Have you ever noticed how people with similar interests just naturally seem to gravitate toward each other?I’ve made some friends while standing in line at the feed store; for example, when they’ve noticed the chicken feed or pine shavings I have piled on my cart.Conversations have started in the library, too, when I check out “how-to” manuals or ask the librarian to special order some poultry farming books for me. Friends of friends have contacted me on the Internet for advice about breeds or commented about their own flocks, too, when they realize that I am contributing to a blog about chickens.
I’ve heard some fascinating, amazing stories, pondered possible solutions to problems, heard of some terrific “necessary inventions,” and exclaimed over photos of new flock members.Every once in a while, I’d like to share some of the stories, photos, inventions and questions from my new friends.This week, Corinne’s story is the feature.Corinne and I have never met face-to-face, but she’s a friend of a friend, a farmer with a family, and has a lot of great, practical ideas.One of the first stories she told me involved a pig, a shed and a husband reluctant to get involved.I’m not going to relate that story here, but I will tell you that her sense of humor and willingness to tackle any task no matter how large … or how dirty … made me want to know more about her!
Corinne and her family live in central New York State.They keep chickens as pets, but they also sell eggs and chicks on a small scale and raise a few meat birds that do not receive names.Her 14-year-old son does a lot of the work and helps make decisions on hatching, breeding and selling.Most of her chickens free-range. They have quite a variety of animals, including a goat or two, a turkey, some guinea hens and several ducks. One of Corinne’s ducks brought 13 ducklings in from a nest near the creek just this week!
When I talked to Corinne about this post, she told me she’d be happy to participate.In fact, that is exactly what she said, followed by: “I do have a neat setup in one of my large hen houses.”She thought perhaps readers would be interested.Here’s what else Corinne had to say about her hen house setup:
This is my favorite coop.I divided it in half with chicken wire, top to bottom, and put nesting boxes on each side, and I did this for a variety of reasons.Occasionally, I breed the chickens, and if I want purebred birds, I segregate and only allow that particular breed on one side for a while.Sometimes I will use one half for young birds that have feathered but I do not feel are safe with older, possibly more aggressive chickens.And, I know you may cringe, but once in a while I raise meat birds.It’s best if they don’t get too much exercise, so they get big and plump—this is a great setup for them.
The front of this coop has two separate small doors that lead out into what is also a divided run.The chickens can socialize, but cannot directly mingle. There are two other doors that allow me to enter each section to tidy up, collect eggs, feed and water.As you can see, there’s lots of natural light, too.
Corinne and her family have quite a few different chicken breeds, from large Jersey Giants to tiny bantams, but she told me that the variety just makes it more fun for her to watch her “Chicken TV.”Corinne explains:
We do have quite a few kinds of animals.My favorites, though, are the chickens, and I can easily spend too much time watching my “Chicken TV”—
there’s the Nest Box Channel,
the Hiding Places Show,
and the evening March Up the Bridge Variety Show.
I hope you’ve enjoyed a glimpse into this chicken-loving friend’s life. I think her wire henhouse division is ingenious, yet simple enough for most of us to replicate in our own coops.
As for me—I’m off to check in on my favorite characters on my own Chicken TV!
5 Comments
I very much enjoyed meeting Corinne and touring the hen house!
The Chicken TV is spot on!!! My TV is Goose TV. They are a riot.
Nice store as she sounds a lot like me. The thing I seen in her coop was chickens on top the nest boxes, mine were doing that and making a poop mess so I attached a piece of metal. This made it to slippery for them to stand on. No poop and easy to clean.
hay thanx, ever chance i get I try to look at diff coops and runs. I’ve had a blast with my new chickens except for the two that i probably killed with kindness, the last three seem to be doing great although one seems lonely, when i bought the five two were older, they have survived me. its been a real experience trying to think like a chicken , i feel like i have to teach them how to do things with no older hen available. but we are getting there. thanx again, blessings from the South
Oh my goodness…thank you so much for sharing that. I am in Chicken Envy mode right now. Hubby and I have about talked it to death…now we just need to do it. I am ready to take the plunge (or is that peck?) Good job to everyone.
Its is so nice to have been featured in this Blog : ) It is also nice making friends with similar interests .. Not all my friends get as excited as I would like when I tell them what I think is a perfectly fascinating story of Finding A Broody hen in a particularly odd spot ; ) Thank you