Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Call Me Crazy But I Want Some Chickens!!

Yes, Chickens!!!!!!!
I've been wanting to get 2 or 3 or 4 laying hens for about two years now. I don't think anyone takes me seriously and when I would off hand mention I needed some help building a little coop, they just smiled and said OK.
But so far, no coop builders!
(I refuse to buy a ready made coop as they want WAY too much for something you can make fairly cheap!)
I've done all kinds of research about chickens and their needs, and on chicken coops.
Everyone that has chicken LOVES it!!!

It's not like I want one like this!!!!!

Or this! (But isn't this cute!)


I plan on putting a little coop inside this unused dog pen which I can then make secure from raccoons, fox, skunks, hawks and of course Rocky (my bird dog!) and my 2 cats.

As far as size goes, I was thinking of something simple like just the red part of this house.


Then I could do some sort of fencing around this rough area in the yard where they could go out in the daytime and scratch around. I live in the country but am surrounded by a golf course so I can't exactly let them be free range. I think there would be objections and probably some dead chickens if they wandered up on the 2nd tee!!

Anybody out there keep chickens????
Please let me know what you think!

Shirley


PS,
Just an added note about these OFF Clip-On insect repellents. I've used them for a couple years and no longer ever use insect spray. They work great. The refills last pretty long too.

16 comments:

  1. everybody seems to be doing it! Some of the coops are adorable and everyone is building their own. Good luck!

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  2. I am no help at all -- would love to have chickens but with a spaniel -- well,he'd go nuts.

    My mother had chickens and so did my brother -- they loved them.

    Coops can be very simple. I've seen instructions for making a chicken house from a Rubbermaid covered container.

    Cass

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  3. Shirley, go for it, chickens are very entertaining and you already have a great secure area(apart from a coop) for them. I love collecting my fresh eggs.

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  4. I've often thought it would be lovely to collect my own farm fresh eggs from a back yard coop - - - but I don't want to do all that WORK! Hehehehe

    I do not keep chickens, but I follow several chicken keeper blogs - - -

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  5. We don't have our own chickens, but our neighbor has four of them and I have fallen in love with each of them. What delightful companions. I enjoy hearing them outside each morning. Their companionship is quite special and the eggs just a bit of lagniappe!!

    Hugs,
    Susan and Bentley

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  6. I would love chickens! Sadly, I dont own any, but Im crazy for anything bird, so i share your want of them! :) Hope you find a house that is just right for you! Good luck, and thanks for the OFF tip!

    Hugs,

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  7. I understand you wanting chickens - sadly I don't have the option with such tiny gardens. Hope your dreams become a reality soon though! :o)
    Best wishes
    Rose H

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  8. I've been wanting some too Shirley. Been thinking about it since I saw them on a blog last fall. I keep putting it off because I have a resident raccoon and possum, 2 cats and a daschund that would all kill them. I wanted to let them free range in my large back yard, but I could pen them up in an unused area and they could keep the weeds down for me that always accumulate there. I say "go for it"!!! You already have horses to go out in the winter to care for. I think that is one of the things holding me back ~ do I want to make a trip to the back yard in the middle of winter and deep snow to care for them. But I have a greenhouse that desparately needs repairs and a new roof and I was thinking of just altering it and using it for the coop. If you haven't seen it, Country Living magazine has an article on chickens this month and there are lots of homesteading blogs that have them. Some of them are on my sidebar ~ which is where I first saw them. I just became a "red worm" keeper a few weeks ago, so I'm trying to take it slow and not take on too much. Please keep us posted as to what your decision is, but my opinion is you should do it.
    Here are a couple sites I found in blogland: http://www.bohofarmandhome.com/
    http://homesteadrevival.blogspot.com/
    http://frenchhenfarm.blogspot.com/
    French Hen Farm is in Marysville, OH, just north of Columbus. I live in Columbus and know of several other people here in the city that have them.
    Cindy
    Cindy

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  9. Iv'e been doing it now for quite a few years. I am up to 20 hens and 1 rooster. I love it. And the eggs. Once you eat a fresh egg, you will never go back to store bought!!! Go ahead, make the jump! They are very relaxing to watch, kinda like an aquarium. 8>)

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  10. So neat for you! I just saw a gorgeous chicken coop somewhere but cannot remember where. There really are some pretty coops out there, who would have ever thought. I have a blog friend who recently bought some and built a coop too. Her blog is www.allthatglitters.blogspot.com. You may want to check her out! Good luck with your chickens!

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  11. Those are some CA-UTE coops!

    We were just wondering about those clip-on's this past weekend. Now if I could just get the horses to wear them ;)

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  12. Call me even crazier!!!...I've been wanting a chicken coop and chickens for years, maybe someday soon our wish will come true.
    I really like the idea you have about the un-used dawg pen.I love these coops but would be happy to have a simple one too.
    ~JO
    LazyonLoblolly

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  13. Shirley, I want to raise chickens, too. I recently made a trip to a friend's place to learn about chickens. I wrote about it on my blog. Please stop by and about it at Gail-Friends: Chicken Blessings

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  14. I want chickens too, but we are inside the city limits and they have banned them along with all farm animals.
    Chicken wire around the enclosure and roaming yad- to keep out varmits. Top too- racoons can climb. Clip one wing so they can't fly up and out.
    Look for pet taxis at garage sales- they are perfect to mount. You can cut one in half and attach to the wall. One perch strung across and you should be good to go.
    I like Rhoad Island reds- xl eggs and double layers sometimes. Do not get any roosters.
    They are big trouble and Rocky couldn't handle it.

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  15. WOW! I think you should hire a handyman to build you a little something! And thanks for the heads up on the Clip-On...I meant to pick one up today and forgot!...:)JP

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  16. You need to get a few hens! Hubby has designed a wonderful hen house that is pictured on my blog from time to time. It holds up to 12 hens, and mine are kept in a chain link dog run like what you have pictured. I'm downsizing my flock and by fall will have a total of 7 hens. If you only want 2 or 3 hens, you could keep them in your dog run, but purchase a plastic dog house, place it up on cement blocks, and put a small ramp in place for the birds. The plastic dog house that would best suit your needs would be one where the top and bottom snap together. That way it is easy clean, easy to fill with new pine shavings, and unsnap only one side to remove the eggs each day. The hens will only go inside at dusk, or to lay their eggs. Use a short ladder with rounded rungs for a roost during the day, and your ladies will be just fine, provided they have fresh water and food daily! Good luck!

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