You’ve got to love haiku. They’re simple, elegant, and with a little direction, anyone can do them—kinda like our coops!
I’ve started a thread on our Facebook page (you don’t need an account to view it) where you can read and try your hand at chicken haiku poetry. Read more and discuss »
You’ve picked out the cutest little fluff balls you could find to start your flock. Now it’s time to set them up in a brooder, give them some feed and water, and hope they grow into a sturdy flock of backyard hens (no roosters. . . no roosters. . .).
There aren’t too many choices you have to make right now, but there are some. Medicated or organic feed? Where to put the brooder? What bedding to use? How to control the dust? (Chicks produce an unfathomable amount of nano-chicky-dust.)
I’ll post more on these topics soon. But for now, check out this chronicle from Amy over at Garden Rant. She’s starting a small flock too and gives a good description of the basic setup.
There’s something about sandpaper. In the excitement of building the ideal chicken coop, DIY coop builders often either don’t realize or underestimate the role of sandpaper in building a coop that lasts. But if you’re planning to apply a preservative, stain, paint, or other sealer to your chicken coop lumber, sanding it first is a must. Especially if the wood you’re working with is new and smooth.
I should mention first that most plywood should be ready to go as is. What I’m talking about here is dimensional lumber (2×2s, 2×4s, etc., called “timber” outside of the U.S.). The reason that lumber needs to be sanded first has to do with how it is milled and something called “mill glaze.” Read more and discuss »
The Martha Stewart Show will be taping an episode on urban farming and chicken keeping in March 2010, and they’re looking for audience members. Here’s a bit of the email they sent me:
We’re filling our studio audience with individuals who raise livestock in urban environments as we celebrate the backyard farming movement. If you’re interested in attending this show, please be sure to tell us about yourself and your backyard farm, as well as why you’d like to be part of this special audience. Please feel free to spread the word and request tickets as soon as you can if you’re interested!
You can request tickets to The Martha Stewart Show here. The studio is in New York City, and there are FAQs about being an audience member here. It could be a good thing.
I came across this feature on keeping chickens in the city — it’s a 5-minute interview with an urban chicken keeper in England. I like watching pieces like this that give an honest glimpse into people’s food and lifestyle choices. This guy (er, bloke) may be on the other side of the planet, but it’s a small planet. His family, mine, and many others are keeping chickens for much the same reasons.
You’ll notice that his coop is one of those prefab Eglus. I like the modern style of those coops, and he’s integrated his well into his garden. (The cost of an Eglu is a different issue, and he talks about that in the video.)
Notice that he ended up building out his own covered run to increase his chooks’ space for ranging. It’s a good reminder that, even if you start off with an out-of-the-box chicken coop, some DIY skills will come in handy as you modify your coop to suit the needs of your flock and your space.
Kara and Jeff M. sent me a couple of winter updates from their Garden Coop in Plymouth, Massachusetts. I thought I’d share some of their ideas here for anyone looking to give their chickens a little extra protection from the snow and cold. Here’s update #1:
There was a blizzard here overnight and so far we have 18″, and it’s still snowing and blowing. It’s been bitterly cold all week, and we’ve been contemplating what to do to make sure our girls are safe and secure.
Finally, last night in the dark, Jeff and a friend wrapped the run in heavy plastic—leaving the ceiling open. It worked wonderfully! It might not be the most perfect job (done in the dark and trying to beat the storm), but it’s doing what it’s supposed to do. . .
I got a nice message the other day from Mike and Dara P. of Portland who built their backyard chicken coop using The Garden Coop plans.
Their coop works beautifully in their city backyard and fits well into their neighborhood. It also makes a great backdrop for their family holiday card!
In the note they sent, they shared tips from their experience building The Garden Coop as well as some of the ways that they customized the design to work for their situation. Here are some excerpts:
Came across this nice article on how to eat well while avoiding food from factory farms. It’s comprehensive (okay, long), but worth at least skimming then filing for later reference. And, yes, raising your own backyard eggs is one of the author’s many suggestions!
There’s a good post at UrbanChickens.net with resources for finding others in your area who are keeping chickens.
This was a necessity for us when we were just starting out. We’d read all the books. My wife even had experience with chickens on a farm as a kid. But until we met neighbors who were keeping chickens and found a group of locals online to turn to for answers, we stayed on the side of the pool.
Of course, having help and advice really comes in handy when you’re building your own coop. Whether you use plans or create your own design, being linked in can help you find deals on materials, get a helping hand or a work trade, and learn how to prepare your coop for your climate.
As with most things, the whole endeavor is just so much more fun when you’re doing it with others. So if you feel like you’re the only one in your area keeping chickens or wanting to keep chickens, put out some feelers. I bet you’ll find plenty of company.
I’ve heard chickens coo and seen them cope. I’ve even seen chicken cops. But when it comes to the structure in which chickens live, is it a chicken coup, coupe, or coop?
Well, it’s not a chicken coup unless you 1) built or got it through “a notable or successful stroke or move” or 2) ousted a leader from power and took it from him/her. Though I think if you pulled off the second, that would automatically qualify as the first too.
And it’s not a chicken coupe unless you’re talking about a two-door car. Which can happen. As can a chicken sedan.
So. . . by the process of elimination—and the power vested in my dictionary—chicken coop it is!
Or chicken house, chicken tractor, chicken ark. . .
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