Chicken Coops for Sale in Essex Fells, New Jersey
Chicken Coops for Sale in Essex Fells, New Jersey
A Recycled Chicken Coop – Part 2
Yesterday I about how we picked the old building to remodel into our chicken coop. We also started building the run but the ground froze before we could get all the posts set. Ah the joys of a Wisconsin winter! Since we couldn’t work on the run any more, we moved on to the building itself. I’m a list/classify kinda gal so I like to think of the work in phases.
Recycled Chicken Coop Phase 1: Destroy
Recycled Chicken Coop Phase 2: Rebuild
Recycled Chicken Coop Phase 3: Details
So we jumped right in with Phase 1. We slipped on some face masks and gloves, grabbed the snow shovel and started cleaning up the raccoon poop and broken pots. We also removed the two old broken windows. The third window was in good shape so we left it. (And by “we” I mainly mean Josh. I forget where I was, but I’m sure it was very important to miss such a fun time.) I arrived on the scene just in time to take a photo. (Hmm, maybe I was out buying a camera since this is now in the ANC time period: After New Camera.)
Once we got it all relatively nice and clean, we made a huge mess by ripping the cardboard wall coverings down. It was pretty yucky because the board had gotten wet and was a little soggy and gooey.
Next we pulled down all the old siding on two walls of the building. Most of it was rotten and in pretty rough shape. We even removed the door because of the raccoon pet door (AKA: huge hole) in the bottom.
Before
After
Everybody helped!
Both sides done
And with that, Phase 1: Destroy! was completed.
Now we move on to Phase 2: Rebuild. We scored two big storm windows off Craigslist for $10 each so Josh built frames for them. Here we are testing the first one to make sure it fits. Being newbies at this sort of thing, it’s always hit or miss. Sometimes we amaze ourselves and sometimes, well, it ain’t pretty. So we held our breath and fit it into place.
Success! Sometimes we can read a tape measure! (And in case you are wondering, yes it is on backwards. My dad pointed that out as soon as I showed him this photo. I’d like to say that we knew that but, um, we didn’t. We thought it wouldn’t matter but for drainage purposes you shouldn’t just turn them inside out. Live and learn, right?)
So we removed the test window and then covered the two bare sides with tar paper that is normally used for roofing. Now, I’m not sure if that is exactly what we should have used (again, newbies!) but I got it from someone on Freecycle for FREE so that’s what we went with. (I also got a few bundles of shingles with the paper. We need to re-shingle another building here on the homestead. Gotta love Freecycle! If you don’t know about it, check it out .)
After cutting out the windows and door areas from the black paper, we went shopping on the homestead again, this time for siding. Now, our lives would have been easier if we just went to a real store and bought something new. But in the interest of money-saving and world-saving, we wanted to use whatever we could from the farm. We had two buildings to work with. First was the old chicken coop and the second was an old building behind the barn. A previous owner had already removed the siding from one wall of building so we figured we could too.
The result of previous siding shopping trips
What we removed
I don’t know how we would have done it without our little nail puller. Even though it took us a long time, it was worth it. Not only did I save some money, but I am glad that these buildings were able to still be useful. Both the old chicken coop and the building in the photos were part of the original homestead over 100 years ago. They have the remains of plaster and molding in them. You can see where stairs and woodstoves once sat. It’s easy to imagine a child climbing the stairs to their bed in the loft or a woman cooking over the big stove in the center of the room. Since their glory days, they have been used as houses for chickens, hogs and lambs. That kind of rough life has taken it’s toll on the buildings.
The old farmhouse where the stairs once led up to the loft
It makes me sad that they have gotten so rundown so I’m glad that we can make them useful again, even if it is only in a very small way.
The next two weekends were spent taking down siding from the old buildings, cutting them for the new coop and putting them up.
Our workstation - professional looking isn't it?
We had to work around the snowstorms but we finally got it done! Once we permanently installed the windows, it looked like a REAL building! Imagine that. We were pretty proud of ourselves since we really had no clue what we were doing.
Our "new" siding and windows
That concludes Phase 2: Rebuild! (If only it were that simple and quick in real life.) And since you’re probably on photo overload, I’d better conclude this post for today. But I’ll be back tomorrow with Phase 3: Details. See you then!
