Storytime and Chicken Math
It all started with a conversation with my brother about backyard birds when we were out celebrating our parents’ anniversary this March. I mentioned that I would like to have chickens but felt like it would be a burden when we went on vacation. That planted a seed that quickly became a full blown plan by the next week. I knew I wanted Barred Plymouth Rock (striped black and white), Rhode Island Red (TSC didn’t have those but they had a hybrid called Isa Browns) and Americanas (because they lay blue eggs). The following week, I found myself at Tractor Supply checkout buying four new chicks. The next day, that escalated to five more. By Easter, we had a coop built and the chicks were able to stay out there full time which was good because they were overstaying their welcome a bit. By the beginning of May, the run was constructed. Yes, it took a bit of time but we did it. No DIY project is done in a weekend over here.
We have been enjoying having them here in our backyard and now that they are starting to lay eggs for us, I thought I’d share the coop and run project with you….
The Plan
When I was researching runs, I was learning quickly that the Tractor Supply/coop kits weren’t going to last very long. I flirted with the thought of a chicken tractor but I knew there would be some nights/days I would have to move it on my own and I was thinking it might be more weight than even I can move. I also liked the idea of having the coop look somewhat like an outbuilding and one that I could decorate for July 4th (bunting), Fall (pumpkins and wreath) and Christmas (wreath and lights).
My husband told me to find a plan, even if we had to buy it (it would save him a lot of headaches) and we would go from there. I couldn’t have decided to raise chickens at the most perfect time 😣 when wood prices have skyrocketed. We purchased a lot of our T-111 and other wood pieces from a local discount building supply. That helped tremendously, so if you have that option go for it! This is the plan I finally landed on. They are a great company to work with. I realized that I wanted to give our nine chickens enough wiggle room and messaged them saying that I made a mistake and should have gone with the bigger plans and they sent them to me- no questions asked! We are so happy with it. It definitely made the process go faster.
As far as placement of your coop, you want to take a look at the shaded areas in your yard. You don’t want the chickens to be out in full sun. You want to give them shade, especially in the heat of the summer. Our coop and run doors face South. It gets the afternoon sun but the back is shaded and most of the run is shaded. The coop is also built up so the chicks like to hang out underneath. Additionally, some towns/cities have regulations/ordinances for what you are allowed to have on your property. Check your laws first before you even buy chickens. You can either go into your township office and ask, or search your township’s website. We are allowed 12 chickens and our coops have to be 10ft from the property line. Some townships ask you to get a building permit. Ours did not for a coop. Again, do your due diligence to check. It beats having to pay a hefty fine on top of what you already paid in materials for your set up.
Introducing the Chicks to the Coop
We bought our chickens mid-March and they were out a little after Easter. When you place your chickens in their coop full time depends on your climate/season temperatures/time of the year you purchase your chicks. It’s typically ok to put them out when they are 4- 5 weeks and about fully feathered. When it is 70-75 º. They can go out for some play time in the sun when it is in the 70s during the day.
The Amenities
We chose to line our coop with linoleum/vinyl flooring to make cleaning out the coop easier and to protect the flooring. We use wood chips to line the coop and give some cushion and collect the droppings from the chicks. We hung the waterer inside at first but quickly realized this is not a good idea as it made the floor wet which isn’t a good thing inside the coop. We moved it outside and attached a hook for the waterer to hang from a carabiner. We also made sure we had some sort of entertainment for them as far as things to climb and perch on.
Update: now that it is our first winter with our chickens we are seriously looking into purchasing a heated waterer with thermostat. That way it only comes on when it reaches 32 degrees. The chicken coop is a lot farther from the house than the quail coop was. I had no problem bringing the quail waterer into the house to thaw but not into trekking out in deep snow to the chicken run, fighting back the chickens from escaping just to bring the waterer in to thaw.
Another thing I would recommend is investing in a heated jacket for farm chores. It definitely makes the cold/chill bearable. I wear it even in the late Fall with a t-shirt underneath. Mine is a Milwaukee brand, see here.
The boys are enjoying letting them roam the yard and treat them like their pets, after all that’s what they are. I enjoy going out and collecting the eggs daily and seeing how many were laid. Since we have acquired and gotten used to having chickens we decided to give our quail away to a family in the community. That has made a lot of difference/cut down in flock chores and surely will help this winter. I enjoy spoiling them and taking trips to Tractor Supply to get treats and other chicken things.
Hope this helped you as you plan for your coop and chickens! Enjoy!
