I Love Chickens and Chickens Love Me!

So, contrary to the wishes of the wife, I am looking for chickens. I need to build a coop. I can’t decide whether to design and build my own or to seek out some plans. There are lots option no matter which way I decide to go. Some of the products that I am looking at can be found Click Here! and here. The first link has some very interesting plans and drawings…here is a sample…

Chickens are an excellent addition to the backyard organic vegetable garden. I prefer the portable chicken tractor because you can move the Chickens in safety and let them work your garden for you. Putting the chickens where you want them also allows you to put the excellent chicken fertilizer to work for you. Unlike dog poop, chicken poop is an excellent source of fertilizer for your garden. Rotating the chickens through your beds after the growing season gets your earth tilled, weeds and varmints removed, and fertilizes for the next growing season. Put the chickens for work for you. Chickens are inexpensive and easy to care for with a bit of planning. Make sure that you design your coop or tractor so that it is easy to clean. Provide suitable roosting for your chickens and provide privacy for your layers. Chickens also are fun for your children. Chickens are silly. It is almost impossible to watch chickens run around your yard without smiling. Chickens can also improve relations with your neighbors…as long as you don’t get a rooster. Roosters crow all the time. In the morning at dawn, before dawn, as sunset, in the middle of the night. As long as you get chickens (not roosters) your neighbors will be thrilled with the fresh eggs that you give them. How do you know the sex of a baby chicken? I’d leave that to the expert at the beginning. As long as you are familiar with a few terms, you can make sure to get the best chickens for your family. Do not buy straight run chickens. The straight run chickens are just selected based upon the order they hatch and are not sexed. You just get a grab bag of boys and girls. You probably know that baby chickens are called chicks. They are not called boy chicks and girl chicks. Cockerels are baby roosters (boys) and pullets are baby chickens (girls). Your local farmers cooperative probably sells chicks. Just make sure they are sexed. Also, depending how many chicks you want, you can order them off of the interest and have them delivered UPS to your door. Pretty cool! Lastly, your local extension service can tell you how to locate a chicken producer near you. Get some chickens, raise them right, and add them to your organic vegetable garden today! Your family will be thrilled!

This is a good looking coop here! Chicken palace…