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djmb74
01-19-2010, 05:10 PM
Built this on Sunday as a transition coop for young chicks before they are big enough to be introduced to the flock... gonna finish it tomorrow perhaps.

I used all reclaimed lumber from a house that was being built nearby. I knew the dumpster diving would pay off... haha

My youngest son things its his fort though...

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/bosskids/Chickens/IMG_0191.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/bosskids/Chickens/IMG_0192.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/bosskids/Chickens/IMG_0194.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/bosskids/Chickens/IMG_0196.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/bosskids/Chickens/IMG_0198.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/bosskids/Chickens/IMG_0201.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/bosskids/Chickens/IMG_0202.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/bosskids/Chickens/IMG_0203.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/bosskids/Chickens/IMG_0204.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/bosskids/Chickens/IMG_0223.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/bosskids/Chickens/IMG_0224.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/bosskids/Chickens/IMG_0227.jpg

Patty in Wisc
01-19-2010, 05:48 PM
Oh, how cute! Wish I had chickens.

momoese
01-19-2010, 05:58 PM
That's a mighty large rooster you have there! ;)

djmb74
01-19-2010, 05:59 PM
haha... No Roosters, only Hens.

That's a mighty large rooster you have there! ;)

LilRaverBoi
01-19-2010, 06:59 PM
Nice work! I see you've got a silkie in there....cool birds, but DEFINITELY not to eat. No meat and the bones are black...very odd. My friend used to show them a lot.

djmb74
01-19-2010, 07:16 PM
All our chickens are only for eggs and pets... not gonna eat the silkie... :-)

Nice work! I see you've got a silkie in there....cool birds, but DEFINITELY not to eat. No meat and the bones are black...very odd. My friend used to show them a lot.

lorax
01-19-2010, 07:34 PM
Lovely chooks!

You don't like Silkies for eating, Bryan? They taste so good.... Of course, you've really got to fat them up if you're planning to do that.

djmb74
01-19-2010, 08:03 PM
They don't get very big... now the Buff Orphington in the pictures will end up being the biggest chicken we have. They are considered a "Heavy" breed and get to be about 8lbs..

Lovely chooks!

You don't like Silkies for eating, Bryan? They taste so good.... Of course, you've really got to fat them up if you're planning to do that.

island cassie
01-19-2010, 08:09 PM
Lots of nice varieties there! Always loved chickens since my father used to keep them - but mostly Rhode Island Reds and a few bantams which flew away in spite of clipped wings! My canine monsters make it impractical now though!

momoese
01-19-2010, 08:25 PM
haha... No Roosters, only Hens.

That giant rooster, the one on the right :ha:

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c296/bosskids/Chickens/IMG_0227.jpg

Abnshrek
01-19-2010, 09:33 PM
Lots of nice varieties there! Always loved chickens since my father used to keep them - but mostly Rhode Island Reds and a few bantams which flew away in spite of clipped wings! My canine monsters make it impractical now though!

I keep mine with my pig (porkshop) & my fox terrier likes to play with them every once in a while.. now my kerr might tear them up.. & I'm not finding out.. :^)

Nice Chicken (transition) coop :^) Martin.. Lord knows big chickens beat up smaller ones..

Mitchell I think he's more like the "Lord of the Hen House" :^)

novisyatria
01-19-2010, 09:37 PM
great photo. i love chicken. in hometown i have about 200 chicken for egg and they meat. i also hatces them with machine. but in jakarta no land for chick and also banana

Patty in Wisc
01-19-2010, 10:11 PM
Is that "rooster" my favorite little drummer boy??!!:)

conejov
01-19-2010, 10:19 PM
That looks good!

CookieCows
01-19-2010, 11:49 PM
Your chickens and son are adorable! I love chickens. We have a chicken coop that needs to be reinforced for their safety. We kept free range chickens that we let out in the morning and would lock up at night. Suffice it to say that we have been without chickens for awhile until we get this done.

We've had some pretty wicked roosters! They ended up in the freezer but we mainly kept chickens for eggs and used to have a milk cow too. Don't want to go back to the hassle right now of milking again but I do miss having unlimited milk, making my own butter and icecream.

My next chickens I hope will be the black and white spotted Barred Rock to color coordinate with our black and white cows.

cherokee_greg
01-20-2010, 12:01 PM
Nice job

LilRaverBoi
01-20-2010, 02:40 PM
That's a mighty large rooster you have there! ;)

LMFAO...maybe it's just me, but I took the meaning of this statement in a MUCH MUCH different direction.

