I know I’ve said this before, but it’s really paid off to build a tight, rat-and other critter-proof chicken coop plus yard. Billy Cummings did the honors here: concrete floor for their nesting room and feed room, aviary wire on the sides and top of the yard; wire down into the ground a foot or so at bottom edges of yard for digging critters like skunks or raccoons. The yard works so well we don’t even bother closing the little door to their nesting room at night. I probably built five funky chicken coops over the years before this one.
The bantam hens work really well for us; the Golden Seabrights are not only (in my opinion) the most beautiful of chickens, inquisitive, perky, and friendly, but they lay surprisingly well. Once you have your own fresh eggs, you can’t go back to store-bought.
The sod roof is doing well after the late rains.
About Lloyd Kahn
Lloyd Kahn started building his own home in the early '60s and went on to publish books showing homeowners how they could build their own homes with their own hands. He got his start in publishing by working as the shelter editor of the
Whole Earth Catalog with Stewart Brand in the late '60s. He has since authored six highly-graphic books on homemade building, all of which are interrelated. The books, "The Shelter Library Of Building Books," include
Shelter,
Shelter II (1978),
Home Work (2004),
Builders of the Pacific Coast (2008),
Tiny Homes (2012), and
Tiny Homes on the Move (2014). Lloyd operates from Northern California studio built of recycled lumber, set in the midst of a vegetable garden, and hooked into the world via five Mac computers. You can check out videos (one with over 450,000 views) on Lloyd by doing a search on YouTube:
I know I’ve said this before, but it’s really paid off to build a tight, rat-and other critter-proof chicken coop plus yard. Billy Cummings did the honors here: concrete floor for their nesting room and feed room, aviary wire on the sides and top of the yard; wire down into the ground a foot or so at bottom edges of yard for digging critters like skunks or raccoons. The yard works so well we don’t even bother closing the little door to their nesting room at night. I probably built five funky chicken coops over the years before this one.
Looks a good coop. Mines moveable so they can be put on fresh grass but I think I need to make something more fox proof. A lot of people have been loosing hens lately to foxes so I need to build something a little better before I loose mine.
Inspiring as always-love seeing glimpses of your homestead!
Love the living roof. I would like to do something like that on my chicken coop.
This is a great blog. My son had chickens for a while, and I really enjoyed the fresh eggs. And, you can tell the difference in egg quality.
I asked the question, once, about chicken coop being mixed together like yours are, do you ever get a different kind of chicken if you hatch any of the eggs
Here's an alternative to Chickens
http://www.resilientcommunities.com/ducks-for-backyard-protein/?inf_contact_key=689b386ec97d430182047c542a30e40c234c5d976eb1b929331be7fb27c8668b
Are Ducks the New Chicken For Backyard Protein?
Why Ducks?
Ducks offer a few benefits that chickens do not. In terms of nutrition, duck eggs contain more fat and cholesterol than chicken eggs while providing other essential nutrients including vitamins A, B6, B12, niacin, iron and calcium.
The eggs also tend to taste much better – a trait attributed to ducks’ ability to forage for up to 90% of their food. Grain-fed chicken eggs have a pale flavor and lightly colored yolk. Duck eggs, on the other hand, have a lot more flavor and deep orange yolks full of nutrients.
The eggs are prized for use in baked goods due to the extra protein found in the egg whites and the thicker shells and membranes of duck eggs mean they have a much longer shelf life. Not to mention that the eggs tend to be bigger too.
Looks a good chicken coop kits. Mines moveable so they can be put on fresh grass but I think I need to make something more fox proof. A lot of people have been loosing hens lately to foxes so I need to build something a little better before I loose mine.
The coop is huge and very, very heavy. We're not worried about it blowing away. The roof is drilled through plastic onto into the wood, so it's pretty secure, too. chicken coop plans We've had a few big storms since we built it, but I am worried about hurricanes. Fingers crossed!
I love your farm photos. I, very much, miss the March Gardening issue. chicken coop kits Have you considered writing a book about your farm? History, restoration, gardens, etc.
Chickens are no doubt great pet birds, but without protection they may be the reason for your tension. Hence get good chicken houses and protect them.
Chickens are no doubt great pet birds, but without protection they may be the reason for your tension. Hence get good chicken houses and protect them.