We bought chickens on the 7th and set them up in a temporary box.
But chickens grow fast. The cardboard box (originally from our lawn mower) would not be sufficient for eight growing chicks. We had to get something else built. I’d already fixed up the old shed/chicken coop, including a fenced off run, but they won’t be able to be out there for a while yet. So yesterday I drew a quick sketch of what I was thinking for the box.
The box would be built in two sections to make it easier to move. Each would be 2.5′ x 3′ x 2′ with a hinged lid. That’d give the chickens 15 sqft of space, almost 2 sqft per chick. Enough room for them to grow. With my ‘plan’ in hand I went off to Lowe’s to buy the materials needed. I bought inexpensive 1″x2″ for the frame and some 1″x6″ boards to go around the base. Plus chicken wire, a new handsaw to make it easier to cut the boards, hinges, screws and extra staples.
When I got the materials home (after lunch) I started working on the project. First step, cut all the wood into the appropriate lengths.
Unfortunately I didn’t have enough staples to get all of the chicken wire done. I got it one one side and today we’ve got to get more bedding, food, another feeder and waterer, so I’ll get more when we go out. But I didn’t want the chickens to have to stay longer in the small box so I set up the one side of their new box and used a piece of cardboard to block the open side.
We also added a dowel for a perch. Later the other side should be set up, but they’re already enjoying the extra room. They’ll grow fast, before we know it they’ll be moving outside!
