Coop De Villa!

You'll want to trench that hardware cloth in, about a foot deep (at least) to keep the critters from digging under it to raid the hen house.

We did the same thing on our garden. Used to get all kinds of critters in there. Here we just go out about a foot, and then use the abundant rocks to make a barrier on top of the hardware cloth. Seems to work pretty well.

The fencing is going to be kind of ridiculous. I'm using a 2x3 heavy gauge fence around the run and then putting the hardware cloth on. Mainly because the hardware cloth will keep the rodents and snakes out, but I think a coyote could pretty much rip right through the hardware cloth if they really tried.
 
Well i am with you on doing it not for economics but at least you know what your chickens will be fed and your crops in the greenhouse will be treated according to your desires as far as chemicals and sprays.

And if old willie coyote comes a looking for chickens introduce him to some hot lead or shot.

Next up paintball sentry to do guard duty on chicken coop. Just change out the paintball gun for something with hot lead.

http://www.realsentrygun.com/Videos.htm
 
Breeding chickens or hens is not easy if you want to do it well. The poo has to be removed, they can pick mites and other diseases, and in the dessert where you live, there are snakes and other predators to be protected from, besides when they stop laying eggs will you be willing to kill, disinbowel and cook them to eat?
 
Breeding chickens or hens is not easy if you want to do it well. The poo has to be removed, they can pick mites and other diseases, and in the dessert where you live, there are snakes and other predators to be protected from, besides when they stop laying eggs will you be willing to kill, disinbowel and cook them to eat?

We are planning all hens...no breeding.

Toni, I can't even tell you how many ducks, quail, geese, rabbits, etc. I've had to take care of at the end of a hunting day. That part does not bother me/us. Except if he gives them names :)
 
We are planning all hens...no breeding.

Toni, I can't even tell you how many ducks, quail, geese, rabbits, etc. I've had to take care of at the end of a hunting day. That part does not bother me/us. Except if he gives them names :)

You are right Sharon, I completely forgot about your previous avatar.
 
Very nice. We've got gopher snakes I've found that are very attracted to birds nests and the peeping from the little baby birds.

I'm planning on making the run pretty darn secure, so hopefully that will keep the snakes and rodents out.

I really don't have a problem with cleaning up after them, as I'm thinking it will be really good in the compost bin, which in turn, will be really good in the garden.

As far as End of Life issues, well, I've got Sharon to take care of that :bonkers::bonkers:

:bbq:
 
Lol this thread gave me a flashback to my army days in the bush. We got given ithink it was around 29 indian game chickens. Some local farmer had these and was pulling out of the area for reasons of security. They were a breed with really long necks but little bodies. Personally i think they were used for cockfighting. Anyhow we were on dry rations at the time so they looked like great meals. We lopped the heads off and hung them on washline to drain while we plucked them one by one after dipping in basin of hot water.
One was left over that was really not worth killing so we put it into the official coop with our "pet" hens. Lol.
Keep in mind in the bush in obscure conflicts u do crazy stuff.
Few days later...
Well this lone ranger had no social manners and dared to peck at one of the mother hens newborn (40days ) chicks.
Oh boy our cook saw this from his lazy post on back of a camp stove and grabbed large cleaver and charged over to the coop and in a blind range lopped off the newcomers head. A few of us had some bonny chicken bits that day with our lunch.
It was a sight for sore eyes that i will take to the grave.
Note our cook was not the brightest but you dont touch "family" in his presence. Lol. What a flashback.

Yup Sharon is right dont give em names.
40 days refers to the Elvis song and got played round the clock when we had 40 days to demobilisation.

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk
 
Very nice. We've got gopher snakes I've found that are very attracted to birds nests and the peeping from the little baby birds.

I'm planning on making the run pretty darn secure, so hopefully that will keep the snakes and rodents out.

Or add a few guinea hens for security duty. If those things were twice the size they are I'd be truely terrified of them, ain't no snake going scare those gals!

