[Texpat]

I'm interested in getting a few egg-laying chickens and keeping them in a raised, covered coop.

I'm not much of a farmer but I have a large yard and want to try this.

I'm thinking about three or four chickens in a coop out back by the shed. I've read that three hens will yield two eggs a day.

Wood rots, metal rusts -- so it's brick or concrete for the legs and base? Maybe 1.5m x 3m?

Aside from some roofing panels and chicken wire and some wood and hinges, is there anything else I require? Is electric required in the coop?

I'm thinking of raising it off the ground about 1.5m so I can store chicken food and straw under the coop. Is the crap any good as fertilizer?

I'm not afraid to spend a little money and will not throw together a eyesore. I want to do this as a hobby and to get eggs.

Any ideas advice welcome.


This is what I have in mind, roughly: http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewbl...12820-mini-coop

[waisingranker]

Great idea Texpat,

I will start the same next month. I have lots of wood that has been soaked in seawater for over 10 years so will use that. Hope the termites dont eat it.

How about feeding the chickens? Am I right in thinking they will scavenge enough food during the day when they can walk around the garden?

My grandmother used to keep half a dozen chickens. The eggs were a world apart from the ones I buy at local shops. These local eggs have very thin shells and the yellow is not such a deep color.

[ozzydom]

When designing your coop, bear in mind that chickens are rat and snake magnets and that chook poo is ultra corrosive .
A concrete floor with concrete block walls to about 5 feet and fine wire mesh on top for air circulation and a vermin proof door is best.
Perches of 2" x 1" timber and nest boxes fixed to the inside wall about a foot off floor level gives a clear floor space to aid cleaning out ,they really appreciate a bit of rice hay or rice hulls on the floor and this in turn makes great litter around your shrubs.
If your yard /garden is fenced I would think about letting them free range rather than penning them in a wire run ,half a dozen chooks will do more good than harm eating up insects and such.

[jaideeguy]

I just aquired 20 Rhode Island Red crosses and built their coop out of cheap local materials. Used eucalyptis for posts and you can buy ready made bamboo fence sections [about 1.5mX3m] that are easily movable to change their location and ranging areas.
Also used grass roof that was ok during the hot/dry season, but leaked when the rains came, so i threw a plastic tarp over.
Coop has a cement floor and I change the litter, which is rice hulls [klab] once a week. Rice straw for nesting boxes.
You might think 2X before letting them free range. I did until the neighbor's dog got one....now down to 19 birds, then I fenced them. Also were extremely distructive with landscaping and garden.
Never heard of birds producing 200% eggs. I get an avrage of 1 egg per day and feed them the best layer mash @ 100g/bird/day along with cut grasses and all kitchen scraps go into the chicken yard. Their favorite is ripe papaya. I also give them vitamins in their drinking water......never let it go dry.

Another alternative is the 'chicken tractor' that I am working out a plan for now to clear some weeds for planting. great concept.....a portable chicken cage that can be moved on wheels or by hand where ever you want the land cleared and fertilized. check out this link for 100's of ideas for chicken tractors......... http://home.centuryt...n/tractors.html

You never said what breed of chickens you are getting>>??

anyway, best of luck and keep us posted.

If interested, I could foto my coop and chicken yard and post it. total cost was under 1,500thb and took a half a day's work and it looks like a grass shack chicken coop........I'm happy and so are my chickens.

[ozzydom]

[quote]/ Never heard of birds producing 200% eggs. I get an avrage of 1 egg per day and feed them the best layer mash @ 100g/bird/day along with cut grasses and all kitchen scraps go into the chicken yard. Their favorite is ripe papaya. I also give them vitamins in their drinking water......never let it go dry.

I think you misread Texpats post , He states that he read that 2 eggs from each 3 layers is achievable which is about 66% laying rate .
That rate is quite good for the tropics as chooks are very easily put off the lay, it only takes a thunderstorm, a fright by a snake or dogs , or even running out of water for a day to put them off.

[jaideeguy]

I stand corrected......but should advise OP to plan to get a few extra hens just in case a dog/snake/or illness takes one or more.
Got mine [5mo old] in Nov and they have been averaging 95-100% eggs per day and read that they will lay full production until first moult at 18 mo. Maybe considering the molting time, it could average out to 66% production.

[ozzydom]

waisingranker, on 2009-06-16 05:49:20, said:

Great idea Texpat,

I will start the same next month. I have lots of wood that has been soaked in seawater for over 10 years so will use that. Hope the termites dont eat it.

How about feeding the chickens? Am I right in thinking they will scavenge enough food during the day when they can walk around the garden?

My grandmother used to keep half a dozen chickens. The eggs were a world apart from the ones I buy at local shops. These local eggs have very thin shells and the yellow is not such a deep color.

Curious to know where you had timber stored in seawater for 10 years , untreated timber in seawater is like a BBQ for Toredo,s and barnacles.

[waisingranker]

ozzydom, on 2009-06-18 11:47:20, said:

waisingranker, on 2009-06-16 05:49:20, said:

Great idea Texpat,

I will start the same next month. I have lots of wood that has been soaked in seawater for over 10 years so will use that. Hope the termites dont eat it.

How about feeding the chickens? Am I right in thinking they will scavenge enough food during the day when they can walk around the garden?

My grandmother used to keep half a dozen chickens. The eggs were a world apart from the ones I buy at local shops. These local eggs have very thin shells and the yellow is not such a deep color.

Curious to know where you had timber stored in seawater for 10 years , untreated timber in seawater is like a BBQ for Toredo,s and barnacles.

Hi Ozzydom,

The wood is mai takientong,and came off an old wooden boat. Part of the lower hull, ribs and some planking. It is untreated but has soaked up plenty of diesel and oil over the years - maybe not the best to use?

[ozzydom]

waisingranker, on 2009-06-19 06:04:08, said:

ozzydom, on 2009-06-18 11:47:20, said:

waisingranker, on 2009-06-16 05:49:20, said:

Great idea Texpat,

I will start the same next month. I have lots of wood that has been soaked in seawater for over 10 years so will use that. Hope the termites dont eat it.

How about feeding the chickens? Am I right in thinking they will scavenge enough food during the day when they can walk around the garden?

My grandmother used to keep half a dozen chickens. The eggs were a world apart from the ones I buy at local shops. These local eggs have very thin shells and the yellow is not such a deep color.

Curious to know where you had timber stored in seawater for 10 years , untreated timber in seawater is like a BBQ for Toredo,s and barnacles.

Hi Ozzydom,

The wood is mai takientong,and came off an old wooden boat. Part of the lower hull, ribs and some planking. It is untreated but has soaked up plenty of diesel and oil over the years - maybe not the best to use?

It should be ok mate, even if the planking had residues from anti-fouling it would not effect chickens , sump oil mixed with distillate is a great timber preservative .

[altman]

i was going to post a question but then read the links to the city chicken. that site is amazing! thanks. i'm off to build a chicken ark now.