I have decided that I need a new chicken coop. Buy a chicken coop and I could save a lot of time, but how much money will I have to invest? On the other hand, if I build a chicken coop, will I end up spending a great deal of time getting the chicken coop that I want?
These are questions that I am sure every backyard chicken farmer has faced at one point or another. So, I decided to share with you the benefits for each I found as I was determine which move was the best.
The Benefits of Buying a Chicken Coop
• If you buy a chicken coop, you will be able to get your backyard chicken farm up and running quickly.
• If you lack the time or the ability to build a chicken coop, several designs are available for purchase with all the work done for you.
The Benefits of Building a Chicken Coop
• If you build your own chicken coop, you will get the exact structure that you want to your own specifications.
• You can save money by building your own coop using surplus, recycled and scrap materials.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Tips for Choosing Plans for Chicken Coop
At the top of my to-do list today: “Plans for chicken coop”. I am searching for chicken coop plans online, hoping to find the best way to build my chicken coop. If you too are looking for plans for a chicken coop, you need to know a few basics in order to find the right plans for your backyard chicken farm.
Ease of Maintenance
One of the most important things to look for when searching for chicken coop plans is a structure that is easy to maintain. Make sure that the coop floor slopes at a downward angle toward the main door. As you wash out your chicken coop, the water automatically drains out as opposed to pooling in the middle.
Adequate Space
When it comes to the size of your chicken coop, it is important not to skimp. Without adequate space, chickens are prone to cannibalism and abnormal pecking. Allow four square feet for every chicken you plan to house in your coop.
These are just a couple of things to keep in mind when searching for plans for a chicken coop. You should also consider predators, drainage, sunlight and a number of other details to build the ideal home for you backyard chickens.
Ease of Maintenance
One of the most important things to look for when searching for chicken coop plans is a structure that is easy to maintain. Make sure that the coop floor slopes at a downward angle toward the main door. As you wash out your chicken coop, the water automatically drains out as opposed to pooling in the middle.
Adequate Space
When it comes to the size of your chicken coop, it is important not to skimp. Without adequate space, chickens are prone to cannibalism and abnormal pecking. Allow four square feet for every chicken you plan to house in your coop.
These are just a couple of things to keep in mind when searching for plans for a chicken coop. You should also consider predators, drainage, sunlight and a number of other details to build the ideal home for you backyard chickens.
Monday, March 21, 2011
And So It Begins....New Chicks!
It's getting to be that time of year again...a very busy time of year, before long. But the weather will be nice (not so today, celebrating the first day of spring with 3 inches of snow as we are :)....but it's New England, and that's the life!).
So what time of year is it?
Chick Time!
I have a pretty good-sized laying flock of chickens out back as it is, but they are starting to show their age. Some of them I'm pretty much just feeding because they're there, and I know there have to be several who were not laying (I know this because I have some breeds like Ameraucanas that lay colored eggs, and I have none :( ...too bad, they make great Easter eggs!). Of course, some of them have just not started back up yet - it's been a long, cold, winter here. But still, I know that a number of them are in decline so I had planned to start a fresh batch of laying hens this year to come up as replacements come next Fall.
I pretty much order chicks, online or off, every year. It used to be that I always ordered my chicks from the local Farm store. Last year was my first year to order chicks online. That worked out pretty good for me because we raised about 40 meat chicks last year for the freezer, and it was somewhat simpler as far as handling goes, and by ordering chicks online I was able to save money. Ordering chicks online has its own pros and cons, but that's a discussion for another day.
Yesterday we found ourselves at Tractor Supply Company, which is in full-swing with new chick orders every week, and so we came home with 16 new chicks. More than I had planned, but that's always the way of it, isn't it? We came back with 3 black sex-links, 3 Brahmas, 6 red sex-link pullets, and 4 little Bantam chicks, my daughter's investment.
And so, it begins. This was my first experience buying chicks from Tractor Supply Company. Actually, it's only about my third trip to that store, as they've just recently reached this area (but seem to be taking off like wildfire!). It was nice being able to choose from among the chicks that they had there, because we were able to pick the strongest looking birds (and so far, so good - haven't lost any, but always keep the fingers crossed!). On the other hand we were limited yesterday to what was available in-store, but they do also accept custom orders on over 40 breeds. That might be something to look into for the next step, but for now, we'll get this set up and running before we start it all over again with our meat bird runs!
And now, off to the next step...more research on chicken housing and plans to build a small chicken coop....all these different birds mean good housing setups for each one!
Happy chicking!
So what time of year is it?
Chick Time!
I have a pretty good-sized laying flock of chickens out back as it is, but they are starting to show their age. Some of them I'm pretty much just feeding because they're there, and I know there have to be several who were not laying (I know this because I have some breeds like Ameraucanas that lay colored eggs, and I have none :( ...too bad, they make great Easter eggs!). Of course, some of them have just not started back up yet - it's been a long, cold, winter here. But still, I know that a number of them are in decline so I had planned to start a fresh batch of laying hens this year to come up as replacements come next Fall.
