Reviews by Shalom Farm

I bought this coup off a friend, who when she bought I helped assemble and was using the coop for some her and my chickens.

For the money it costs you can do miles better.

It isn't made to be in any weather. It will rot out, especially the roof. It doesn't leak but the outside of it just gets worn out super fast. Inferior wood probably. The hardware also is flimsy. It was a pain to put together. It is big enough for maybe 2 LF in quarantine or 2 bantams full time. For chicks, I can stick about 25 little guys and when they hit 3-4 weeks fit only about 10 (that is letting them have access to the bottom run). The nesting boxes might be too small for some LF. Perfect for smaller chickens or bantams. You must not let this thing see bad weather though!

Now that I bought it I cave it under my barn's overhang. It gets cleaned and dried regularly and stays in tip top shape, even still I can tell this coop isn't going to last long. Out of the box it was a little flimsy.

Ideally, it use should be limited to small bantam breeding pairs or as a brooder. The top pops up so you can set up your heat lamp. That is a good feature. You can also go through the little door to grab your birds. The roost is not too high, if this coop was bigger and better built it would be great for Sham o's but it isn't.

Cleaning is also an issue. The bedding and manure pile up as you drag the tray out and fall all into the run part. Meaning you either have to move the coop or reach in with a dust pan.

Like I said, as a brooder or breeding pair limited to 2 chickens, it would be fine. Try to pick it up cheap though and not at retail price.

I use this for chicks and for birds in quarantine. It is easy to clean because the bottom comes out. We soak it and it shines right up. It holds enough feed to prevent staleness but still over enough feed for the day or maybe two. The only cons are that sometimes the plastic screw bottom breaks or wears and will not hold easily. Sometimes birds perch on them or knock them over so placing a heavy weight or tying them in helps. I'd definitely buy again once mine is too aged.

This is my staple feed for the layer flock. It is affordable, has a good amount of protein, fat, calcium, and other nutrition. I use to feed Purina, and I was happy with that, but when I compared the brands, I decided to save a couple of bucks and put that money toward their treats. My birds are slick, shiny, bright eyed, and of proper weight. Always feed this with oyster shell for those concrete hard egg shells. I compare DuMOR to off brand cereals- they get the same job done cheaper. It does have a lot of corn and other ingredients some flock owners prefer to exclude- so just do your research and form your own decisions on ingredients. This feed is clean and the crumble shape is easier for birds to eat, but they eat a lot of it. It is also easier to make into feed 'blocks' at home. It makes a harder and tighter block. TSC sells bags for all flock sizes as well. If you're like me and need the 50lbs sack- it runs $12-17 depending on your area (2013). They also sell the smaller bags of it for those with only a couple hens. It CAN mold fast if improperly stored! It is not durable, be gentle with the sacks and keep them in a dry and cool place. I've never got a moldy bag but I know others who have. Very rarely I've heard of bugs being in the feed. Always double check bags before you purchase to be sure that they haven't been punctured. TSC has the habit of just taping the bag up without regard to contamination of the product or loss of product. This goes for both the plastic and paper sacks. Just triple check the bag!

I am very satisfied. My only suggestions on improvement would be for DuMOR itself to offer lines of this product in organic and non-GMO for the other consumers at a competitive price. For this product, I do wish that a little more fat was in it. Overall, very little to complain about.

I love these birds for production. If you want bang for your buck with a little bit more personality, the production red is a good compromise. Very large eggs with very good laying rate. Can mature a little late but most of mine on time. Some birds eat a lot more than others, which tip your feed to egg ratio. This tends to be one in a few though, so its no big deal to me. Mine are all super easy to catch. Good personalities. Can be prone to a shorter lifespan and production falls with second generation, so always re-order. Nice color and a nice bird.

