The Official Forum of the Ameraucana Breeders Club > Housing, Health & Hatching
Suggestions and pictures for how to build coops/runs
John:
--- Quote ---about 3/4" wide
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Actually you can get them 1/2" wide or 9/16" generally at any home improvement store. A jar of 500 is $4.39 on-line at Menard's...
--- Quote ---Metal Staple, 1/2 inch
Model Number: MS-500J | Menards® SKU: 3648004
Online Price $4.39
Secures Romex wire and other types of non-metallic cable.
•Recessed head drives faster and protects cable insulation.
•14/2, 12/2, 10/2
•500/Jar
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vanalpaca:
Finally found my staples and dogwire at 5 ft tall was only $2 more than 4 ft, so I got that. Next problem was my short wire cutters wouldn't cut the dogwire, so another trip to Lowes and now I should be set with the 14" bolt cutters.
My idea is 2 5x8 sections stapled to 2x4's and hinged together for the roof. Then a little experimenting to see how high to make the sides.
The roosters have done fine for 2 winters with the hoop houses and just 2 corner walls of plywood for wind shelter with a tarp roof.
Then laying hens are currently in a plywood 8x8x4H structure with a peaked roof and it is really dark inside as light only comes in from the east starting at 4 ft up and to the peak. Problem in there is that the eggs freeze or at least chill.
How to I get a structure so I can collect the eggs and incubate them. I was thinking maybe the pipe heating wire around the 5 gal nestbox buckets might do the trick but I am fishing here for better ideas. I could build a shelf underthem and wood back with a lift top and cut holes in the top back of the buckets and have that structure mounted sticking out of the henhouse. It would be nice to be able to use some of these eggs instead of them being froze/chilled....
Big thanks!
John:
I'm not sure what dogwire is, but if you need bolt cutters it sounds like chain-link fence. I use 2 by 4 welded wire. The 14 gauge cuts easily with side cutters.
dixieland:
--- Quote from: Bonnie Van Meter on February 27, 2013, 05:57:50 AM ---
How to I get a structure so I can collect the eggs and incubate them. I was thinking maybe the pipe heating wire around the 5 gal nestbox buckets might do the trick but I am fishing here for better ideas. I could build a shelf underthem and wood back with a lift top and cut holes in the top back of the buckets and have that structure mounted sticking out of the henhouse. It would be nice to be able to use some of these eggs instead of them being froze/chilled....
Big thanks!
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This is NOT a paid endorsement, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE John's Fowl Stuff nesting boxes. They are in fact based on the 5gallon bucket, but they have perfected it above and beyond what any of us (except John) have the ability or equipment to fabricate at home. The Hens love them, and they are very easy to keep clean and sanitized, the eggs seem to stay cleaner in them as well....
vanalpaca:
Jess, mine do the buckets, just need to get them off the ground and mounted and accessible from outside the coop AND keep the eggs from freezing/chilling so I can hatch early....I'm slow getting things done up properly.
Just way too much going on, but busy people thrive on that, right?? :D
(Last year this time we were outside freezing and building a 12x16 lean to for livestock), right now the furnace guy is putting in a new furnace and running new duct for the cold air return)
I've decided I need to build a bigger brooder as my 18x18x18 cube doesn't hold 25 chicks very well. Will be setting up the bathtub and brooder lamp in a couple of days to accomodate....
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