And no, Beth...no eating silkies for me, thanks. None of those bantam/fancy breeds are good eating birds. We raised Cornish Rocks for meat...those things get so MASSIVE after a certain point they basically live in the area between the food dish and the water....resting between cause they're too huge to stand up all the time LOL.

My favorites were always the polish breeds with the feathered crests on their head (silver polish, buff polish, golden polish, white-crested black polish, sultans, crevocours, etc). Those were the main kind I liked to grow to show at the county fair. Won best of show at our county poultry show two years in a row! Good times!

lorax
01-20-2010, 03:06 PM
My backyard neighbour keeps Polish hens for food purposes, along with a few Rhode Island Reds and gigantic nekkid-neck Churkeys (which weird me out for no well-specified reason - maybe it's the sound of the rooster, since he seems to be hacking up a lung every morning). Next door has fighting Japanese Bantams, roosters only.

When I last had space for fowl, I had Guineas instead of regular chooks, and I'll be going back to that as soon as I've got space again.

djmb74
01-20-2010, 03:17 PM
We have one plymouth barred rock...

Never gonna do any roosters they can just get to darn mean not to mention that my neighbors might not like that. But if we ever start raising a flock for eating will probably look into a rooster at that time.

Your chickens and son are adorable! I love chickens. We have a chicken coop that needs to be reinforced for their safety. We kept free range chickens that we let out in the morning and would lock up at night. Suffice it to say that we have been without chickens for awhile until we get this done.

We've had some pretty wicked roosters! They ended up in the freezer but we mainly kept chickens for eggs and used to have a milk cow too. Don't want to go back to the hassle right now of milking again but I do miss having unlimited milk, making my own butter and icecream.

My next chickens I hope will be the black and white spotted Barred Rock to color coordinate with our black and white cows.

LilRaverBoi
01-20-2010, 08:29 PM
When I last had space for fowl, I had Guineas instead of regular chooks, and I'll be going back to that as soon as I've got space again.

Oh I love guineas! We had 10-15 of those at a time usually, too. I especially like the coral blue and lavender varieties...very beautiful!
http://paraguinparadise.netfirms.com/guinea%20colors/2007_guineas_chickens_061.jpg

Patty in Wisc
04-02-2010, 01:35 PM
Martha Stewart had a show earlier today, all about chickens & how to raise them. She opened a box of baby chicks that were just delivered to her. I s'pose you can find the entire show on Marthastewart.com (or steward?) Some woman was on, who wrote a great article on raising chickens...how it's good for kids & good for the soul to raise them.
I thought of you Martin. You have the same feeders that they showed!
I want CHICKENS!!!

cherokee_greg
04-02-2010, 01:38 PM
Martha Stewart had a show earlier today, all about chickens & how to raise them. She opened a box of baby chicks that were just delivered to her. I s'pose you can find the entire show on Marthastewart.com (or steward?) Some woman was on, who wrote a great article on raising chickens...how it's good for kids & good for the soul to raise them.
I thought of you Martin. You have the same feeders that they showed!
I want CHICKENS!!!

I know Patty I want some too now. I use to have 4 hens I had so many eggs I didnot know what to do with them all the neigbors had eggs from me.

djmb74
04-02-2010, 02:07 PM
You both should! They aren't that difficult to raise and it is really nice to have pets around that actually work for room and board!!!!

We have also been selling eggs at $3 a dozen.

cherokee_greg
04-02-2010, 02:17 PM
You both should! They aren't that difficult to raise and it is really nice to have pets around that actually work for room and board!!!!

We have also been selling eggs at $3 a dozen.

Okay thats it now watch me start digging some more lawn out now for my chicken farm ! Its your falt Martin. LOL Actually I have been playing with the thought of doing it now for awile ever since I saw yours and Clares. I think I will get another four. I donot want to built a house for them tho maybe the feed store has some allready to put together I will check them out. I allraedy have to many things to do and no help,so I try and find the easy and fast way out.
Thanks

Patty in Wisc
04-02-2010, 02:35 PM
Wow, $3.00 a dozen??! Sounds like a lot. I remember when you posted that you got 3 eggs one week LOL.
Oh yeah, on M stewart show, she took each chick out & stuck their beek in water & then in food before she put them in their home w/ food & water. It was just a interesting show.

justjoan
04-02-2010, 03:30 PM
TOOOOOO cute! Beautiful birds, really cute little guy too! I wonder if they know why the chicken crossed the road or for that matter which came first the chicken or the egg???????:woohoonaner:

djmb74
04-02-2010, 03:39 PM
No need to remove the lawn put the coop right on top they will do all the work removing it for ya trust me!

