Comments on: A Chicken Coop for a Small Flock http://www.yourlocalmarketblog.com/2008/10/14/a-chicken-coop-for-a-small-flock/ Organic Grocery Market, Shop Local, Small Farms, Family Farms Wed, 23 Mar 2011 19:01:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Bill Gates http://www.yourlocalmarketblog.com/2008/10/14/a-chicken-coop-for-a-small-flock/#comment-6041 Bill Gates Wed, 06 Jan 2010 17:44:19 +0000 http://organictobe.org/?p=1390#comment-6041 I live in Alaska and plan to build my first chicken coop this spring. With heavy snows in the winter I am thinking of an overhang or covered porch at the door. With this in mind do you recommend the door swing in or out? I plan to use insulation in both walls and ceilings as our temps. can frequently be -25f in the winter. Is some type of ventilation needed so as to prevent condensation? Thanks in advance for any advice you may be able to offer. Bill I live in Alaska and plan to build my first chicken coop this spring. With heavy snows in the winter I am thinking of an overhang or covered porch at the door. With this in mind do you recommend the door swing in or out? I plan to use insulation in both walls and ceilings as our temps. can frequently be -25f in the winter. Is some type of ventilation needed so as to prevent condensation? Thanks in advance for any advice you may be able to offer.
Bill

]]> By: Gene Logsdon http://www.yourlocalmarketblog.com/2008/10/14/a-chicken-coop-for-a-small-flock/#comment-5670 Gene Logsdon Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:09:04 +0000 http://organictobe.org/?p=1390#comment-5670 Teresa in the beginning we had the chickens on one side of a chicken wire fence dividig the coop and the cats could only watch them through the wire from the other side. The chickens also got used to watching the cats. They became acclimated to each other and after we left the chickens outside and the chicks were larger, the cats paid no attention to them and, just as important I think, the chickens were unafraid of the cats and didn't run from them. Since our cats live to ripe old ages, in 35 years we have not had to "train" but two generations of cats. Our newest cats sometimes chase the old hens just for the fun of it, but nothing serious. It is just the chicks that you must concentrate on. Since our coop is divided into two parts, which I heartily recommend, we could keep the chicks on one side and let the cats come in the other where the old hens live. They stare at the chicks through the fence but in a month seem to lose their predatory desire for the kill. Gene Logsdon Teresa in the beginning we had the chickens on one side of a chicken wire fence dividig the coop and the cats could only watch them through the wire from the other side. The chickens also got used to watching the cats. They became acclimated to each other and after we left the chickens outside and the chicks were larger, the cats paid no attention to them and, just as important I think, the chickens were unafraid of the cats and didn’t run from them. Since our cats live to ripe old ages, in 35 years we have not had to “train” but two generations of cats. Our newest cats sometimes chase the old hens just for the fun of it, but nothing serious. It is just the chicks that you must concentrate on. Since our coop is divided into two parts, which I heartily recommend, we could keep the chicks on one side and let the cats come in the other where the old hens live. They stare at the chicks through the fence but in a month seem to lose their predatory desire for the kill. Gene Logsdon

]]> By: Teresa Sue Hoke-House http://www.yourlocalmarketblog.com/2008/10/14/a-chicken-coop-for-a-small-flock/#comment-5669 Teresa Sue Hoke-House Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:49:57 +0000 http://organictobe.org/?p=1390#comment-5669 Hi Gene, I have a question for you. I remember you saying in one of your books that you trained your cats to leave your chickens alone. Just how did you do that? Thanks for your time. Hi Gene, I have a question for you. I remember you saying in one of your books that you trained your cats to leave your chickens alone. Just how did you do that? Thanks for your time.

]]> By: Teresa Sue Hoke-House http://www.yourlocalmarketblog.com/2008/10/14/a-chicken-coop-for-a-small-flock/#comment-5413 Teresa Sue Hoke-House Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:41:44 +0000 http://organictobe.org/?p=1390#comment-5413 Your backyard chicken coop is my ultimate goal. After wanting chickens for years, but waiting to have our own place, I took the plunge this year and ordered chicks, even though we are still renting our rural property. I couldn't talk the hubbs into making me the coop you decribe because we don't own this place, but he is making me one on skids that we can move to our permanent farm. He welded a metal frame, built and attached a floor, it will have the same type of roof and even a recyled window like you feature. All insulated, of course. It is much smaller, so I will be buying more straw, but until we can get settled it work. When we move, we can wench the coop unto a trailer and take it with us. It can be used for something else once I get your "ultimate coop" built on our own property. You can never have too many outbuildings, right? Also we don't have to get a building permit for this coop on skids because it's not considered a permanent building. I especially like how your coop is divided and the many uses that particular feature offers. Keep writing and I'll keep reading. Your backyard chicken coop is my ultimate goal.