I pretty much order chicks, online or off, every year. It used to be that I always ordered my chicks from the local Farm store. Last year was my first year to order chicks online. That worked out pretty good for me because we raised about 40 meat chicks last year for the freezer, and it was somewhat simpler as far as handling goes, and by ordering chicks online I was able to save money. Ordering chicks online has its own pros and cons, but that's a discussion for another day.
Yesterday we found ourselves at Tractor Supply Company, which is in full-swing with new chick orders every week, and so we came home with 16 new chicks. More than I had planned, but that's always the way of it, isn't it? We came back with 3 black sex-links, 3 Brahmas, 6 red sex-link pullets, and 4 little Bantam chicks, my daughter's investment.
And so, it begins. This was my first experience buying chicks from Tractor Supply Company. Actually, it's only about my third trip to that store, as they've just recently reached this area (but seem to be taking off like wildfire!). It was nice being able to choose from among the chicks that they had there, because we were able to pick the strongest looking birds (and so far, so good - haven't lost any, but always keep the fingers crossed!). On the other hand we were limited yesterday to what was available in-store, but they do also accept custom orders on over 40 breeds. That might be something to look into for the next step, but for now, we'll get this set up and running before we start it all over again with our meat bird runs!
And now, off to the next step...more research on chicken housing and plans to build a small chicken coop....all these different birds mean good housing setups for each one!
Happy chicking!
Friday, March 18, 2011
Great Sites for Plans for Chicken Coop & More!
Chickens actually are a big part of what we do around here. We keep hens for eggs and we also raise a big number of meat birds, which we'll probably be increasing and expanding this year. But our set-up isn't quite right just yet, so I'm still looking into some different options as far as plans for chicken coop goes.
Looking around for plans and ideas to build a small chicken coop, I've come up so far with a couple of good sources you might want to check out! Yeah the pages are a little sales-y but I can say that the products behind them are really quite good, and there is excellent additional information on some of these pages to boot. Bonus! Check out these two leading resources for
Small Chicken Coop Plans:
Looking around for plans and ideas to build a small chicken coop, I've come up so far with a couple of good sources you might want to check out! Yeah the pages are a little sales-y but I can say that the products behind them are really quite good, and there is excellent additional information on some of these pages to boot. Bonus! Check out these two leading resources for
Small Chicken Coop Plans:
- Build Small Chicken Coop....some great plans and designs
- Build a Simple Chicken Coop .....great plan and design ideas, but also some extra goodies of information worth checking out!
Thursday, March 17, 2011
My Kind Of Life....
My kind of life...what is it?
It's evolving is what it is. It's a work in progress towards something simpler and less stressful, but not necessarily less "work". In fact, it's probably a lot more work than a lot of people's lives, at least in some ways, but it's the life I and mine want, and are working to build...bit by bit, step by step.
Is it the kind of life you'd want? Maybe, maybe not. More than likely you'll find some things about it you'd like to incorporate and others you'd really not. But to give you an overview and an idea, here's a bit of what you can expect.
The Simple Life
Well, if that's not a loaded statement....
I consider the life that we are striving for to be more simple, but many would certainly think otherwise. The life we've been building, (and I can say I think we're a good step of the way there), is a country life striving to be able to enjoy the simpler things that we enjoy. Like what?
Like....
That's it in a very vague nutshell, and there's certainly more to it. But then, that's what this blog is for...to work it out, to share, and to discuss as we go. I hope you'll come along!
It's evolving is what it is. It's a work in progress towards something simpler and less stressful, but not necessarily less "work". In fact, it's probably a lot more work than a lot of people's lives, at least in some ways, but it's the life I and mine want, and are working to build...bit by bit, step by step.
Is it the kind of life you'd want? Maybe, maybe not. More than likely you'll find some things about it you'd like to incorporate and others you'd really not. But to give you an overview and an idea, here's a bit of what you can expect.
The Simple Life
Well, if that's not a loaded statement....
I consider the life that we are striving for to be more simple, but many would certainly think otherwise. The life we've been building, (and I can say I think we're a good step of the way there), is a country life striving to be able to enjoy the simpler things that we enjoy. Like what?
Like....
- Home cooked meals and saving money.
- Like producing more of our own, on our own, or with friends and neighbors.
- Like being self-sufficient, or as close to it as we can.
- Like living according to our belief systems.
- Like trusting the food we eat because we grew it ourselves, and know exactly where every carrot stick and chicken leg came from, to the best extent possible.
- Like finding better ways of working at home to open up time and freedom to do more of what we want to do. Not necessarily work less, I repeat, but to do what WE choose - not what is chosen by others for us.
That's it in a very vague nutshell, and there's certainly more to it. But then, that's what this blog is for...to work it out, to share, and to discuss as we go. I hope you'll come along!
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