Okay thats it now watch me start digging some more lawn out now for my chicken farm ! Its your falt Martin. LOL Actually I have been playing with the thought of doing it now for awile ever since I saw yours and Clares. I think I will get another four. I donot want to built a house for them tho maybe the feed store has some allready to put together I will check them out. I allraedy have to many things to do and no help,so I try and find the easy and fast way out.
Thanks

Free range organic chicken eggs cost $5 a dozen at the store around here. People love the fact that I can tell them exactly what the chickens ate that week! lol

Wow, $3.00 a dozen??! Sounds like a lot. I remember when you posted that you got 3 eggs one week LOL.
Oh yeah, on M stewart show, she took each chick out & stuck their beek in water & then in food before she put them in their home w/ food & water. It was just a interesting show.

Scuba_Dave
04-02-2010, 05:00 PM
Too many cats, foxes & coyotes around here for chickens I think

djmb74
04-02-2010, 07:01 PM
you can make your coop and chicken run predator proof.....

BackYardChickens Forum (http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/index.php)

Too many cats, foxes & coyotes around here for chickens I think

Patty in Wisc
04-02-2010, 10:10 PM
Now I'm really hooked...been reading up at that forum for the last 2 hours LOL.
I knew a guy that had chickens & they were always roaming in his unfenced yard. I don't know why, but they never ran out on the road. He said they stay close to home. Do they just naturally go back in their coops when it gets dark out?
One night, something killed (& ate?) 2-3 chickens so I don't know what he did after that.

djmb74
04-02-2010, 10:24 PM
yes they go back in to roost same time every night like clockwork...

Now I'm really hooked...been reading up at that forum for the last 2 hours LOL.
I knew a guy that had chickens & they were always roaming in his unfenced yard. I don't know why, but they never ran out on the road. He said they stay close to home. Do they just naturally go back in their coops when it gets dark out?
One night, something killed (& ate?) 2-3 chickens so I don't know what he did after that.

Patty in Wisc
04-02-2010, 10:43 PM
Martin, what do you feed them & how often? They mentioned something on M Stewart today & then mentioned sand(?) I know pigeons eat gravel so, do chickens have to eat course sand or some small gravel to digest? Do they eat grain & corn? A few years ago I heard they love marigold flowers & it makes the yolks a brighter orange color.
Oh Lordy, stop me now --- I WANT CHICKENS!

cherokee_greg
04-03-2010, 12:26 AM
No need to remove the lawn put the coop right on top they will do all the work removing it for ya trust me!

your right they will do it for me what was I thinkin.

djmb74
04-03-2010, 11:41 AM
Well I feed my chickens all kinds of stuff. First of all they get all the food scraps from breakfast lunch and dinner. We have a container that plates are scrapped off into instead of throwing away. They LOVE banana leaves! I also grow tons of Collard greens for them, once a week they get a bowl of yogurt. They get to run around the yard often and eat all kinds of bugs, snakes, frogs, and lizards. Chickens will eat just about anything. We also buy a bag of chicken feed once a month and keep that out for them.

Martin, what do you feed them & how often? They mentioned something on M Stewart today & then mentioned sand(?) I know pigeons eat gravel so, do chickens have to eat course sand or some small gravel to digest? Do they eat grain & corn? A few years ago I heard they love marigold flowers & it makes the yolks a brighter orange color.
Oh Lordy, stop me now --- I WANT CHICKENS!

LilRaverBoi
04-06-2010, 10:57 PM
Martin, what do you feed them & how often? They mentioned something on M Stewart today & then mentioned sand(?) I know pigeons eat gravel so, do chickens have to eat course sand or some small gravel to digest? Do they eat grain & corn? A few years ago I heard they love marigold flowers & it makes the yolks a brighter orange color.
Oh Lordy, stop me now --- I WANT CHICKENS!
Yes, chickens need small bits of rock or sand in their 'craw' to break apart pieces of food (they have no teeth) prior to digestion. They typically find these roaming around outdoors, or such things can be provided. They really don't need much and will likely find such things on their own.

And yes, diet does change the color of the egg yolks. Feeding chickens corn gives them nice yellow yolks, but without it, they are very pale.

Oh, and another thing...chickens of laying age should be supplemented with ground oyster shells to help them get enough calcium and minerals to produce eggs with strong/consistent shells.

