Chicken Coops for Sale in Lightfoot, Virginia
Chicken Coops for Sale in Lightfoot, Virginia
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 Blueprints in Lightfoot, Virginia
A good place to start any search is the internet. Simply plugging in the phrase "chicken coops for sale in Lightfoot Virginia" 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 Lightfoot Virginia chicken coops. What to look for when buying a chicken coop in Lightfoot, Virginia With the huge boost in poultry keeping there has been a just as huge rise in the array of poultry materiel on sale. Poultry real estate is an instance in point. It's likewise a timeless instance of the great old bandwagon being got on as different would-be fowl real estate professionals peddle a variety of accommodation declaring to be the excellent solution to your chicken housing requirements. Commonly the rate looks attractive, your diy-chicken-coop-planshome looks desirable, heck even the clean-cut family standing there feeding the chickens look eye-catching. Undoubtedly they know a professional chicken house when they see one? There are many economical and awful coops swamping the marketplace. I recognize this as I've examined a variety of them in the field, and seen a ewe run straight through one when the feed container appeared. The result was only a costly stack of firewood and also a small flock of bemused and also now homeless bantams.
Chicken Coop Pinterest in Lightfoot, Virginia
Generally these mass produced models are created of rapid grown lumber - come the initial decline of rain they swell, leaving you either barricading a doorway that will not shut, or tearing the doorway furnishings off in a vain effort to release the squawking occupants. The first cozy day means the timber dries out and splits, the really felt roof bubbles and also boils, and also come nightfall the chickens refuse to enter. This is not due to their disappointment at the decline of their when desirable residential property yet since the hovel is now a place for, and also most likely crawling with, the fowl caretaker's bane, red mite. Add the fact that it said on the blurb that it would certainly suit 4 big hens when that stocking thickness was based on the Circle Line at 5pm on a Friday, and also what are you entrusted? A few hinges and also some kindling. A suitable coop for thee to four birds need to cost you in the region of ₤ 300 though this could depend upon whether you choose for a totally free standing house or one with a run connected. Assuming you are varying your birds in a big room and the pop hole door allows enough for the type you keep, after that the major needs of real estate come down to 3 factors which will certainly specify the number of birds your home will hold; perches, nest boxes as well as ventilation. A lot of breeds of chicken will perch when they visit roost at night, this perch needs to preferably be 5-8cm vast with smoothed off edges so the foot rests easily on it. The perch must be higher than the nest box entrance as chickens will also naturally seek the acme to perch. A perch lower than that will have the birds roosting in the nest box overnight (which is by the way when they produce one of the most poo) causing stained eggs the list below day. They should not nevertheless be so high off the floor of the house that leg injuries can occur when the bird comes down in the morning. Chickens need concerning 20cm of perch each (in small breeds this is clearly much less), plus if greater than one perch is installed in your house they should be more 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 the very least one nest box for each three birds and also these ought to be off the ground as well as in the darkest area of your house. Your home must have sufficient ventilation: without it after that condensation will build up every night, also in the coldest of climate. Know, ventilation works with the principle of cozy air leaving via a high gap drawing cooler air in from a reduced gap - it's not a set of holes on contrary walls 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 factors above are still true, however you should also think about the run size. The EU maximum legal equipping thickness for a complimentary variety bird is (and also allow's encounter it, among the inspirations for maintaining some hens in the house is possibly boosted or much better welfare) 2,500 birds per hectare, that's maximum one bird each 4m made even. Take a close take a look at a few of the bargain homes - it could well be the house has the right perches, correct air flow and enough nest boxes for a sensible variety of birds, however will each of the chickens have anything more than an A4 sized item of ground to invest the day on? Therefore as the saying goes, "you obtain exactly what you pay for". You could believe you've got a bargain, however you and also your flock could rue the day you did. Purchase the ideal house and it will certainly last for a couple of years, if not longer offered the correct treatment. In the long run your fowl and your poultry keeping experience will be considerably the much better for it.chickens plan
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