Here a chick, there a chick, everywhere a chick chick...

Because we recently decided to expand our chicken collection to increase our egg output we needed a larger chicken run and chicken house. With some hired help I was able to get the run and chicken house done in about a month of evenings and weekends. That included 400 feet of wire fence, netting and electric fence. A new gate finished the run. The chicken run encloses about a quarter of an acre.

 

Our front yard afforded a nice place for the chicken house. The ground underneath the coop was very rocky which never grew anything anyway but provides a nice place to catch the nice manure for the garden. It is 10 feet wide by 8 feet deep and can comfortably fit 60 chickens. We used a recycled window and recycled  metal roofing for the siding. It features a wire floor, one large window, a full size door, 3 large ventilation flaps and a light on a timer. It sits right under two trees that provide shade in the summer but not in the winter.  All together the chickens now have more living space than we do! 

More nesting boxes still need to be added before all the new hens start laying. When all the hens get up to speed we will be getting about 2-3 dozen eggs a day!