Chicken Coops for Sale in Clyde Park, Montana
Chicken Coops for Sale in Clyde Park, Montana
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 Kits For Sale in Clyde Park, Montana
A good place to start any search is the internet. Simply plugging in the phrase "chicken coops for sale in Clyde Park Montana" 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 Clyde Park Montana chicken coops. What to look for when buying a chicken coop in Clyde Park, Montana With the big increase in poultry keeping there has been an equally large increase in the range of chicken paraphernalia on sale. Poultry housing is an instance in point. It's also a classic instance of the great old bandwagon being jumped on as various potential poultry real estate professionals market a range of cottage claiming to be the suitable solution to your chicken housing demands. Usually the rate looks desirable, your diy-chicken-coop-planshome looks attractive, hell also the clean-cut family standing there feeding the chickens look desirable. Surely they understand a professional chicken house when they see one? There are several cheap and awful coops swamping the marketplace. I understand this as I've checked a number of them in the field, and seen a ewe run directly with one when the feed bucket appeared. The outcome was nothing but an expensive stack of firewood and also a small group of bemused and currently homeless bantams.
Chicken Coop Necessities in Clyde Park, Montana
More often than not these mass produced models are created of quick grown up lumber - come the very first decrease of rain they swell, leaving you either blockading a doorway that won't close, or ripping the door furnishings off in a vain attempt to launch the squawking inhabitants. The initial warm and comfortable day suggests the timber dries out as well as splits, the really felt roofing system bubbles as well as boils, and come nightfall the hens refuse to go in. This is not due to their frustration at the decrease of their once eye-catching apartment however because the hovel is now a place for, and possibly crawling with, the poultry keeper's bane, red mite. Add on the fact that it said on the blurb that it would match 4 huge chickens when that equipping thickness was based on the Circle Line at 5pm on a Friday, and also just what are you entrusted? A couple of hinges as well as some kindling. A suitable coop for thee to four birds should cost you around ₤ 300 though this can depend upon whether you elect for a free standing house or one with a run attached. Presuming you are varying your birds in a big space and also the pop hole door allows enough for the breed you maintain, then the major demands of real estate come down to 3 points which will define the number of birds your home will certainly hold; perches, nest boxes and also ventilation. A lot of breeds of chicken will certainly perch when they go to roost in the evening, this perch should ideally be 5-8cm wide with smoothed off edges so the foot rests conveniently on it. The perch ought to be above the nest box entry as chickens will certainly likewise normally try to find 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 produce one of the most poo) resulting in soiled eggs the following day. They should not nevertheless be so high off the flooring of your home that leg injuries can occur when the bird gets down in the morning. Chickens need about 20cm of perch each (in little breeds this is undoubtedly less), plus if more than one perch is mounted in your house they need to be greater than 30cm apart. They will certainly hunker up with their neighbors however are not that crazy about roosting with a beak in the bloomers of the bird in front. Ideally your house should have a least one nest box for every single 3 birds as well as these need to be off the ground as well as in the darkest location of your home. Your house must have ample air flow: without it then condensation will develop every evening, even in the coldest of weather condition. Know, air flow deals with the concept of warm and comfortable air leaving through a high gap attracting cooler air in from a lower void - it's not a set of holes on contrary walls of your home and also at the exact same degree, this is exactly what's called a draught. If you have a house with a run connected then the factors above are still true, but you must likewise take into consideration the run dimension. The EU optimum legal stocking thickness for a free variety bird is (as well as allow's face it, one of the inspirations for keeping some chickens in your home is possibly enhanced or better well-being) 2,500 birds each hectare, that's optimal one bird each 4m squared. Take a close check out several of the deal residences - it could well be your house has the appropriate perches, appropriate air flow as well as enough nest boxes for a reasonable variety of birds, yet will each of the chickens have anything more than an A4 sized item of ground to spend the day on? Therefore as the stating goes, "you obtain just what you spend for". You may believe you've grabbed a deal, yet you and your group could rue the day you did. Purchase the ideal house and it will last for a few decades, if not longer given the correct treatment. In the long run your poultry as well as your chicken keeping experience will certainly be much the much better for it.chickens for sale
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