I'd been asking my husband whether we could have chickens, on and off for years and he had had a laundry list of reasons for why we shouldn't or couldn't
until one day in early September 2018 when he said YES!
My husband and I enjoy hunting ... big game, small game, we even enjoy going fishing or collecting blueberries in the surrounding woods ...
Hunting Season was about to begin when I went online and ordered 25 Brahma Chicks from a Hatchery in Texas, to be delivered by USPS in 2 weeks time!
My old man was not happy about the timing, which is when I explained to him that I'd very purposefully ordered the Chicks to arrive at the beginning of the Hunting Season! If he hurried up and build me a chicken coop, he could perhaps get a few hunting days in this year yet ... if I waited until after hunting season to order the Chicks, he may change his mind again about us having Chickens, and I just didn't want to chance that!
It was not my idea to build a Chicken FORT, "I just wanted a cute lil coop ... kinda sideways leaning with lots of chicken wire everywhere!" ... seriously though, I wanted a cute lil thang and I got this boxy looking thing (Still trying to figure out how to make it look cute!!!) The chickens luv it and its absolutely practical ... it's survived a Hurricane Category3 without taking any damage (or Chicken looses)
We live in Central Louisiana, the sub-division was build in a old Pine tree plantation,
and the surrounding woods give ample cover to the wildlife ... Raccoons, Opossums, Bobcats, Snakes, Wiesel, Feral Hogs, Coyotes and stray dogs!
We have a pair of Bald Eagles live on the lake only a few short miles up the road and Red Shoulder and Red Tail Hawks sit in the trees in our back Yard ... watching!
Here is probably where I have to add that Hubby served 20+ years in the Army and he loves wide open spaces, therefore our 1 acre Backyard is not fenced in, neither are the 4 acres we purchased next door.
We enjoy watching the local wildlife move across the property but we had to take extreme measures to protect our Chicken coop which essentially sits in the middle of the wide open yard.
12'x12' concrete floor to make up the coop floor and keep skunks and coons out!
2"x4" walls
Sheet Metal Walls and Roof
The 5 windows were covered in 1/4" hardware cloth before we installed the Metal siding, they provide ample light and ventilation.
6' Chain link Fence and 1/4" Hardware cloth cover the outside run, as coons could reach trough the Chain link fabric and a Wiesel would walk right trough it!
The 25'x25' outside run was completely covered with Chain link and 1/4" Hardware cloth as well ... no 6 months after this project was 'completed' I had Hubby extend the run by another 25' and cover the original run with a Sheet Metal roof to provide protection from the rain as our Peeps didn't much care to walk out into the mud!
We will occasionally find a Rat Snake or 2 in the nest boxes but they keep whatever mice and rats away, so we don't mind them eating the occasional egg ... they've never taken a chick and the Chickens are way to large to be bothered by those Snakes.
I was worried that the coop may get to hot in the Summer but having installed 5 windows and having covered half the outside run with a 12' tall sheet metal roof (for Shade and protection from the Rain) we've not had any problems with Chicken overheating!
We intend to build separate pens for the Toulouse Geese and Mandarin Ducks
until one day in early September 2018 when he said YES!
My husband and I enjoy hunting ... big game, small game, we even enjoy going fishing or collecting blueberries in the surrounding woods ...
Hunting Season was about to begin when I went online and ordered 25 Brahma Chicks from a Hatchery in Texas, to be delivered by USPS in 2 weeks time!
My old man was not happy about the timing, which is when I explained to him that I'd very purposefully ordered the Chicks to arrive at the beginning of the Hunting Season! If he hurried up and build me a chicken coop, he could perhaps get a few hunting days in this year yet ... if I waited until after hunting season to order the Chicks, he may change his mind again about us having Chickens, and I just didn't want to chance that!
It was not my idea to build a Chicken FORT, "I just wanted a cute lil coop ... kinda sideways leaning with lots of chicken wire everywhere!" ... seriously though, I wanted a cute lil thang and I got this boxy looking thing (Still trying to figure out how to make it look cute!!!) The chickens luv it and its absolutely practical ... it's survived a Hurricane Category3 without taking any damage (or Chicken looses)
We live in Central Louisiana, the sub-division was build in a old Pine tree plantation,
and the surrounding woods give ample cover to the wildlife ... Raccoons, Opossums, Bobcats, Snakes, Wiesel, Feral Hogs, Coyotes and stray dogs!
We have a pair of Bald Eagles live on the lake only a few short miles up the road and Red Shoulder and Red Tail Hawks sit in the trees in our back Yard ... watching!
Here is probably where I have to add that Hubby served 20+ years in the Army and he loves wide open spaces, therefore our 1 acre Backyard is not fenced in, neither are the 4 acres we purchased next door.
We enjoy watching the local wildlife move across the property but we had to take extreme measures to protect our Chicken coop which essentially sits in the middle of the wide open yard.
12'x12' concrete floor to make up the coop floor and keep skunks and coons out!
2"x4" walls
Sheet Metal Walls and Roof
The 5 windows were covered in 1/4" hardware cloth before we installed the Metal siding, they provide ample light and ventilation.
6' Chain link Fence and 1/4" Hardware cloth cover the outside run, as coons could reach trough the Chain link fabric and a Wiesel would walk right trough it!
The 25'x25' outside run was completely covered with Chain link and 1/4" Hardware cloth as well ... no 6 months after this project was 'completed' I had Hubby extend the run by another 25' and cover the original run with a Sheet Metal roof to provide protection from the rain as our Peeps didn't much care to walk out into the mud!
We will occasionally find a Rat Snake or 2 in the nest boxes but they keep whatever mice and rats away, so we don't mind them eating the occasional egg ... they've never taken a chick and the Chickens are way to large to be bothered by those Snakes.
I was worried that the coop may get to hot in the Summer but having installed 5 windows and having covered half the outside run with a 12' tall sheet metal roof (for Shade and protection from the Rain) we've not had any problems with Chicken overheating!
We intend to build separate pens for the Toulouse Geese and Mandarin Ducks
