California-Southern

[PinkyLee]

I was thinking of 4 hens. I love eggs. I figure I could make frosting with egg whites and flan with the extra yokes. Hummm and deviled eggs...

 

[sol2go]

I didn't think of buzzing! thanks for that thought... Before I buy I think I'll have to see someone's in action. A lot that you said makes me think to do so soul searching and research. Maybe I'll buy the little incubator and see if it is for me... I always start big.... That is why my garage is full of hobbies... Cake decorating, culinary school, fishing tackle, more fishing tackle, cheese making, attack dog training gear, pressure cookers, jars, wood working, leather craft.... Ummm. Thanks before I swipe my card I will think of the out come!

I am completely at that phase. How to downsize all those interests I have accumulated, and which may be a thing of the past. I thought I was saving them for when I would have more time...maybe we should have a white elephant / chicken swap. Two random collections per chicken...attack dog training gear?!

 

[perchie.girl]

I was thinking of 4 hens. I love eggs. I figure I could make frosting with egg whites and flan with the extra yokes. Hummm and deviled eggs...

and pickled eggs.... Cook some beets slice em up and throw in slices of onoion and Vinegar.... eat some beets and throw in some hardboiled eggs...... They pick up the beet color I like to eat them before the pickle reaches the yolk

Or take those beet enhanced pickled eggs and make deviled eggs out of them.... OH MY GAWD.... good

 

[PinkyLee]

I use to have to go down to the docks at night to collect money from our business, fishing charters, and I couldn't see myself shooting anyone. So I walked with a big dog, American bulldog, who my k9 friend trained. The suit is worn by a person, my husband when I'm ******, and I tell my dog a key word and it's curtains for him! We, my dog and I, are now retired on the couch.

 

[Sylvester017]

Quote:

....I saw this cheap coop on amazon and thought WOW I wonder if anyone has had any luck with this brand.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...rue&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_1&smid=AG5L3JJZ30XAY

Thats not a bad one. Im sure youd have to put it together tho. Im not sure 8 chickens would habe enough room in it tho. Some feed stores have them as well that coop would be good for bantams however. If your ok with mini eggs.

This is just me and this is just my formula about chicken coops - especially the smaller ones. If it has 4 nestboxes then 4 hens should fit ok, 3 nestboxes for 3 hens, and 2 nestboxes for 2 hens. It's not that you need a nestbox for each hen; it's just that space-wise that's about what will comfortably fit inside the coop using my formula. I have a 4x4x6' tall coop situation over a run below and it's advertised for 15 hens. It has 4 nestboxes and NOPE 15 hens would not fit comfortably in a 4x4 space. However, my 4 hens have plenty of room not to get in each other's way. I free-range my 4 girls so they are not confined in a coop/run housing. With my girls free-ranging I allow 4-sq-ft coop space (not counting the run space) per hen whether large fowl or bantam. Chickens poop an awful lot and I sure wouldn't want 15 hens pooping on only a 16-sq-ft total coop floor! The stench can also rapidly magnify in our SoCal heatwaves regardless of odor-controlling products and can find yourself changing the coop floor more than once a day. I consider it a good formula for housing chickens by counting the number of nestboxes rather than relying on what the manufacturer claims the coop can hold.

 

[perchie.girl]

General Ruile of thumb:

One nest box for 5...
One foot of roost per bird
Four sq foot per bird coop
Ten sq foot per bird run

its a good general rule for all who are new to chickens.... a starting point.

As you get experience you can see why and see where you can make changes.

Same goes for the other requirements for the coop. Ventilation can be a deal breaking factor especially in a small coop. Security as well. From the clawed fanged and taloned to the small creepy and sneaky. IN my case from the two legged next door neighbor child who I Found sitting square in the middle of my coop with a strangle hold one one of my hens.

I for a matter of preference will be building one nest box for thirty birds. Look up Tunnel nests. I would not tell everyone "This" is the only way to go, Only that its an option.

deb

 

[ChickaLong]

General Ruile of thumb:

One nest box for 5...
One foot of roost per bird
Four sq foot per bird coop
Ten sq foot per bird run

its a good general rule for all who are new to chickens.... a starting point.

As you get experience you can see why and see where you can make changes.

Same goes for the other requirements for the coop. Ventilation can be a deal breaking factor especially in a small coop. Security as well. From the clawed fanged and taloned to the small creepy and sneaky. IN my case from the two legged next door neighbor child who I Found sitting square in the middle of my coop with a strangle hold one one of my hens.

I for a matter of preference will be building one nest box for thirty birds. Look up Tunnel nests. I would not tell everyone "This" is the only way to go, Only that its an option.

deb

Tunnel nests, I will look it up.

 

[ChickaLong]

Sounds good

 

[PinkyLee]

I am gonna add a big run with electric fence at my cabin. Then get a small coop for my house ... And get 4 chickens. If they don't work out I'll send them up to the cabin with my I gunieas. I don't have any place for the chickens to exercise except around the pool which is concrete. I have a little bit of dirt. Does anyone know are chickens water curious? If I let them walk the backyard will I find everyone dead in the pool from leaning over and taking a sip? I image a chicken would sink pretty fast.

 

[chickencrazy21]

Odddly enough i found out chickens fload like ducks. You dont have to teach them they are born witb the instinct. So you may come out and have chickens swimming in your pool. I saw it on facebook the other day.