Chicken Coops for Sale in Sperry, Iowa
Chicken Coops for Sale in Sperry, Iowa
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 For Sale in Sperry, Iowa
A good place to start any search is the internet. Simply plugging in the phrase "chicken coops for sale in Sperry Iowa" 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 Sperry Iowa chicken coops. What to look for when buying a chicken coop in Sperry, Iowa With the significant boost in poultry maintaining there has actually been a similarly huge surge in the array of poultry stuff for sale. Chicken housing is a situation in point. It's likewise a timeless example of the great old bandwagon being got on as numerous would-be fowl housing experts peddle a range of cottage claiming to be the ideal option to your chicken housing demands. Frequently the price looks attractive, the house looks appealing, hell even the clean-cut household standing there feeding the chickens look attractive. Certainly they recognize a professional chicken house when they see one? There are several inexpensive and also awful coops swamping the marketplace. I understand this as I've tested a variety of them in the area, and seen a ewe run directly via one when the feed bucket appeared. The outcome was just a pricey pile of firewood as well as a tiny flock of bemused and also currently homeless bantams.
Chicken Coop And Run Plans in Sperry, Iowa
Usually these standardized designs are created of rapid grown up lumber - come the very first decrease of rain they swell, leaving you either defending a door that won't close, or tearing the door furniture off in a vain attempt to release the squawking inhabitants. The very first warm day suggests the timber dries and fractures, the really felt roofing bubbles as well as boils, as well as come nightfall the hens choose not to go in. This is not due to their disappointment at the decline of their once appealing building but because the hovel is currently a haven for, and also probably crawling with, the chicken keeper's nemesis, red mite. Add on the fact that it claimed on the blurb that it would certainly suit 4 huge hens when that stocking thickness was based upon the Circle Line at 5pm on a Friday, as well as what are you left with? A number of hinges and also some kindling. A respectable coop for thee to four birds need to cost you in the region of ₤ 300 though this can depend upon whether you choose for a totally free standing house or one with a run connected. Thinking you are ranging your birds in a big room and the pop hole door is big enough for the breed you maintain, after that the main requirements of housing come down to 3 factors which will define the number of birds your home will hold; perches, nest boxes and ventilation. Most types of chicken will perch when they visit roost during the night, this perch must ideally be 5-8cm broad with smoothed off edges so the foot sits easily on it. The perch needs to be above the nest box entrance as chickens will certainly likewise naturally search for the acme to perch. A perch below that will certainly have the birds roosting in the nest box over night (which is incidentally when they produce one of the most poo) resulting in dirtied eggs the following day. They should not however be so high off the floor of the house that leg injuries can happen when the bird comes down in the morning. Chickens require regarding 20cm of perch each (in little types this is clearly much less), plus if greater than one perch is mounted in the house they ought to be greater than 30cm apart. They will hunker up with their next-door neighbors however are not that keen on roosting with a beak in the bloomers of the bird in front. Preferably your house ought to have a least one nest box for every 3 birds as well as these ought to be off the ground and in the darkest area of your house. The house should have adequate ventilation: without it then condensation will certainly develop every night, also in the coldest of weather. Be aware, air flow works on the principle of cozy air leaving with a high space attracting cooler air in from a reduced void - it's not a set of holes on other wall surfaces of your house as well as at the very same level, this is exactly what's known as a draft. If you have a house with a run affixed after that the factors above are still true, however you must also think about the run size. The EU maximum lawful stocking density for a totally free variety bird is (and also let's face it, one of the motivations for keeping some hens in your home is perhaps improved or far better welfare) 2,500 birds each hectare, that's optimal one bird per 4m made even. Take a close consider some of the bargain homes - it could well be your home has the right perches, proper ventilation and enough nest boxes for a reasonable number of birds, yet will each of the chickens have anything greater than an A4 sized item of ground to invest the day on? And so as the stating goes, "you obtain what you spend for". You could think you've got a bargain, however you as well as your flock might rue the day you did. Acquisition the ideal house and also it will certainly last for a few years, otherwise longer offered the appropriate treatment. In the long run your fowl and your poultry keeping experience will be a lot the better for it.plans plans
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