Patty in Wisc
04-07-2010, 11:23 PM
Thanks for the great info Bryan! :)

Abnshrek
04-08-2010, 12:17 AM
I feed mine laying pellets, cracked corn, grass, banana leaves, busted up figs (from birds), grubs, snails, pecan shells, etc.. :^)

djmb74
04-08-2010, 07:28 AM
ya thanks bryan sorry I didn't answer that in my post, I have oyster shells available to them at all times but I also feed them the yogurt. As far as gravel they get that from my yard...

cherokee_greg
04-22-2010, 09:21 AM
You both should! They aren't that difficult to raise and it is really nice to have pets around that actually work for room and board!!!!

We have also been selling eggs at $3 a dozen.

:woohoonaner: Ok Martin I will soon be a chicken farmer too. I been doing allot of research. I donot have the time are the things for a coop. I have that all taken care of. I will have a coop and run soon,its going to be real nice for my girls. Now for the girls I now need to find out what kind to get. Next step. I only want about three maybe four, Thanks I think its going to be a fun thing.

Martin do the silkies lay good eggs for eating ? I think there cool can you mix them up together ?

Patty in Wisc
04-22-2010, 01:05 PM
I'm happy for you Greg... your girls will love it. I had a friend who had chickens & he called the eggs "easter eggs" because they were diff colors. They all tasted the same though.

LilRaverBoi
04-22-2010, 01:17 PM
I'm happy for you Greg... your girls will love it. I had a friend who had chickens & he called the eggs "easter eggs" because they were diff colors. They all tasted the same though.
They're called Auracanas....the 'easter egg chicken.' We raised them for years. The eggs are very cool...varying in color from blue to blue-green to greenish.

Patty in Wisc
04-22-2010, 01:33 PM
I thought it was diff chickens laying their own color eggs.... one laying blue, one laying brown etc.

LilRaverBoi
04-22-2010, 02:42 PM
Yes, but only the Auracana variety lays the blue/green 'easter-egg' color eggs. I'm sure the colors vary by the particular hen laying each egg and the nutrients they receive, but it's only that one breed that lays those particular colors. Other breeds will lay brown eggs or white eggs, but no other breed lays that color or has that much variation in egg color.

sunfish
04-22-2010, 02:51 PM
Henderson's Chicken Breed Chart (http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html)

cherokee_greg
04-30-2010, 10:58 AM
They're called Auracanas....the 'easter egg chicken.' We raised them for years. The eggs are very cool...varying in color from blue to blue-green to greenish.

:woohoonaner: Im getting a AMERAUCAUNAS (EASTER EGG CHICKEN) and two Silkies ! I found a lady that lives like 30 mins from me shes has chickens for sale here is her web site you can see pictures of them. I will soon have there home finished cool I will soon be a banana / chicken farmer ! :woohoonaner:

Here is the site
DEB'S BIRDS Home (http://www.debsbirds.com/)
Here is some information on the chickens I know I want the white silkie but im undecided about a blue are the Partrige maybe I should get both that would only be four chickens.
AMERAUCAUNAS (EASTER EGG CHICKENS)...
These standard size hens lay beautiful blue-green eggs. They have puffy cheeks & beards, and green legs. We always have a few of these laying hens around because we love their BIG, wonderful personalities. All chicks vaccinated for Marek's Disease (included in price).
TOP QUALITY -Silkies
Excellent potential for show birds & breeding stock (unsexed):
8 chicks; 5 Blue, 2 Blue Partridge, & 1 White (hatched 4/13/10) ...$10 each

djmb74
04-30-2010, 11:04 AM
Thats awesome greg... just know that those breeds aren't prolific egg layers so they are basically gonna be pets that give you eggs ever so often. If you are looking for some eggs on a regular basis then also get a couple Rhode Island Reds to add to your flock...or if you want to stick with the smaller chickens like you are getting then get some white or brown leghorns they lay white eggs the Rhode Islands lay huge brown eggs

:woohoonaner: Im getting a AMERAUCAUNAS (EASTER EGG CHICKEN) and two Silkies ! I found a lady that lives like 30 mins from me shes has chickens for sale here is her web site you can see pictures of them. I will soon have there home finished cool I will soon be a banana / chicken farmer ! :woohoonaner:

Here is the site
DEB'S BIRDS Home (http://www.debsbirds.com/)
Here is some information on the chickens I know I want the white silkie but im undecided about a blue are the Partrige maybe I should get both that would only be four chickens.
AMERAUCAUNAS (EASTER EGG CHICKENS)...
These standard size hens lay beautiful blue-green eggs. They have puffy cheeks & beards, and green legs. We always have a few of these laying hens around because we love their BIG, wonderful personalities. All chicks vaccinated for Marek's Disease (included in price).
TOP QUALITY -Silkies
Excellent potential for show birds & breeding stock (unsexed):
8 chicks; 5 Blue, 2 Blue Partridge, & 1 White (hatched 4/13/10) ...$10 each

cherokee_greg
04-30-2010, 11:11 AM
Thats awesome greg... just know that those breeds aren't prolific egg layers so they are basically gonna be pets that give you eggs ever so often. If you are looking for some eggs on a regular basis then also get a couple Rhode Island Reds to add to your flock...or if you want to stick with the smaller chickens like you are getting then get some white or brown leghorns they lay white eggs the Rhode Islands lay huge brown eggs

Im also getting the easter egg layer I might get a rhode island too who knows. Thanks

djmb74
04-30-2010, 11:20 AM
Ya they call the EE's for short I have 2 of them...

$10 a chick sounds crazy high... I've never paid more than $3 for any breed I have...

Im also getting the easter egg layer I might get a rhode island too who knows. Thanks

cherokee_greg
04-30-2010, 02:37 PM
Ya they call the EE's for short I have 2 of them...

$10 a chick sounds crazy high... I've never paid more than $3 for any breed I have...

I just received another email from a lady that lives close to my brother she is much cheaper and even closer to me. She does not have the ees tho she has Delawares which are very good layers and she has a bigger selection of the silkies its Feather Acres - Rare Breed Poultry Preservation (http://www.featheracres.com)

Abnshrek
04-30-2010, 07:17 PM
Im also getting the easter egg layer I might get a rhode island too who knows. Thanks

Rhode Islands are steady relable producers even though they do produce brown what's called yard eggs :^)

cherokee_greg
05-02-2010, 12:49 AM
Well I finally decided on what chickens I wanted. I really did not have the space for a big chicken coop and run so I went with the small chickens. We really donot eat that many eggs and I really wanted them as pets. So here is what I been working on the last few days

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=31247&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=31247&ppuser=5959)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=31249&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=31249&ppuser=5959)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=31246&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=31246&ppuser=5959)

I got One Modern English Game
two Silkie partridge and one Silkie splash
here are the girls
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=31252&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=31252&ppuser=5959)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=31251&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=31251&ppuser=5959)

Abnshrek
05-02-2010, 01:26 AM
Well nice work CG.. The Chicken Condo. One sweet set-up:^)

LilRaverBoi
05-03-2010, 04:14 PM
Well nice work CG.. The Chicken Condo. One sweet set-up:^)
Yeah, you all have such fancy set-ups! We had a couple old chicken houses that were probably 50+ years old and a 4-5 foot tall fence that enclosed a space around it. Nothing with fancy wood and a top on the chicken run like you all have!

cherokee_greg
05-03-2010, 11:05 PM
These are city chickens . I did some more work on the chicken condo after I got home from my job. I did some landscaping.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=31316&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=31316&ppuser=5959)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=31315&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=31315&ppuser=5959)

Patty in Wisc
05-04-2010, 05:57 PM
Greg, did you make that? Very nice!

palmtree
05-04-2010, 08:21 PM
Very nice. Seems like a lot of work was put into it. I could definitely picture some banana plants to the right side shading the chickens as well as other tropicals :)

cherokee_greg
05-04-2010, 10:23 PM
Very nice. Seems like a lot of work was put into it. I could definitely picture some banana plants to the right side shading the chickens as well as other tropicals :)

I was thinking the same thing thanks

cherokee_greg
06-09-2010, 11:22 AM
Martin well I finally have my chickens in there new pin. Thanks again for posting this thread. Because of you and Clare I got me some chickens and im very happy I did. They added so much to my garden thanks here is some pictures not to good tho im not a picture taker
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=32641&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=32641&ppuser=5959)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=32639&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=32639&ppuser=5959)

LilRaverBoi
06-09-2010, 12:08 PM
Ooooo.....silkies! Very nice!

cherokee_greg
06-09-2010, 12:16 PM
Ooooo.....silkies! Very nice!

Yes silkies I have three and one modern game the modern game is real tall looks like a road runner it is so funny with the silkies.The silkies look like they have pajammas on ! LOL There all a trip !