Registered: Feb 2009
Location: central , al
Posts: 1312

thinking about starting to raise chickens. been looking at different type coops. any suggestions? will be doing laying hens. how many roosters would you need for say 12 hens? just something for a hobby and to let my little girl help with. she loves chickens.

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BARRY GREEN
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Registered: Mar 2009
Location: s.c.
Posts: 6984

A lot of 4-H projects help the kids with that. Then the chicks get judged and awarded ribbons and auctioned . You can get arond the auctioned part if you want.

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Registered: Jul 2003
Location: Hohenwald,Tn
Posts: 465

I have been told you need 1 rooster for every 7 hens if your wanting chicks. I have no idea who figured 7-1 was the right ratio but it seems to work for dad.

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Registered: Mar 2009
Location: s.c.
Posts: 6984

I'm fixing to put a dozen poults in a 10X10X3' high frame out of 3 inch PVC covered in chicken wire with a half roof for shade attched to a garden hose out in the horse pasture. I plan to pull it forward by the hose every day or twice a day. I'm thinking I'll have to supplement feed some. I'm mostly doing this to see how the pasture responds but also if poop got on the steps or porch the birds would have to go. If it responds good I"ll build a dozen or so.

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Registered: Dec 2003
Location: Mercer PA
Posts: 4837

Look online, there are about 1000 plans on there. We buit one this year for a Christmas present and still needs finished. It was probably about $500 in lumber. Most anything will work though as long as the chickens have a place to be protected, lay, and roost.

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Ron Ashbaugh
CROOKED FOOT KENNELS

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Registered: Feb 2009
Location: central , al
Posts: 1312

Yea I've looked at most of them and the prefab ones. Not too bad priced. Just needs something small. Not going to start a chx farm.....lol

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BARRY GREEN
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Registered: Sep 2004
Location: Brookville, PA
Posts: 2461

i just let mine run loose around the place. They shack up with the hounds after dark. I pull eggs out of the dog houses every day.

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Lone Pine North

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Registered: Nov 2009
Location: East TN
Posts: 256

www.backyardchickens.com Has all the info you can think of, and like here there is a message forum for you to ask questions along with a search feature to find info as well. There is pictures of breeds, coops, home made incubators, brooders. It has helped me out a lot. Check out the learning center. Good luck hope it helps.

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Last edited by ki4qpu on 05-07-2010 at 01:48 PM

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Registered: Feb 2009
Location: central , al
Posts: 1312

thank you! i checked it out. lot of info there

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BARRY GREEN
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Registered: Apr 2009
Location:
Posts: 252

Unless you want the eggs to be fertile so you can hatch some of them you don't even need a rooster.

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Registered: Sep 2003
Location: illinois
Posts: 93

type chicken tractor in google

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Registered: Mar 2007
Location: SoCal
Posts: 341

quote:

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Originally posted by Forest
i just let mine run loose around the place. They shack up with the hounds after dark. I pull eggs out of the dog houses every day.

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