As far as End of Life issues, well, I've got Sharon to take care of that :bonkers::bonkers:
:bbq:

Might I suggest: "coq a vin" instead of BBQ? Old hens tend to be a wee bit on the tough side. Chicken adobo is also quite nice for old toughies.

Reminds me of my friend who'd gotten a handful of chickens. They'd named them, babied them, the GF read beadtime stories to them (literally no I'm not kidding - they're no longer together his newer wife is much more practical) and then they got old. I generously offered to "solve" the problem for him. The GF hid in the house and he helped catch the chicken but walked around the other side of the barn while I dispatched and cleaned the birds. Afterward my friend walked back around afterwards, looked at the cleaned birds on the table and said "huh they look just like chicken! You know chicken sounds pretty good!" After that no problem, we later raised and butchered ~25 meat birds together.
 
Or add a few guinea hens for security duty. If those things were twice the size they are I'd be truely terrified of them, ain't no snake going scare those gals!

Definitely thinking about some guinea hens.

I've heard a rooster makes a pretty good alarm too, but not sure I really want to deal with fertilized eggs, and not sure I want enough chickens to keep a rooster fully 'occupied'


Might I suggest: "coq a vin" instead of BBQ? Old hens tend to be a wee bit on the tough side. Chicken adobo is also quite nice for old toughies.

That was my first thought, but the forum was rather lacking in smiley faces with stew pot gifs! :rofl:

Maybe a coq au biere with some dark homebrew?

Reminds me of my friend who'd gotten a handful of chickens. They'd named them, babied them, the GF read beadtime stories to them (literally no I'm not kidding - they're no longer together his newer wife is much more practical) and then they got old. I generously offered to "solve" the problem for him. The GF hid in the house and he helped catch the chicken but walked around the other side of the barn while I dispatched and cleaned the birds. Afterward my friend walked back around afterwards, looked at the cleaned birds on the table and said "huh they look just like chicken! You know chicken sounds pretty good!" After that no problem, we later raised and butchered ~25 meat birds together.

I helped my uncle and aunt do up about a hundred one time. Not sure I'd want to do that many, but It's not really all that bad. I'd rather clean a bird than a rabbit any day of the week.
 
Definitely thinking about some guinea hens.

I've heard a rooster makes a pretty good alarm too, but not sure I really want to deal with fertilized eggs, and not sure I want enough chickens to keep a rooster fully 'occupied'

Well the rooster only needs about a dozen hens.. which might be doable if you like lots of souffles :D The fertilized eggs aren't generally a problem - especially if you refrigerate them, and even if you don't you might occasionally get a spot of blood in an egg is all.

The idea of the rooster as an alarm has mixed results. About half the time they seem to alarm at the car driving by on the road but go hide in a tree when the coyote comes around :rofl:

That was my first thought, but the forum was rather lacking in smiley faces with stew pot gifs! :rofl:

Maybe a coq au biere with some dark homebrew?

Part of the trick with coq au vin is that the wine is acidic which tenderizes the meat... if you went that route maybe add a bit of malt vinegar or something? Will have to think on that one.


I helped my uncle and aunt do up about a hundred one time. Not sure I'd want to do that many, but It's not really all that bad. I'd rather clean a bird than a rabbit any day of the week.

:eek: That's a ton of birds, I'm hoping they have an automated plucker!
 
I decided that since the weather is getting nice enough outside that I don't need to work on the coop inside that I would put together what I have.

Nice to also get these things out of the way so I can work on other projects.

Remaining tasks:
1) Roof
2) Windows
3) Door
4) Chicken Plank
5) Paint
6) Let bob pick it up and take it over to the chicken run. Dang thing is HEAVY.

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been catchun up on this brent and quineas are far better watch dogs than a rooster, i think a rooster helps put the chickens in lay mode though.. and what is the problem with cleaning rabbits tome there much easier than chickens..?
 
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