Topic: Starting A Chicken Coop

[andrewjardin]

Hey everyone, I am starting a chicken coop with my father, and we have already designated a 12x16 foot area in the yard for the run, which will also contain the 8x6 coop on stilts because it does rain quite a bit here.  So we already have the design layed out and everything and we are still doing research, and we will begin our build in 2010 as soon as the snow is all gone. We are still wondering/unsure of:
-How many chickens?
-What type of chickens (friendly good egg producers -colourtion variety-)
-Do we need to insulate the coop? ( as low as -26 degrees celcius)
-Any information in general you can offer us is greatly appreciated and thank you in advance!

[northener]

Hello and welcome to A4A. - 26 shiver mi timbers whereabouts are you? How many? well first consider how many eggs you need, will you give them away or sell, you don't want to be left with eggs you can't get rid of. I'd say an 8x6 coop upto 20 would be fine. Breed you can't go wrong with the Rhodey/Warren which is the typical looking hen brown with red combe and frill. Really friendly and brilliant layers upto about 4 years. Insulate? dont know lowest i've had is-15 and they were ok. Let us know what you decide.

[andrewjardin]

Well, we're all the way over in Paris, Ontario, and it seems that most here are from the UK.  I've heard of insulating but i honestly cannot say that i can make the decision, because i am worried about moisture, and the hens getting sick from the moisture in the air on humid days, even with vents, what about heat in the summer? There are definantly alot of things to consider.  I do know that we both want a variety of hens, and not only for egg production, but we do enjoy our omelettes.  We both want 5 different species, and i'll list them later.. but we just need to know if they would be fine over the winter withought insulation just them in an enclosed unit, with a vent for air flow.  Will they be fine just huddled together on their roosts, with a heat lamp? or even withought a heat lamp?  Sorry im so full of questions, i just want to do this right the first time around! ;D Thanks for answering and the 10 species we want to end up getting 1 of each are:
-Wyandotte
-White Silkie
-Orpington
-Plymouth Rock
-Rhode Island Red
-Ameraucana
-Black Australorp
-Leghorn
-Brahma
-New Hampshire
Would there be any problems with this selection?
Any hints and tips welcome! :P  Thanks!

WOW! :o i make alot of spelling mistakes, good thing thay have spell check

[Psi (Pronounced 'Si'!)]

a chicken coup.  Sounds like a revolution to me!

[gardentg44]

Well, we're all the way over in Paris, Ontario, and it seems that most here are from the UK.  I've heard of insulating but i honestly cannot say that i can make the decision, because i am worried about moisture, and the hens getting sick from the moisture in the air on humid days, even with vents, what about heat in the summer? There are definantly alot of things to consider.  I do know that we both want a variety of hens, and not only for egg production, but we do enjoy our omelettes.  We both want 5 different species, and i'll list them later.. but we just need to know if they would be fine over the winter withought insulation just them in an enclosed unit, with a vent for air flow.  Will they be fine just huddled together on their roosts, with a heat lamp? or even withought a heat lamp?  Sorry im so full of questions, i just want to do this right the first time around! ;D Thanks for answering and the 10 species we want to end up getting 1 of each are:
-Wyandotte
-White Silkie
-Orpington
-Plymouth Rock
-Rhode Island Red
-Ameraucana
-Black Australorp
-Leghorn
-Brahma
-New Hampshire
[Would there be any problems with this selection?
Any hints and tips welcome! :P  Thanks!]

WOW! :o i make alot of spelling mistakes, good thing thay have spell check

yes the price  an orpington alone will cost around £30 its making them rather expensive eggs ;)

[GodfreyRob]

Hens do recognize their 'own' breeds.  We have a mix of 17 hens and 7 breeds and they all spend more time with their 'own' breed than random mixing (i.e when on the perches, grazing, sunbathing, etc).

It might be more 'hen friendly' to have pairs of each breed rather than 1 of each - mutual support and all that.

Interesting that there is this 'tribalism' as well as the pecking order.

[northener]

Yes your right i call my lot racists,the light sussex (white) fight with the Warrens. I'd not bother to insulate if you have the option of a heat lamp, if its really cold pop the lamp on. I'd go and speak to a breeder if i were you.

[andrewjardin]

Thanks everyone, I guess me and my dad will have settle on 5 breeds, and get two females of each! I wouldn't want any racism going on in my coop!  Ok so i think were going to chance it with the heat lamp, and they should be fine.  Our winters rarly go above -20 but there are those occasions when you can feel yourself freezing to death!  About how much do the chicken feeders, and heated watering hanging things cost in Canadian money? because in not sure what the conversion between UK money and Canadian money is? Anyone know?  Also my friend is giving away her rabbit, and wanted to know if i would take it, just wondering if the the rabbit and the hens would get along fine on the nice days in the summer, like would i be able to put them toger for a couple hours each day, not as a permenent solution, but so that the rabbit could get out in the nice weather?  The 5 Species we would like:
-2 Leghorn Hens (Eggs-Pet)
-2 Rhode Island Red Hens (Eggs-Pet)
-2 Black Austrolap Hens (Eggs-Colour-Pet)
-2 Orpington Hens (Eggs-Friendly-Pet)
-2 White Silkie Hens (Unusual-Friendly-Pet)

[andrewjardin]

Anybody Know?

[northener]

No idea Andrew.

[mummybunny]

You can get free currency convertors online  ;D

[andrewjardin]

lol, no problem and thanks for all the answers everyone!