Chickens! and down to 298 days

 

I have decided to have my hubby build a chicken coop.  I used to have chickens and I miss the fresh eggs and plan on having about 7 of them.  I decided to put them within my inner yard where my flower beds are.  I took out a flower bed tonight and took everything out of it and moved it.  I put the two roses in a pot and am crossing my fingers that they survive.  Then had to swing the sledge hammer to remove that home made can/mortar edging that I worked so hard to build many years ago.

The coop will be off the ground about 30" and about 4' sq.x4' sq.  Should hold up to 8 chickens according to Purina Mills where I found the free pattern.  They will have a 6 ft. tall run that is 7 ft. wide by 10 ft. long totally enclosed with the coop on the end.  The egg box will be on the outside of the run so I can just lift & grab.  I'll take pictures as we go, will probably start working on it this week on my days off.  I have a list of the chickens I want but heck, it cost $45 to have 7 chickens shipped, whoo!  I found someone here who breeds them and will call tomorrow to see what she has.

I've read a lot on them and one site says to use wood pellets on the floor of the coop and it keeps the odor down and you just keep adding a layer of pellets and only have to actually clean it every couple of months.  We'll see how that works.  :)  I want them to be tame  and friendly and I'll let them out of their run eventually.  The design will be changed a bit, I want windows on the side that faces the house so I can look in and see them and the windows will be a double opening door with screen behind so can open for ventilation.  This will be fun :)

The chickens I'd like to have are:

Columbian Wyandotte

Silver Laced Wyandotte

Golden Laced Wyandotte

Black Australorp

Speckled Sussex

Buff Orpington

Plymouth Barred Rock

I actually found a place that will let me order only 7, and all the other places I found want a minimum of 25.  So, finding some here should save me a bit and I'll wait until spring to get different ones.  Meanwhile I'll get a couple from here if she has what I want.