User Panel
User Panel
User Panel
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 4:28:06 PM EDT
So a few weeks back my wife told me she wanted to get chickens. My sister has 20+ and my 2yo loves every second of going over to play with them.
So I agreed she could do the chicken thing if she handled it all. Fast forward literally 5 days later a box shows up with 16 chicks in it. So naturally I had to take charge. Ordered a custom made coop and built a 10x12 covered run for the little shits.  Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 4:28:55 PM EDT
[#1]
Nice!
 ???? |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 4:29:53 PM EDT
[#2]
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 4:31:25 PM EDT
[#3]
Man, you got some ugly chickens.
 Great looking coop though! |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 4:32:18 PM EDT
[#4]
Awesome
Link to coop kit? Also, replace the chicken wire on the coop windows with hardware cloth. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 4:33:30 PM EDT
[#5]
That’s a great looking setup! Enjoy.
Also use hardware cloth like the poster above suggested |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 4:35:02 PM EDT
[#6]
Mmmmmm, chicken.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 4:36:45 PM EDT
[#7]
I've never seen a coop that nice and chics, well....um
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 4:36:56 PM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Awesome Link to coop kit? Also, replace the chicken wire on the coop windows with hardware cloth. I had the Amish in my area build me the coop. Drew it out on a napkin and they built it. 6x12 inside plus the nesting box. Yeah I have black hardware cloth sitting in the shed I just haven’t got around to switching it out. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 4:37:39 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Man, you got some ugly chickens. Great looking coop though! Haha they’re polish hens. But there’s some old regular looking ones in there too haha. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 4:38:02 PM EDT
[#10]
That is a beautiful coop. Ya'll should move into that and give the chickens your house.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 4:38:25 PM EDT
[#11]
Congrats on the "Chicken Hilton." Well done.
Better get ready to sell eggs. There's no way you can keep up with 16 layers. We have 5 hens and can't keep up. We give a lto to our married kids. We had 5 hens and a rooster, but the rooster got too aggressive, and my wife asked me to dispose of it. It was a good test for the lethality of my Benjamin Maurader pistol. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 4:41:33 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Better get ready to sell eggs. There's no way you can keep up with 16 layers. We have 5 hens and can't keep up. We had 5 hens and a rooster, but the rooster got too aggressive, and my wife asked me to dispose of it. It was a good test for the lethality of my Benjamin Maurader pistol. I know it. We used to get a ton of eggs from my sister since she has 25 hens now I think. She has a super nice set up at their place.  Attached File |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 4:41:54 PM EDT
[#13]
Looks great!
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 4:42:51 PM EDT
[#14]
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 4:44:21 PM EDT
[#15]
Chicken poop
You’re gonna have a lot of it, OP And don’t feed them near your house Not even once |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 4:44:53 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryI’m more worried about my Rhodesian and my lab lol |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 4:45:23 PM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Chicken poop You’re gonna have a lot of it, OP And don’t feed them near your house Not even once I got a pretty sweet compost set up and garden so we’re gtg |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 4:45:30 PM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I know it. We used to get a ton of eggs from my sister since she has 25 hens now I think. She has a super nice set up at their place. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/346339/image000000_jpeg-3296103.JPG Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Better get ready to sell eggs. There's no way you can keep up with 16 layers. We have 5 hens and can't keep up. We had 5 hens and a rooster, but the rooster got too aggressive, and my wife asked me to dispose of it. It was a good test for the lethality of my Benjamin Maurader pistol. I know it. We used to get a ton of eggs from my sister since she has 25 hens now I think. She has a super nice set up at their place. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/346339/image000000_jpeg-3296103.JPG Wtf. If I let my chickens see that picture they'd fly the coop. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 4:46:44 PM EDT
[#19]
That's impressive.
Quite the conversation piece |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 4:46:51 PM EDT
[#20]
I live in an old house with single pane drafty windows, so I always joke that the windows in the chicken coop are nicer than the windows in my house, but I think your entire coop might be nicer than my house.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 4:47:17 PM EDT
[#21]
Hell yeah! Polish Crested and a Frizzle!
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 4:47:47 PM EDT
[#22]
I'm going down this road myself.
