Homesteading Chicken Coop Build, Chickens, Pond, Garden & Projects

That's awesome, they are some big chickens!!!!

 

I need to get a coop built and like soon! I was planning on building one and I thought I had my mind set on a location. Well things change and we're having a garage built and now Im thinking of rehabbing or shed into a coop. The shed is closer to the house, water source and electric but I wont be able to provide as big of a "constrained free range area." So the shed location has pros and cons It's in an area that is shaded much of the day.
So now I have some stupid questions; can chickens have too much shade, will not having a lot of direct sun on them affect egg production and has anyone used river sand or concrete sand in their runs?

 

I've seen many sheds converted to coops, they make a good coop. If space permits some simple fencing can allow them some free ranging.

I've had the same concern as you for shade. I built a pole barn with 3 bays, one of the bays is for the coop and run area which is always covered and shaded. In fact it gets so darn dusty in their coop and run area, very dry. They do get some sunlight at the end of the day on an angle for a little bit that shines into the run area but it's not very long hour or two tops. My girls don't seem to have a problem. I do let them free range from time to time when I am out back on the weekends, but in general my entire properly has a heavy canopy of trees not much sunlight at all spring through fall (not great for my wood stacks either).

You can always add some supplements to their food or water to try and compensate if you think it's affecting them.

 

I seen this chicken coop on the internet the other day, its short and to the point!

 

For you chicken pros out there can anyone confirm if this maran is a rooster? My wife is certain of it and I'm still in slight denial! What do you guys think? "They" are about 5 or 6 weeks old.

 

He could be identifying as a hen?

 

Yeah and he's by far the biggest bird out of the 6. Always has been. I wanna keep him despite our town's lame "no rooster" rules

 

Took a page from woody5506 and got one of the pens he has. The girls think they're in a mansion.

 

Not bad for $40ish right? Heck the tote we got for them the first go around when they were tiny chicks was more than that. Mine are still in the pen and i really can't wait to get them OUT. Gotta finish up their fence for the run though, which will definitely be this weekend. I may just get them in their coop anyway and leave them in there for a couple days to get used to it, even without access to the run for now.

 

Yeah it's great for the $$ IMO. Has bought me lots of time to have my coop done. Rehabbing my crappy shed that wasn't built proper but is strangely very strong, is giving me some fits. I was thinking of redoing the rafters, but after I was literally hanging and swinging from them, Im rethinking the project.

 

Looks great and well built.

 

That's awesome, def going to check that out next time I get chicks.

Happened to me, about 2yrs ago. Picked up two chicks out in Amish country PA, one was always bigger suspected it was a rooster. One morning while on the throne at about 6AM I heard something, thought it was one of the kids but it was pretty consistent.

I cracked the window and dang it, it was the rooster crowing. Dropped him off at the farm later that day, he was absolutely beautiful, gentle fella but I didn't want the neighbors complaining about it. Although they let their dogs out at 5:30AM and they bark for minutes on end non-stop, I need to get out to the country, suburbia is not for me.