New Hen Egg Layer Owner

Bob G · #1 11/18/13, 01:07 AM

My wife just came home with two Road Island Red chicks about one week old, saying, "Bob, I need a chicken house." I had some leftover PVC lying around, I thought to myself, "This'll be easy." Big surprise! I had the cheap parts left over. Wow! Have you priced a roll of wire lately? Or PVC connections, joints, adapters, etc? Since I believe in reduce, re-use and recycle, we bought an old hutch at the Goodwill store that will become the hen house. That, and the 9' X 4' chicken run I built far exceeded my original guesstimate, about which I boasted, "I can build that for less than fifty bucks." Ha! Ha, ha, ha, ha. How soon we get too soon olt und too late schmart!!! Anyway, I'm open to suggestions and advice. County regs say we can only have eight hens and no roosters unless we're at least 100 yards away from the neighbors. Any and all advice appreciated. Thanks for having me.

kudzuvine · #2 11/18/13, 05:21 AM

since you didn't have time to plan ahead, you can keep them in a tub with a light for a couple of weeks. Not sure where you're located, but with winter on us, warmth is an issue. if you're in town, may not have predator problems which helps with security. many great ideas on this site so you may want to search chicken houses. And yes, wire is not cheap.

SJSFarm · #3 11/18/13, 07:12 AM

Also, chicken wire will not stop raccoons or fox, they will rip right thru it.

I know of a few people who put a chicken door on the back of a garage and create a small coop in the garage. They will be much safer in there at night (make sure you close the chicken door every night).

parrotman · #4 11/18/13, 08:05 AM

Personally, at this time of year, and the fact that you only have two chicks, I would make a temporary holding area for them in a garage or shed, if you have.
When the weather breaks, and hopefully both have survived, you could take your time and not have to construct a coop in short order.

Missy M · #5 11/19/13, 05:33 PM

If they are really small you can temporarily put them in a large container with a heat lamp. This will help keep them warm and give you some time to build something.

Beachbum · #6 11/25/13, 06:33 PM

You can buy one off those 6' x 6' dog kennels for around $100 and some kind of dog house until you get the permanent pen built. We used the 1/2" square galvanized wire for our pen. Not cheap, but "chicken wire" is very poor wire for keeping varmints out. If you use the kennel, clip the ends of one wing so they don't fly out.