Dog run to chicken coop

[ORChick]

I'm looking for some ideas. My neighbour's dog died awhile ago, and she has offered me the chain link dog run for another chicken housing project, if I want it. I believe it is 8"x 10". Since I had to discourage 3 broody hens this last year because I simply did not have any room for more chickens I thought I might make this new place into a broody coop. And here is where I need some good ideas.

Assuming that all 3 who went broody this last summer do so again next year, and possibly at near the same time, do broody hens get on OK together? Meaning, can they share space, or do they need their own private sector? And how about once the chicks are there? (I have only ever had one broody at a time before, so don't know how they deal with each other) Are there aspects of a "regular" coop that are not needed for broody hens? And vice verse?

I built my present coop, and it has been quite adequate for the almost 6 years it has been in use. I know about covering the chainlink with finer hardware cloth to keep out predators, etc. What I am looking for (from all you more experienced flock owners) are ideas to make best use of this windfall; practical ideas that you might incorporate into such a project.

I was thinking also that it might be a place for meat birds at some point. I haven't had such in the past, mostly (again) from lack of room.

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[Britesea]

I don't know enough to give you advice, I just wanted to drool all over your windfall

You might ask in BYC too

 

[Denim Deb]

 

[ORChick]

I don't know enough to give you advice, I just wanted to drool all over your windfall

You might ask in BYC too

I thought about BYC, and might yet do that, but this smaller forum is less intimidating

 

[Beekissed]

Assuming that all 3 who went broody this last summer do so again next year, and possibly at near the same time, do broody hens get on OK together? Meaning, can they share space, or do they need their own private sector? And how about once the chicks are there? (I have only ever had one broody at a time before, so don't know how they deal with each other) Are there aspects of a "regular" coop that are not needed for broody hens? And vice verse?

I've had broodies get along just fine in the same brooder pen. They stayed with their own nests and two of them wound up raising chicks together when let out on range. Eventually one of them went back to the flock and let her chicks be fostered by the other hen.

Others have reported that chicks hatched early by one hen were subjected to pecking by the other hen who was still brooding eggs and was not in the mood for strange chicks in her space. In light of that, a person could section off the nests with "play pens" after hatching so that chicks get firmly bonded to Mom and wouldn't be climbing over the other broodies.

You won't need any roosts and nest boxes will need to be on the ground and have some good space for ease of mobility of the hen. Nipple waterers are a great idea for raising chicks and they learn them really quickly...you can also use a nipple cup attachment to the bucket for the adult birds. This solves a lot of watering issues like dirty water, chicks getting wet, water getting tipped over. Here's a pic of a bucket with nipples on the bottom for chicks and a nipple cup on the side for adults:

Broodies seem to like to brood kind of private, so if you can construct nest boxes that are sort of sheltered, with covers...a place where they can sort of hunker down in a "private" place. They seem to like to hide in their nests and I tend to see them do better if they have nests that are deep, with some sort of top over them but not with a lip so tall that a chick gets out of the nest and cannot get back in and so gets chilled and dies.

A sturdy top to the pen that sheds rain and snow and a three sided wind block, with some good, deep litter that has been cultured with litter or soil from the adult pens that will help keep the chicks healthy, with no need for medicated feeds. A low trough or hanging style feeder which can serve both mom and chicks will cut out all the work involved in trying to feed them separately. Such feeders will also prevent bedding from being kicked into the feed. You'd be surprised at how a young chick can adapt to a taller, trough feeder right along with the adults.

 

[ORChick]

Thanks Bee! I think I remember reading about your mutually broody hens before, now that you have reminded me.

So, do I understand from what you wrote, that you don't think an actual building (i.e. chicken house) is necessary? Just a 3 sided shelter, with a roof of some sort, and individual nest areas? Would this work also for the possible future meat chickens? (Thinking on it, I suppose it would, as they would never reach an age where nests or winter shelter would be necessary) Hmm, maybe individual boxes, of a decent size, with 3 1/2 sides (the 2 short ends, and the back, and half the front - so that one end is dark and sheltered), and a roof. I could make as many as needed, and place them about the area. Good idea about the inoculated bedding as well; that would never have occurred to me.

Thank you for your comments. I don't think I ever commented at the time, but I read through your long thread on fermented food for the birds (was that BYC?), and found it very informative.


ETA: Those are adorable little chicks, with the speckled wing feathers coming in. What breed are they?

 

[Beekissed]

I think a three sided place is adequate, seeing as how most hens will be going broody in the spring and early summer...I wouldn't let them brood in the winter as there is no need for it.

It will work great for meaties as they really need the ventilation.

Those chicks are Delawares...hardy little things.

 

[ORChick]

I have one Delaware hen in my mixed flock, but I don't remember her being quite so cute when she was little . No doubt the cuteness factor is raised when there are several being cute together.

So I am starting to get a picture in my mind how this might turn out. Cover the bottom half of one short end with something solid - like an 8'x4' plywood sheet or something like that - as well as part of each sidewall, and another sheet over the top - forming an 8'x4' covered space. Put a board across the front, to form a lip to keep most of the bedding in; not too high, so the chicks can get back in if they tumble out. Put together some 3 sided wooden boxes as individual nesting areas, so the little families are private, and not on top of each other; can be added or subtracted at need. Put something, a large tarp maybe, over part of the run roof, as well as down the sides, as a wind and rain break. Cover all the chain link first with 1/2" hardware cloth (I still have the horror of our neighbours' chicken massacre caused by a weasel, getting through a tiny hole, fresh in my mind). Leave part of the run open to the sky so they can get some sun - that has been a problem in the past with all the babies; the only place to let them run and scratch that was safe from cats was populated by grown chickens, who weren't too happy with the littlies invading their space; and Mom wasn't happy having to share with the others either. (My cats, by the way, are scared of the chickens, and stay out of their way. But I have never felt inclined to test if this theory works with little squeaky-toy-like chicks)

But first I have to go down to the neighbour, and disassemble the run. And then I need to build a retaining wall, as our property is on a steep hill, and that is the only way to get a level space. And none of that sounds appealing during the wet, gray Oregon Autumn and Winter days. Well, first things first: get the run taken apart, and bring it up here. The rest can wait till Spring. That's what I did when I first got chickens; spent the Winter planning, and early Spring building.

The plans are fluid at the moment, if anyone wants to throw something else into the mix

 

[Denim Deb]

I'm wondering if the chicks RU got are Delawares. They look to be white w/black speckled feathers coming in.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

At my place it seems when one goes broody they all do, lol. I have no problem with communal broodiness, but some of my hens are just dumb. In an individual nest situation they sometimes forget which nest is theirs. They'll try to double up with another hen and leave their own nest un-tended. Also leads to a bigger chance of broken eggs as the hens fight for their place.

In other instances - when I've caught hens hiding their nests on the ground - they've done the communal thing with no problems at all... go figger. Maybe it's the lack of individual nests because they just sit close together and when one gets up the other rolls all the eggs she can under herself.

I tend to try and let them do their own thing, but in the case of the dummies fighting over one nest and leaving the other untended - I'll try to separate them if possible.

Just watch your girls and respond according to what they do and I'll bet you get some of those cute little fluffy butts!