Meet our new girls: Nuggets, Fingers, and... Mabel
So MashupDad recently got it into his head to build a chicken coop in the back corner of our old detached garage. Yesterday he brought home our three new additions, which the boys have named Nuggets, Fingers, and... Mabel. Mabel is the big one and the boss -- and Mabel had darn well better not turn out to be a boy! Apparently this young they have a 90% accuracy rate, so cross your fingers that Mabel is not a Mark. 😉
The original plan here was to get pullets, but the boys are enamored with the chicks we ended up with. (Again, keep your fingers crossed about Mabel there.) She's an Ameraucana, while Nuggets and Fingers are Golden Sex-Links.
MashupDad picked the chicks up at The Feed Store in Summit. They are little enough that they won't start laying for months, so no eggs for us any time soon! I'll keep you posted on how that goes.
So here's the coop that MashupDad built -- I'm pretty darn impressed! I'm trying to get him to write a bit more about how he did it, so please encourage him with me. He also cut a door through to the outside with a plywood cover that goes up and down on a pulley system (hopefully well covered, since we do have coyotes, foxes, and hawks around here), and will be adding a run for when the chicks get older.
So we'll see how it goes! Any of you guys keep chickens? What tips do you have for us?
Omg lol!!! Loving the names "nuggets and fingers"! So cute! Will they be okay in the winter?
Yeah -- that's what happens when you let two boys name your chickens! Apparently yes -- they are supposedly fairly good with the cold once their feathers are all in, although he's going to add a little heater out there.
I wish!! Our town has codes or laws against owning them.
My friend had 4 chickens in a use to be plastic greenhouse .They grow fast and eggs probably when they are6 months old (: And they always are brown .We always save out fruit skins after my husband cleans watermelon ,pineapples and cantaloupes for them.
when we go their they run out to us like little kids so happy to see what you brought for them to eat . They are out all day in small fenced area and put in every night about 6. Need to watch out for racoons and other dangerous animals that may harm them . Lots of luck and any questions just ask ! Going there now for Sunday paper my friend don't coupon and I have a bunch of fruit for our girls that what we call them (: Maybe I might even get some eggs LOL
I am interested in the cost associated with building it and the maintenance and feeding cost and the amount of eggs they can produce on a weekly basis. Wondering if it is really worth it. LOL.
They are too cute and a really great experience for your kids.
Heya VB,
My goal was to build the coop for under $100 utilizing two walls of the old garage and all the scrap lumber I had lying around. With a $15 rental of a Sawzall (I don't think it should count) I'm right at $90. I still have to build the outside run. I figure the run will cost another $30 in chicken wire and fence posts so I've blown past the budget. Everything else we had or borrowed (Beekeeping friend had an extra chick waterer).
So -
Misc lumber and fasteners: $32
Sawzall rental: $15
Bale of hay: $9
woodshavings (bedding) $4.50
Bird feeder (for them while their chicks - made a great waterer and feeder) $10
DIY Chicken feeder and waterer: $20
Total coop: $90.50
Other startup costs
Feed (about 6 weeks worth) $10
3 Chickens $15
We'll have to see the impact on the electric bill (60 watt bulb for warmth for the next few weeks and a fan for air circ.)
The birds we got are supposed to be exceptional layers. If we're lucky, about 300 eggs per year per bird. So what's a dozen free range (and I have to double check if the feed is organic) eggs cost.
Another good thing ! their poop good fertilizer for garden.also my friends hens lay about 1 egg each a day ,just got back and they were munching all the fruit skins down like crazy .
In college my roommate and I bought chicks for no reason besides they were ridiculously cute. We kept them in our room in a big plastic bin. Eventually we bought a bigger bin and had to relocate them to my parents. One if them was named Maebel too, and she turned into a Rooster. lol
Goodluck. Mine eventually went to a real farm and were eaten. Sad, but delicious.
Oh, PS: my father in law keeps a small duck farm in Fox Lake. Make sure you price out your feed from various mills. We visit the one in Grayslake for duck feed, dog food and bunny food too. We get a discount for buying large amounts monthly.
Did you read the article in Cooking light July 2014- The facts of life with Chickens pg 75. Oh and nice blue eggs from Mabel according to the article.
My friend uses shredded paper from her office as bedding for her chickens and its free.
My mom keeps about 40 chickens, they are a variety of breeds: Ameraucana, Buff Orpington, Polish and the mini Bantums.
The Ameraucana take a little longer to lay than some varieties so don't panic - they will eventually lay med size blue/green eggs. The buffs lay huge brown eggs and the other are tiny (and really cute) eggs in various colors. They love to eat certain weeds - dandelions & pig weed are favorites, and just about any table scraps. We call my moms Marie Antoinette chickens because cake is their favorite.
If you pen them on the grass they will eat bugs and grubs - just move them often or there will be no grass left.
Almost forgot - its worth a trip to stock up on feed when it's on sale at Farm & Fleet - they have the best prices. And if you have chickens because you think you're going to get "cheep" eggs, think again - food and bedding costs add up and it's quite the wait til you get eggs but the eggs are 1000% better than anything you get in the store - even organic.
What an adventure! My only chicken experience is this -- we rented a vacation house with a chicken coop and enjoyed the fresh eggs every day. The homeowner had an Ameraucana, and she laid the most beautiful BLUE eggs! Photo: http://www.jillcataldo.com/blogimages/kauai-11.jpg
When we came home, I really, really thought about building a coop. I will be avidly following your progress 🙂
You guys are lucky in towns that allow chickens. My town doesn't.
I have friends who have them, so I love to get eggs from them sometimes.
I saw a great tip somewhere (Martha Stewart ?, P. Allan Smith ?) to build a coop on wheels with mesh on the bottom so that poop can fall through, so you keep moving the coop to different parts of your garden so that everything gets fertilized and there isn't too much in one spot.
Really you should let the poultry manure age before you use it in your garden. Fresh manure can burn the plants. Just add it to your compost pile if you have one started.
What a Fantastic coop! I wish our city allowed chickens. Your kids will have so much fun taking care of them.
I love it. We have had chickens for 2 years in Chicago, and they are the best pets that give you breakfast!
We've had chickens for 14 years. We have a heat lamp for the winter, comes on when the temp gets a certain degree.
Have fun, there is no substitute for eggs! Delish!
My sister has chickens. Her husband built a coop on an old trailer bed. it is on wheels so he just wheels it around the yard. They feed all of their scraps to the chickens. They eat EVERYTHING!!! I had a ball collecting eggs everyday, I also learned they have some type of coating on them. You dont have to refrigerate them until you wash off this coating. Very educational for the kids.I will try and send you a pic of his trailer. Looks like a miniature aframe. So cute
Rachel, we need an update on your chicks! They grow so fast!
I was just thinking that -- they are HUGE already! lol I'll take some pix soon.