Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Another new adventure Chicken farming
I am about to embark on another new adventure. The adventure of chicken farming. I purchased a metal building from a home improvement store. I got a really good deal on it because the box was damaged. If your looking for a deal ask them if they have any damaged products sometimes its only minor or like mine its just the box. I then posted an ad on craigslist to purchase some metal nestboxes. I gotta a call and purchased six boxes with six nests in each. Now I have put my building together in a location that is semi level and at a high spot in the yard.
I have the task today of going to the home improvement store and purchasing the lumber to build the run for the coop. I tried to find plans for the run on line so I would be accurate in my purchase but I didnt want to pay for the plans. I know nothing is free. I did however find plenty of pictures of houses and runs so from that I gathered enough information to figure out how to lay it out.
I see most of the runs have 1x4 or 2x4 laid across the bottoms of the wire around the outside edge. The runs dont have to very tall but I'm going to make mine 5ft high on the sides and 6ft in the center. I will post pics as I complete each part of the run. I choose to set my posts in the ground rather on top. During my research I saw several options for the posts. Some used 4x4 treated lumber and I saw one that used metal T-posts(like for a barbed wire fence). I went online and compared the cost of the two options and there was only about $40 difference in cost. If you dont want to dig post holes or are in a hurry I suggest the T-post and its the cheaper method. I have chosen to go the lumber route simple because it seem like it will be a easier to put entrance doors to the run.
On a piece of scrap paper I layered out my design keeping in mind the length the lumber comes in to save cuts and materials. My building is 10x12 so I decided to go with a matching run. I will be puchasing:
(8) 4x4x6 treated (side posts)
(2) 4x4x8 treated (center posts)
(12)2x4x6 treated (bottom and top boxing pieces)
(1) 2x4x12 treated(center beam)
(1) 48"x 50'-1 20ga chicken wire
(3) Quikcrete 80lbs
wire staples
(2) bird netting 14x14
These are only the materials list for the run not including for the two entrances doors. I will purchase this material after I set the posts and hang the wire. If there is any variations in the ground or the posts I can account for this with my doors.
You maybe wandering why I am going to put two seperate doors and center posts. I am leaving room for separation. I will be raising chickens for two different reasons. I fell in love with the Silkies. They are excellent sitters and will even steal eggs to sit on. So I am raising them to sell as pets. I haven't decided what other kind yet but I'm looking at Australops because they are excellent egg layers. Still researching the layers I will decide later. I have already purchased 5 white Silkies and are in a temperary pen. I used a 10x10x6 dog kennel, a large dog house(for housing) and bird netting on top.
Okay off I go to the home improvement store to make my purchases. I have posted a pic of the plan I drew up for my run. Its posted below. Check it and if you have any comments on how it can be improved or questions be my guest.
I have the task today of going to the home improvement store and purchasing the lumber to build the run for the coop. I tried to find plans for the run on line so I would be accurate in my purchase but I didnt want to pay for the plans. I know nothing is free. I did however find plenty of pictures of houses and runs so from that I gathered enough information to figure out how to lay it out.
I see most of the runs have 1x4 or 2x4 laid across the bottoms of the wire around the outside edge. The runs dont have to very tall but I'm going to make mine 5ft high on the sides and 6ft in the center. I will post pics as I complete each part of the run. I choose to set my posts in the ground rather on top. During my research I saw several options for the posts. Some used 4x4 treated lumber and I saw one that used metal T-posts(like for a barbed wire fence). I went online and compared the cost of the two options and there was only about $40 difference in cost. If you dont want to dig post holes or are in a hurry I suggest the T-post and its the cheaper method. I have chosen to go the lumber route simple because it seem like it will be a easier to put entrance doors to the run.
On a piece of scrap paper I layered out my design keeping in mind the length the lumber comes in to save cuts and materials. My building is 10x12 so I decided to go with a matching run. I will be puchasing:
(8) 4x4x6 treated (side posts)
(2) 4x4x8 treated (center posts)
(12)2x4x6 treated (bottom and top boxing pieces)
(1) 2x4x12 treated(center beam)
(1) 48"x 50'-1 20ga chicken wire
(3) Quikcrete 80lbs
wire staples
(2) bird netting 14x14
These are only the materials list for the run not including for the two entrances doors. I will purchase this material after I set the posts and hang the wire. If there is any variations in the ground or the posts I can account for this with my doors.
You maybe wandering why I am going to put two seperate doors and center posts. I am leaving room for separation. I will be raising chickens for two different reasons. I fell in love with the Silkies. They are excellent sitters and will even steal eggs to sit on. So I am raising them to sell as pets. I haven't decided what other kind yet but I'm looking at Australops because they are excellent egg layers. Still researching the layers I will decide later. I have already purchased 5 white Silkies and are in a temperary pen. I used a 10x10x6 dog kennel, a large dog house(for housing) and bird netting on top.
Okay off I go to the home improvement store to make my purchases. I have posted a pic of the plan I drew up for my run. Its posted below. Check it and if you have any comments on how it can be improved or questions be my guest.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