Oyster shell is oyster shell. Mana Pro has a couple sizes that are great for the backyard flock or larger flocks. Its affordable and a good source of Ca for your birds. It is clean, has no smell, and makes egg shells STRONG. Offer free choice or mixed in, depending on your bird management practices, and you'll notice a difference. It doesn't go bad so long as you store in a dry place free of mold. There is little to no difference between oyster shell products though, so I am not bond to Manna Pro if another product pops up cheaper. It is widely available and lasts a long time. It isn't meant as a Ca replacer for poor feeds, but is pretty good filling that roll for home-made feeds. Since this is something that stores very well, the largest size is the best bargain. For comparison of effectiveness; I drop my own eggs all the time. None of them have broken since using Oyster Shell. Ever. My friend's flock who I just maintained for a few days, use no Oyster shell. I dropped an egg from 12in into grass and it cracked instantly like a cheap store bought egg. We have the same breeds of chicken as well, of the same age and very close background breeding. The product works- and that is what we want!

Love these! My chickens adore them, except one hen. They are great for an extra bit of protein. They helped in taming some of the more feral birds and got them perching on my shoulders and arms. They beg for them everyday. How can I say no to those faces? For chicks its a good cure for brooder boredom. Hen fights can break out over them though. For those that have a bird here and there that don't care for them-its rare but happens. They do crumble apart easily if you're not careful. I will always buy this product. If they had a barrel size, I'd get it!

I love this block. Each time its on sale I pick one up. If you have birds in a run all day or part of the day, its a great boredom cure. They can over-eat it though. If you get a lot of ran water in the run, have the block in a mineral block holder (for cattle and horses) so you can pick it up. Sometimes its best to put it in only a few days then take it out and replace with different treat because these chickens LOVE it so much they will gorge on it rather than their real food! The smaller versions are great but run out FAST. This one lasts long, is hard to pick apart so they get more out of it, and squabbles have been cut down for birds needing to stay in part of the day or on a show regime and getting spruced up. When its in the plastic it has a handle for easy carrying. The hardness of the block lets chickens, turkeys, etc. naturally wear their beaks and get some aggression out on it. It takes them a bit of effort to eat it- which is GOOD because if it were easy I'd have a fat bunch of birds. It also lets them pace themselves a bit. The smaller version of this lasts only a couple days between 6 birds but this block lasts me 2-3 months for about $11 where I am. The small version is about $3.50 so the extra money is well worth it! If you need it in smaller bits a chisel/screwdriver and hammer will crack off large chunks easily. Its a treat you can't go wrong with.

I generally hatch all under broody hens but my friend brought this incubator over after she lost 3 batches of hatching eggs that rotted and cooked in the incubator. The problem with hers was the thermometer was off by 5 degrees. That is a LOT when we are talking about hatching eggs. I checked it with an accurate digital thermometer through the vent hole to make sure. I just marked where the temperature should be and adjusted it to that. I rigged a thin tube and syringe to deliver water into the incubator, because opening it set it off for hours. I ran a test run of it empty and made sure I had it down to a science before handed it back for use. It has worked great since. If you're fast, you can add water without a tube. But be FAST and in a heated room-not outside in a barn, shed, or patio. I might get one second hand, but I wouldn't buy one new. Make sure you just double check your temperature and are delicate and this machine is okay.

This is a great standard feeder. I use this type for chicks and younger birds. It holds a far amount of feed and the birds have no problems with it. Larger birds can easily knock it over though. If you have big hands, you can't scrub the inside of it, but just soak it in bleach water otherwise. Great staple on our farm. It also has LASTED!

Our EE's are one of our favorites. We've bred from our EE's back to get more blue eggs. Their colors are great, always interesting. The background of their breeding matters. Some can be more flighty than others. It is one of the best producers, until the winter when they drop off. Otherwise, large eggs are the result almost every day. I have two 2 yr. old hens and their daughter hen. The daughter was 30 weeks before laying a single egg. Her siblings laid at 24 weeks. So the variation makes them somewhat uneconomical as fa as production. They last long, are hardy, and have a decent feed to egg conversion. We will always have a couple on the farm, without a doubt!