg injuries could occur when the bird gets down in the morning. Chickens require concerning 20cm of perch each (in little breeds this is undoubtedly less), plus if more than one perch is set up in the house they need to be more than 30cm apart. They will certainly hunker up with their neighbors yet are not that crazy about roosting with a beak in the bloomers of the bird ahead. Ideally your house ought to have a the very least one nest box for each 3 birds as well as these should be off the ground and in the darkest location of your home. The house ought to have ample ventilation: without it then condensation will develop every evening, also in the coldest of climate. Be aware, air flow deals with the principle of warm and comfortable air leaving with a high space drawing cooler air in from a reduced gap - it's not a set of holes on opposite wall surfaces of the house as well as at the very same degree, this is just what's called a draught. If you have a house with a run affixed then the points above are still real, but you should additionally think about the run size. The EU optimum lawful stocking density for a cost-free range bird is (as well as allow's face it, among the inspirations for keeping some chickens in the house is possibly improved or far better welfare) 2,500 birds per hectare, that's optimal one bird each 4m settled. Take a close look at a few of the bargain homes - it could well be your house has the ideal perches, correct ventilation and ample nest boxes for a sensible number of birds, yet will each of the chickens have anything more than an A4 sized piece of ground to invest the day on? And so as the stating goes, "you get just what you pay for". You may assume you've got a deal, but you as well as your group could rue the day you did. Acquisition the right house and also it will certainly last for a couple of decades, otherwise longer provided the appropriate therapy. Eventually your chicken as well as your poultry keeping experience will be a lot the much better for it.chickens for sale
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