Whilst the search for more breeding sows and boars continues I got to work on the chicken housing. Following my chosen path of recycle and reuse I found a design for a chicken house in the 'Build it with pallets' book and got to work. Unusually for me I have decided not to bore you with the details and images of the chicken house build but just skip straight to the good bits - the pictures.
[caption id="attachment_256" align="aligncenter" width="764"]
A chicken home fit for a king.[/caption]
Here are some more images for you to marvel at the new chicken house.
[gallery ids="262,263,264,265,266,267"]
As you can see the chicken house is marked with a big A on the roof, this allows me to keep track of the number of chickens in each house (this is just the first of many) and how many eggs we get each day. In true soviet fashion I have named this house Gul'egg' A and plan to have a whole camp of Gul'egg's in the paddock just in time to sell eggs, along with bacon, at the farmer market in March. I estimate that each house could handle between 8 and 10 chickens but in the spirit of the farm philosophy I have decided to only house 6 chickens per Gul'egg'.
Having completed the house I manhandled it onto the back of the Landy and moved it into River Paddock 1 (which is about 1.5acres) , added some straw, a perch and set up the nesting boxes with some cosy sawdust. The next day Claire and I headed out on the search for chickens and having received a tip off we headed for the Big Egg Company on Roslyn Road in Levin, armed with Woody's travelling crate that I doubt he will ever use again. At $15 each we very quickly became the proud owners of 6 ex "free farmed" chickens and set off back home to get them laying.
Arriving at their new home Claire and I lifted the chickens out of the crate and into the house, added their sparkling new water container and feeder and closed the lid for the night. I am told that you should lock the chickens in on their first night so they get used to what is now home, we did this and went to bed. The next morning Claire was up early and excited to get to the chickens and see if they had laid. We headed down to Gul'egg' alley and slowly raised the lid...no eggs. Not an issue we were just as excited to open the door and let the hens have their first taste of REAL FREE RANGE.
[gallery ids="268,270,271"]
Opening the door to the chicken house provided the chickens with their first opportunity to run free, escape their shackles and make a break for it. However the chicken were institutionalised and simply stared at the open door with a great deal of suspicion. Claire and I retreated a safe distance and watched....a minute later the first plucky sole decided to take a look outside, closely followed by another, they were happy at last.
A few hours went past and the chickens came and went at their leisure, I decided to have another look in the hen house and look what I found:
[caption id="attachment_272" align="aligncenter" width="764"]
They are not golden, but they might as well be.[/caption]
So Woody's Farm has its first produce for sale, true free range eggs soon to be for sale. Or, why not just come and meet the chickens.
[caption id="attachment_273" align="aligncenter" width="890"]
Come and meet the chickens.[/caption]
A chicken home fit for a king.[/caption]
Here are some more images for you to marvel at the new chicken house.
[gallery ids="262,263,264,265,266,267"]
As you can see the chicken house is marked with a big A on the roof, this allows me to keep track of the number of chickens in each house (this is just the first of many) and how many eggs we get each day. In true soviet fashion I have named this house Gul'egg' A and plan to have a whole camp of Gul'egg's in the paddock just in time to sell eggs, along with bacon, at the farmer market in March. I estimate that each house could handle between 8 and 10 chickens but in the spirit of the farm philosophy I have decided to only house 6 chickens per Gul'egg'.
Having completed the house I manhandled it onto the back of the Landy and moved it into River Paddock 1 (which is about 1.5acres) , added some straw, a perch and set up the nesting boxes with some cosy sawdust. The next day Claire and I headed out on the search for chickens and having received a tip off we headed for the Big Egg Company on Roslyn Road in Levin, armed with Woody's travelling crate that I doubt he will ever use again. At $15 each we very quickly became the proud owners of 6 ex "free farmed" chickens and set off back home to get them laying.
Arriving at their new home Claire and I lifted the chickens out of the crate and into the house, added their sparkling new water container and feeder and closed the lid for the night. I am told that you should lock the chickens in on their first night so they get used to what is now home, we did this and went to bed. The next morning Claire was up early and excited to get to the chickens and see if they had laid. We headed down to Gul'egg' alley and slowly raised the lid...no eggs. Not an issue we were just as excited to open the door and let the hens have their first taste of REAL FREE RANGE.
[gallery ids="268,270,271"]
Opening the door to the chicken house provided the chickens with their first opportunity to run free, escape their shackles and make a break for it. However the chicken were institutionalised and simply stared at the open door with a great deal of suspicion. Claire and I retreated a safe distance and watched....a minute later the first plucky sole decided to take a look outside, closely followed by another, they were happy at last.
A few hours went past and the chickens came and went at their leisure, I decided to have another look in the hen house and look what I found:
[caption id="attachment_272" align="aligncenter" width="764"]
They are not golden, but they might as well be.[/caption]
So Woody's Farm has its first produce for sale, true free range eggs soon to be for sale. Or, why not just come and meet the chickens.
[caption id="attachment_273" align="aligncenter" width="890"]
Come and meet the chickens.[/caption]
2 comments
mud4fun
Nice work on the Chicken hut. I’m curious though, do you have foxes over there? I was just wondering how you protect the birds during the day when the door is open or do foxes only hunt at night?
Nice work on the Chicken hut. I’m curious though, do you have foxes over there? I was just wondering how you protect the birds during the day when the door is open or do foxes only hunt at night?
toddd10
Thanks, about to start the construction of building B, however this time I think I might add a window. There are no foxes in New Zealand but we have possums, stoats and birds of prey that all might try and take a chicken. Where we are the possums have been controlled by the council (they air-drop 1080 bait pellets – much to my dismay) and the only bird of prey is the Harrier (which I am told only eats Carrion). I suppose only time will tell but after one day all 6 are still there. Ironically the biggest risk is Woody (my dog) who is likely to go mad when he eventually finds the chickens, because of him I have put up an electric tape fence around the chickens (he hates electric shocks).
Thanks, about to start the construction of building B, however this time I think I might add a window. There are no foxes in New Zealand but we have possums, stoats and birds of prey that all might try and take a chicken. Where we are the possums have been controlled by the council (they air-drop 1080 bait pellets – much to my dismay) and the only bird of prey is the Harrier (which I am told only eats Carrion). I suppose only time will tell but after one day all 6 are still there. Ironically the biggest risk is Woody (my dog) who is likely to go mad when he eventually finds the chickens, because of him I have put up an electric tape fence around the chickens (he hates electric shocks).