by Sarah Richards
Photos by author
My source for fresh farm eggs ended, but the farmer asked if I wanted a momma hen and her two hatched chicks.
I live in an eco-development named Serenbe. Even though my neighbors are very close, we are surrounded by 900 acres of woods…cluster development it is called. So, I wasn’t sure if I could have chickens or not, but you know what they say, it’s easier to apologize than to ask for permission. Having said that, I began building the Hen Inn.
Turns out one of the chicks the momma hen, Black Betty, hatched is a rooster and he may prove to be a problem. I named him Nuggett.
I have had birds before on a 180 acre farm in New York, but now I live on .11 acre. I know the way to a happy chicken family would be a coop that is easy to keep clean. So I bought plans for a simple coop and made many changes.
My kids (wink) are happy and so far have stayed in their own yard. I hope Nuggett doesn’t prove to be a problem. I like him.
7 Comments
We started raising chicks for eggs almost a year ago. A friend gave us some Silkies. Shortly afterward, we bought several Silkies from a family whose daughter had started them as a class project, but decided horses were easier to take care of (?). We wound up with a second rooster, whom I named “Lunch” because that’s what I planned on his becoming. Fortunately for him, but not for my other rooster, we had a visit from a rabid skunk who managed to get inside our chicken “motel”. “Lunch”, being one of 3 chickens that survived (by hiding in the roost area of our small hen house, received a name change to “Survivor”. Our flock is now 8 hens and two roosters (we got another one), in separate pens. The “Ladies” are laying eggs and setting them as well. Looking forward to more additions soon.
The low, and arguably most eventful abstraction you should do antecedent to edifice your DIY volaille coop is curb topical regulations. Every port has it’s own set of “gallinacean laws”, few limit the symbol of hens you’re allowed, piece others hump no decrease, but instead jazz invariable rules active the size or make of the coop.
chicken farming
I think it’s a great coop too! Is it moveable? I’d love to build something like it that I could move from place to place in the yard.
Thanks for the pics and story 🙂
Where did you get your coop plans?? I’ve been searching for the “just right” hen house and I LOVE yours!
Great Inn (coop)! Love your comment on how it’s easier to apologize than ask permission! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Where did you get the plans for that coop?
I love the coop! Keep us posted on the rooster – people often complain about roosters so it’s great that you like him.