Chicken Coops for Sale in Princeton, Maine
Chicken Coops for Sale in Princeton, Maine
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 And Run Plans in Princeton, Maine
A good place to start any search is the internet. Simply plugging in the phrase "chicken coops for sale in Princeton Maine" 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 Princeton Maine chicken coops. What to look for when buying a chicken coop in Princeton, Maine With the huge increase in chicken keeping there has been an equally large surge in the array of fowl materiel on sale. Poultry real estate is a proceedings in point. It's also a traditional example of the excellent old bandwagon being got on as various potential chicken real estate experts pitch a variety of lodging claiming to be the optimal solution to your chicken housing demands. Frequently the price looks appealing, the house looks eye-catching, heck also the clean-cut family members standing there feeding the chickens look eye-catching. Surely they recognize a high quality chicken house when they see one? There are several affordable and horrible coops flooding the market. I understand this as I've examined a variety of them in the field, and also seen a ewe run directly via one when the feed bucket appeared. The result was only a costly pile of firewood and also a tiny group of bemused and also now homeless bantams.
Chicken Coop Ebay in Princeton, Maine
Generally these standardized versions are built of rapid grown up wood - come the very first drop of rain they swell, leaving you either defending a doorway that will not shut, or tearing the door furnishings off in a vain effort to launch the squawking citizens. The first cozy day implies the lumber dries as well as cracks, the felt roof covering bubbles and also boils, as well as come nightfall the hens refuse to go in. This is not because of their disappointment at the decrease of their once attractive home yet due to the fact that the hovel is now a sanctuary for, and most likely crawling with, the chicken caretaker's bane, red mite. Add on that it stated on the blurb that it would certainly match four huge chickens when that equipping density was based upon the Circle Line at 5pm on a Friday, and what are you entrusted? A number of hinges and some kindling. A good coop for thee to 4 birds must cost you approximately ₤ 300 though this could depend upon whether you elect for a free standing house or one with a run affixed. Presuming you are ranging your birds in a huge space and the pop opening door allows sufficient for the breed you maintain, after that the main demands of housing boil down to three points which will define the number of birds your house will certainly hold; perches, nest boxes as well as ventilation. Many breeds of chicken will perch when they go to roost in the evening, this perch should preferably be 5-8cm wide with smoothed off sides so the foot rests easily on it. The perch needs to 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 incidentally when they produce the most poo) causing dirtied eggs the list below day. They should not nevertheless be so high off the floor of the house that leg injuries could possibly happen when the bird gets down in the early morning. Chickens require concerning 20cm of perch each (in small breeds this is undoubtedly less), plus if more than one perch is installed in the house they must be more than 30cm apart. They will hunker up with their neighbors however are not that keen on roosting with a beak in the bloomers of the bird in front. Preferably your home should have a the very least one nest box for every single three birds as well as these must be off the ground as well as in the darkest location of the house. The house should have adequate air flow: without it after that condensation will accumulate every night, even in the coldest of weather. Know, air flow works on the principle of warm and comfortable air leaving with a high void drawing cooler air in from a reduced space - it's not a set of holes on contrary walls of the house and at the exact same level, this is exactly what's referred to as a draught. If you have a house with a run affixed then the points above are still true, but you need to likewise think about the run dimension. The EU optimum legal equipping density for a cost-free variety bird is (and also let's encounter it, one of the inspirations for maintaining some hens at home is potentially improved or better welfare) 2,500 birds per hectare, that's maximum one bird per 4m squared. Take a close take a look at a few of the bargain homes - it could well be the house has the ideal perches, right air flow and adequate nest boxes for a practical variety of birds, but will each of the chickens have anything more than an A4 sized item of ground to spend the day on? And so as the stating goes, "you obtain what you pay for". You may think you've grabbed a deal, however you and also your group can rue the day you did. Purchase the appropriate house as well as it will certainly last for a few decades, otherwise longer provided the proper therapy. Ultimately your fowl and your chicken maintaining encounter will be much the better for it.coops plans
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