I started building a coop of my own design, which is dangerous as I've never raised birds before. I've got about 64 sq ft of coop with some nesting boxes built on the side. The plan was for 12-15 birds. My wife ordered 20 expecting us to lose some. The nursery threw in 5 more for free. So now we have 25 birds. lol I still need to figure out the run. I figure I have 3-5 weeks to make a decision and build it. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 4:49:09 PM EDT
[#23]
Hell of a job
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 4:50:07 PM EDT
[#24]
Very cool. Are there any hens that are quiet? I read about the Buff Orpington and it seems cool. We have an HOA restriction but it or they would be strictly pets. That lay eggs.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 4:51:11 PM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I'm going down this road myself. I started building a coop of my own design, which is dangerous as I've never raised birds before. I've got about 64 sq ft of coop with some nesting boxes built on the side. The plan was for 12-15 birds. My wife ordered 20 expecting us to lose some. The nursery threw in 5 more for free. So now we have 25 birds. lol I still need to figure out the run. I figure I have 3-5 weeks to make a decision and build it. Yeah I literally got everything in place at the last second. They were just about ready to get out of the brooder. I busted my ass for 2 weeks straight and knocked it all out. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 4:52:15 PM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Very cool. Are there any hens that are quiet? I read about the Buff Orpington and it seems cool. We have an HOA restriction but it or they would be strictly pets. That lay eggs. I never hear them. Honestly. They’re probably 75ft from my house but even when I’m working in the backyard I don’t hear a peep. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 4:52:38 PM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryThese dudes breached my perimeter via a hole in the bird netting last month. We don’t actively trap or bait them, but when they get near our coop they get smoked. I need an MP-5 with a red dot, light, and can. 
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 4:53:17 PM EDT
[#28]
Damn fine work OP. Chicken life is best life.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 4:53:52 PM EDT
[#29]
Wait until your wife hits you with the chicken math! We have 4 fifferent types of Polish. I have a Pollack chicken with a jacked up beak, We call him Hairlip.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 4:54:12 PM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Very cool. Are there any hens that are quiet? I read about the Buff Orpington and it seems cool. We have an HOA restriction but it or they would be strictly pets. That lay eggs. Our Australorps are basically mute unless a predator shows up. Given you're in TX.. they mind well to the heat, too. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 4:56:20 PM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Very cool. Are there any hens that are quiet? I read about the Buff Orpington and it seems cool. We have an HOA restriction but it or they would be strictly pets. That lay eggs. All the hens I've had have been pretty quiet regardless of breed. I have some Buffs and they're good layers. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 4:56:34 PM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryQuoted: These dudes breached my perimeter via a hole in the bird netting last month. We don’t actively trap or bait them, but when they get near our coop they get smoked. I need an MP-5 with a red dot, light, and can. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/55357/DA0EC426-67A6-493A-BDEA-E3B5B6F0920D-3296109.jpg Quote HistoryQuoted: These dudes breached my perimeter via a hole in the bird netting last month. We don’t actively trap or bait them, but when they get near our coop they get smoked. I need an MP-5 with a red dot, light, and can. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/55357/DA0EC426-67A6-493A-BDEA-E3B5B6F0920D-3296109.jpg I think this will be my life soon. People talk about hawks, and we seem to have a good population of foxes around here, but I expect raccoons to be the biggest problem. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 5:00:25 PM EDT
[#33]
Congratulations!
 I enjoyed backyard chickens when I lived out in the country. 3am crowing, not so much. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 5:01:56 PM EDT
[#34]
Hmmm good plan...
- Buy 15 chickens for $150 - Buy a custom coop kit for $3500 - Buy materials for a run, $1200 - Spend 35 hours of your time putting stuff together - ? - ?? - Save $1.50 per dozen eggs. Profit!!!! |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 5:02:12 PM EDT
[#35]
Holy cow! You should see the crappy fence I have around our chickens.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 5:04:40 PM EDT
[#36]
Prepare for night watch and the killing of every other vermin 2 and 4 legged.
Problem with chickens is everything loves the taste of chicken |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 5:04:43 PM EDT
[#37]
Quoted: So a few weeks back my wife told me she wanted to get chickens. My sister has 20+ and my 2yo loves every second of going over to play with them. So I agreed she could do the chicken thing if she handled it all. Fast forward literally 5 days later a box shows up with 16 chicks in it. So naturally I had to take charge. Ordered a custom made coop and built a 10x12 covered run for the little shits. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/346339/IMG_3309_jpeg-3296082.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/346339/12962500-7F17-4997-870E-413145C5A464_jpe-3296083.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/346339/IMG_2578_jpeg-3296084.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/346339/IMG_3404_jpeg-3296086.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/346339/IMG_3440_jpeg-3296087.JPG Don't let em out they will destroy your lawn. Well, TBH they might help given how it looks. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 5:04:56 PM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Hmmm good plan... - Buy 15 chickens for $150 - Buy a custom coop kit for $3500 - Buy materials for a run, $1200 - Spend 35 hours of your time putting stuff together - ? - ?? - Save $1.50 per dozen eggs. Profit!!!! I made pretty much this exact argument to my wife. Her reply? When you can't get eggs in the store, we will have eggs. She had me there. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 5:06:17 PM EDT
[#39]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I think this will be my life soon. People talk about hawks, and we seem to have a good population of foxes around here, but I expect raccoons to be the biggest problem. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: These dudes breached my perimeter via a hole in the bird netting last month. We don’t actively trap or bait them, but when they get near our coop they get smoked. I need an MP-5 with a red dot, light, and can. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/55357/DA0EC426-67A6-493A-BDEA-E3B5B6F0920D-3296109.jpg I think this will be my life soon. People talk about hawks, and we seem to have a good population of foxes around here, but I expect raccoons to be the biggest problem. You are wise to fear them. I have a mating pair of Cooper's Hawks in my yard. Owls, foxes, skunks, possums, dogs, all suck but raccoons are on another level. They will literally tear your birds in half. Enormous strength, and smart too. I really need an MP-5. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 5:09:03 PM EDT
[#40]
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 5:11:11 PM EDT
[#41]
Looks great. We finish ours up tomorrow, finally. 3+ months of work. Construction is a young mans sport.