Other posts that might be of interest:
Chicken Coop Construction in Essex Fells, New Jersey
A good place to start any search is the internet. Simply plugging in the phrase "chicken coops for sale in Essex Fells New Jersey" 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 Essex Fells New Jersey chicken coops. What to look for when buying a chicken coop in Essex Fells, New Jersey With the big rise in chicken keeping there has been a just as huge rise in the variety of fowl paraphernalia on sale. Poultry real estate is a case in factor. It's likewise a classic instance of the great old bandwagon being got on as numerous potential chicken housing professionals peddle a range of holiday accommodation asserting to be the optimal solution to your chicken housing demands. Commonly the price looks desirable, your diy-chicken-coop-planshome looks appealing, heck even the clean-cut family standing there feeding the chickens look attractive. Surely they recognize a top quality chicken house when they see one? There are many affordable as well as nasty cages swamping the market. I understand this as I've checked a number of them in the field, and seen a ewe run straight via one when the feed bucket showed up. The result was nothing but an expensive stack of firewood and a small group of bemused and currently homeless bantams.
Chicken Coop Enclosures in Essex Fells, New Jersey
More often than not these standardized models are created of quick grown timber - come the first decline of rain they swell, leaving you either fortifying a doorway that won't shut, or ripping the door furniture off in a vain effort to release the squawking residents. The initial cozy day suggests the lumber dries out and also splits, the really felt roof bubbles as well as boils, and also come nightfall the hens refuse to enter. This is not due to their frustration at the decline of their when desirable apartment yet due to the fact that the hovel is currently a place for, and also most likely abounding, the chicken keeper's nemesis, red mite. Add the fact that it stated on the blurb that it would certainly fit four large chickens when that stocking density was based on the Circle Line at 5pm on a Friday, and just what are you left with? A couple of hinges and some kindling. A decent coop for thee to 4 birds need to cost you approximately ₤ 300 though this can depend on whether you choose for a cost-free standing house or one with a run affixed. Thinking you are varying your birds in a huge space and also the pop opening doorway allows enough for the type you keep, after that the major needs of housing come down to three points which will define the number of birds your house will certainly hold; perches, nest boxes as well as 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 vast with smoothed off edges so the foot sits conveniently on it. The perch needs to be more than the nest box entrance as chickens will also naturally search for the highest point to perch. A perch below that will certainly have the birds roosting in the nest box overnight (which is incidentally when they generate one of the most poo) bring about soiled eggs the list below day. They shouldn't nonetheless be so high off the flooring of the house that leg injuries can happen when the bird gets down in the morning. Chickens require concerning 20cm of perch each (in tiny breeds this is clearly much less), plus if greater than one perch is installed in the house they ought to be more than 30cm apart. They will certainly hunker up with their neighbors but are not that crazy about roosting with a beak in the bloomers of the bird in front. Preferably your house ought to have a the very least one nest box for each three birds as well as these should be off the ground and also in the darkest area of your home. Your house should have ample ventilation: without it after that condensation will accumulate every night, also in the chilliest of weather. Be aware, ventilation works with the principle of warm air leaving with a high void drawing cooler air in from a lower space - it's not a collection of openings on contrary wall surfaces of your house as well as at the very same degree, this is what's referred to as a draft. If you have a house with a run connected then the points above are still true, yet you need to additionally think about the run dimension. The EU optimum legal equipping density for a free array bird is (as well as let's encounter it, one of the motivations for maintaining some chickens in the house is potentially boosted or far better well-being) 2,500 birds per hectare, that's optimal one bird per 4m settled. Take a close look at some of the deal residences - it could well be the house has the best perches, right air flow and also sufficient nest boxes for a practical number of birds, but will each of the chickens have anything greater than an A4 sized item of ground to invest the day on? Therefore as the saying goes, "you get exactly what you pay for". You may think you've got hold of a bargain, yet you as well as your group could rue the day you did. Purchase the appropriate house and it will certainly last for a couple of decades, otherwise longer offered the right treatment. Ultimately your fowl as well as your chicken maintaining experience will certainly be much the far better for it.plan chickens
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