We have chickens! How we actually got these chickens is kind of an odd story. We have always planned to have chickens, but we had no coop or yard. My husband decided he wanted to build his own coop after seeing the cheesy construction and high prices of the ready made coops at Tractor Supply or Home Depot. However, he has been quite busy making raised garden beds, and helping me get the garden in, so he has not had time to build the coop. He started it, but it's nowhere near completed. Now we have a neighbor, who has chickens........
Believe it or not, he got them from his neighbor, who was moving and could not take the birds with him. He's had them for quite a few months and he liked having them around. However, his neighbor that lives behind him did not feel the same. He constantly complained about the rooster crowing and waking him up. So in the interests of neighborly peace, our neighbor asked us if we would like to have them. We happily said yes, and yesterday, he brought them over, complete with a coop and fenced chicken yard.
5 Chickens and a Rooster!
Now, I am not one to look a gift chicken in the mouth, but the chicken coop is not exactly what I had in mind. It is really too small for that many birds, it has no nesting boxes and no roosting bars. The chickens just scratch out a nest and lay their eggs wherever in the straw that covers the floor. The biggest problem I have with it is that there is no door to close the chickens in. The chickens can walk in and out of the house at will any time of the day or night. From everything I have read, this is not safe. This is what the coop looks like:
You can see behind this coop is the one my husband started building. We plan to finish this coop use it in place of the small one. We also plan to replace the fencing around the chicken yard. I don't think that chain-link fence is the best choice for keeping chickens safe.
The chickens have been living in this situation for most of their lives, so they can do so for a bit longer, but as soon as we get the time we will finish up our idea of safe and comfortable chicken coop and yard. I think they will like their new home!
This morning, I wandered out to the see how the chickens were doing, and to give them fresh water, and I saw 5 eggs in two different nests in the coop. Five chickens, five eggs and on their first day after being moved! I was impressed. Thanks ladies!
I can't believe I actually have chickens and my own healthy, home-laid eggs! My garden is coming in, we have chickens, our dream of homesteading is taking shape. It's a lot of work, but I can't imagine a more rewarding or interesting way to live.
Have a great week!
Jade, the Crazy Chicken Lady! :)
Have a great week!
Jade, the Crazy Chicken Lady! :)
If you have ever considered having chickens of your own, this is a great book. I bought this when we first bought our homestead and it taught me a lot about caring for chickens.
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