chickens and chicken coop

I would make the floor solid. Animals can and will dig to get into the enclosure if the floor is mud. I wouldnt use weak chicken wire fencing for walls because animals(coons) can rip that open.

Solid roof is a must.

Have more nesting spots than you have hens. Have a spot for the eggs to collect. Dont let them lay on the ground. If they do start doing that, immediately pick up the eggs. They will peck at and eat the eggs. Its a learned behavior that will soon be picked up by the other hens.

Have places for them to roost.

The size seems good for your 4 hens

You will also need to be ready for foxes. Friend of mine lives off highland road and has foxes kill a hen about every few months.

What youre describing is the Wichita cabin coop it sounds like. I started that exact coop last fall and finished early summer. That is a huge coop for only four hens. I have six and my coop is only 7x5x5. I chose to put hardware cloth on the bottom, as well as around the coop in place of the traditional chicken wire. Probably over kill but, I liked the look better and found it easier to work with. I didn't want to take any chances regarding predators and access to my coop. That's why I put it on the bottom as well. Didn't want anything digging under the coop. I covered it with dirt afterwards. Whatever your budget is now, add about $200. I can't tell you how many times I went back to the store because I wanted to change a few things in the plans I bought. Make sure your pulley system to let your chickens out of the coop is tight or the door won't slide properly. It won't make or break your coop but, it becomes very annoying. Water and feed is sometimes a major pain after work. I built a gravity fed trough for both water and feed that lasts about a week and allows me to do it on the weekends. My chickens aren't laying yet but should be soon. They better be anyway or they're going to become meat chickens

Where are you located? It gets very cold and snows regularly where I am so I added some insulation to the coop as well.

I have 9 hens and a rooster. I used a 10x10 dog kennel and built the coop in half of that with 2x4's and sheets of tin. I fenced in the outside of the dog kennel to keep my dog from killing the chickens and they have room to roam.

I have 4 laying boxes and Im picking 3-6 eggs a day in the same box. Im loaded with eggs. More than we can eat.

I have 2 white Leghorns, 4 Rhode Island Reds, 2 Black hens,(all laying) and a Buff Orphington hen that isnt laying yet. Rhode Island Red rooster just because. He is young but getting pretty. This January I'll incubate every egg I can and sell them at Tractor Supply.

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I have 4 laying boxes and Im picking 3-6 eggs a day in the same box. Im loaded with eggs. More than we can eat.

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If you have the room, add some more nesting areas for them to lay in.

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Rhode Island Red rooster just because. He is young but getting pretty.

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Those were my favorite roosters. My two big guys ruled the area. All the other roosters definitely got out of their way

I grew impatient and bought locally instead of waiting and purchasing online so, my choices were limited


I plan expanding after the winter though.

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Sell them as free range organic for about $10 a dozen

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Tboy, you can buy free range eggs for $2 a dozen all day long in my area. Too much competition. Now maybe if I drop them off in Lafayette I could get rid of them for $10 a dozen.

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The competition is killing you. You can't make money at that price.

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Thats why Im going to hatch as many as I can in January, February, March, and April. We bought some at Tractor Supply last year. Those little bitches are going for $4-6 a piece and thats sex links. I can make a few hundred bucks in a day over there.

I need to get with a store in Lafayette. Nobody wants to drive to someones house to buy eggs. If I can have a store sell them for me and I get 80-85%, it wouldnt be bad.

Why do chicken coops have only two doors?

If they had four they would be a sedan