Enjoy! |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 5:11:18 PM EDT
[#42]
Seems to be the "In Thing."
At least three of my neighbors in an upper middle class suburb are raising chickens in their backyards. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 5:12:09 PM EDT
[#43]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I’m more worried about my Rhodesian and my lab lol That's fair. Our first 10 chickens and 2 ducks... 6 of the chickens and both ducks were killed by our lab/shepherd mix. One puncture mark for all of them. As soon as they stopped squeaking he must have moved on to the next one. Then the fucker buried 5 of them in our vegetable garden. The asshole ruined almost all of our "food" in one evening. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 5:12:13 PM EDT
[#44]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Don't let em out they will destroy your lawn. Well, TBH they might help given how it looks. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: So a few weeks back my wife told me she wanted to get chickens. My sister has 20+ and my 2yo loves every second of going over to play with them. So I agreed she could do the chicken thing if she handled it all. Fast forward literally 5 days later a box shows up with 16 chicks in it. So naturally I had to take charge. Ordered a custom made coop and built a 10x12 covered run for the little shits. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/346339/IMG_3309_jpeg-3296082.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/346339/12962500-7F17-4997-870E-413145C5A464_jpe-3296083.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/346339/IMG_2578_jpeg-3296084.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/346339/IMG_3404_jpeg-3296086.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/346339/IMG_3440_jpeg-3296087.JPG Don't let em out they will destroy your lawn. Well, TBH they might help given how it looks. The backside of my propety is so shaded for most of the day plus the dogs destroy it chasing chipmunks and squirrels all day. My dirt bikes probably don’t help either The front yard is super nice 
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 5:15:21 PM EDT
[#45]
Quote HistoryQuoted: These dudes breached my perimeter via a hole in the bird netting last month. We don’t actively trap or bait them, but when they get near our coop they get smoked. I need an MP-5 with a red dot, light, and can. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/55357/DA0EC426-67A6-493A-BDEA-E3B5B6F0920D-3296109.jpg There was a time when we had a raccoon killing all 7 of our ducks over 2 nights. At one point I went outside with my bolt action .22 with a typical day scope on it. And I had my thermal. Found him quickly with the thermal, then couldn't find him with a flashlight through the scope. He was only 30 feet away in thick brush. It was so infuriating to be able to see him so clearly with a handheld thermal and not clearly enough to be able to shoot. The bastard slowly took them all night. I gave up at 4 AM and went to bed and woke up to them all being gone. A year later I found the "dinner plate" where he was dragging all of them to eat them. I saved one chewed up duck skull to remember them by.  I had done the same in the past with night vision and thermal just looking at a possum and pretending to "engage" it. I could never find the possum with the NV. I'm not worthy. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 5:16:18 PM EDT
[#46]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Seems to be the "In Thing." At least three of my neighbors in an upper middle class suburb are raising chickens in their backyards. Yeah it def does these days. Maybe for good reason right. We have a horse farm a few doors down and a pretty large ag operation not far past that. But we’re pretty suburb otherwise. We’re in a nice spot that feels like country with all of the amenities within reach. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 5:19:38 PM EDT
[#47]
Fully caged. Good. Don't want them crossing the road.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 5:23:42 PM EDT
[#48]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Hmmm good plan... - Buy 15 chickens for $150 - Buy a custom coop kit for $3500 - Buy materials for a run, $1200 - Spend 35 hours of your time putting stuff together - ? - ?? - Save $1.50 per dozen eggs. Profit!!!! Think of it more like building a koi pond - you get to watch your birds wander around and do funny stuff and it lowers your stress. The eggs are just a bonus. |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 5:27:19 PM EDT
[#49]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Man, you got some ugly chickens. Great looking coop though! |
|
|
|
Posted: 8/16/2024 5:30:11 PM EDT
[#50]
Nice looking OP. If you're not already signed up over at Backyardchickens.com go ahead and do that. There's a wealth of knowledge there.
I decided to build ours from scratch 3yrs ago. We only have 6 hens.  Attached File Attached File |
|
|
Win a FREE Membership!
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.
AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types.
From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm.
Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more.
Copyright © 1996-2024 AR15.COM LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.
AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own.
Attached File
Attached File
Attached File
Attached File
Attached File
Attached File