After wanting chickens for years, but waiting to have our own place, I took the plunge this year and ordered chicks, even though we are still renting our rural property. I couldn’t talk the hubbs into making me the coop you decribe because we don’t own this place, but he is making me one on skids that we can move to our permanent farm. He welded a metal frame, built and attached a floor, it will have the same type of roof and even a recyled window like you feature. All insulated, of course. It is much smaller, so I will be buying more straw, but until we can get settled it work. When we move, we can wench the coop unto a trailer and take it with us. It can be used for something else once I get your “ultimate coop” built on our own property. You can never have too many outbuildings, right? Also we don’t have to get a building permit for this coop on skids because it’s not considered a permanent building. I especially like how your coop is divided and the many uses that particular feature offers.

Keep writing and I’ll keep reading.

]]> By: Linda Einfalt http://www.yourlocalmarketblog.com/2008/10/14/a-chicken-coop-for-a-small-flock/#comment-5226 Linda Einfalt Fri, 29 May 2009 19:49:14 +0000 http://organictobe.org/?p=1390#comment-5226 Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I'll try to contact John Grogan or Organic Gardening. Yes, the movable coop is really an experiment. My family is not at all thrilled about chickens here, so this way,I can move them and no area will become too stinky for their precious noses. I'm moving ahead and will be picking up my 4 chicks at a local hatchery this weekend. Thanks again. I'll be reading your articles on this blog and will look for your books. Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I’ll try to contact John Grogan or Organic Gardening. Yes, the movable coop is really an experiment. My family is not at all thrilled about chickens here, so this way,I can move them and no area will become too stinky for their precious noses. I’m moving ahead
and will be picking up my 4 chicks at a local hatchery this weekend. Thanks again. I’ll be reading your articles on this blog and will look for your books.

]]> By: Gene Logsdon http://www.yourlocalmarketblog.com/2008/10/14/a-chicken-coop-for-a-small-flock/#comment-5225 Gene Logsdon Thu, 28 May 2009 14:40:32 +0000 http://organictobe.org/?p=1390#comment-5225 Linda, the plans you refer to are from John Grogan, appended to my article. John was editor of OG at the time. I am sure if you write to the magazine, they will send you tear sheets of the plans. The plan may be online too, and if not there are scores of other plants online, I'm sure. I personally do not advocate movable coops. That does not mean they are not a good idea. I just prefer having a coop big enough to accommodate my hens comfortably--- no big deal with just four of them. Gene Logsdon Linda, the plans you refer to are from John Grogan, appended to my article. John was editor of OG at the time. I am sure if you write to the magazine, they will send you tear sheets of the plans. The plan may be online too, and if not there are scores of other plants online, I’m sure. I personally do not advocate movable coops. That does not mean they are not a good idea. I just prefer having a coop big enough to accommodate my hens comfortably— no big deal with just four of them. Gene Logsdon

]]> By: Linda Einfalt http://www.yourlocalmarketblog.com/2008/10/14/a-chicken-coop-for-a-small-flock/#comment-5221 Linda Einfalt Wed, 27 May 2009 23:34:58 +0000 http://organictobe.org/?p=1390#comment-5221 Hi, Gene, I am trying to find a copy of the article and plan for a movable coop that you wrote in 2001 (Sept./Oct.) for Organic Gardening magazine. I saved it (p 25.) for all these years thinking about getting 3 or 4 backyard chickens and finally last Friday, I cut the wood only now the plan has vanished. I spent an hr, at the public library today trying to find it with no luck. Could you possibly email me your plan? It's great that I discovered your blog in the coop search process...lots of great articles. Thank you, Linda Einfalt, Cincinnati Hi, Gene,

I am trying to find a copy of the article and plan for a movable coop that you wrote in 2001 (Sept./Oct.) for Organic Gardening magazine. I saved it (p 25.) for all these years thinking about getting 3 or 4 backyard chickens and finally last Friday, I cut the wood only now the plan has vanished. I spent an hr, at the public library today trying to find it with no luck. Could you possibly email me your plan? It’s great that I discovered your blog in the coop search process…lots of great articles.

Thank you,
Linda Einfalt, Cincinnati

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