Doing This On A Budget - aren't we all?

[Bezzie]

Hi everyone,

I've been reading your forum posts for a couple of weeks now and realised it is rather rude to sit on the sidelines and listen in on everyone's conversations this way without identifying myself.

I'm here because we moved to this wonderful new home four years ago, and it has most definitely been 'The Project' both inside and out - neglect was rife. Started to get a handle on it now, new kitchen just delivered but need installation, trees in orchard pruned, car park created etc., etc. And still so much more that will need doing for the next few years.

This year, plans for a veg patch and to have some chooks. I work from home most of the time, so I can be around for livestock to some degree, and can actually make effective use of their presence with clients. Already bake my own bread, will re-commence my own wine-making (used to do it years ago, and it seems a shame not to use some of the fruit from the orchard for some home-made grog!), will learn to make jams etc., and so on.

As I've been looking around in the recent weeks to get to grips with info on chicken keeping, the main thing that frustrates me is what seems to be a high expense in obtaining a chook house in the first instance. So, without coming across as a real tight-pursed meanie - are there any suggestions of how I could do this real economically in the first instance to get started and upgrade later? Getting a second-hand chook establishment seems to be impossible even though I live in a rural area.

Also, I really fancy the idea of having a cockerel and occasionally allowing a new brood to be reared, and there seems to be conflicting stories about how negative or positive an effect the rooster may have on the ladies in the form of bullying them and constraining their freedom.

Did like the idea picked up from one of your forum listings about having the rescued battery hens too! Great idea whoever you were that posted it - can't remember right now, sorry!

I love it when people visit and comment on how they enjoy the peacefulness and natural beauty, and now I want to take it a step further and add the self-sustainance element as much as feasibly possible. Adds to the sense of being 'home'.

Apologies for drivelling on so much at first intro!

[Andy Hamilton]

Wow sounds like you are going to be able to share a lot with us here, welcome to the forum.,

[red]

welcome


re the hen house - you could look at buying a second hand shed and altering it yourself. - they will need a perch - a door to outside, and laying boxes (these can be inside or outside the shed. inside is easier to build - but means you will haev to go in everyday to get the eggs.. outside will mean cutting part of the side away, making good, and then building the laying box with a nice hinged lid for egg collecting.)
just a thought

[Camile]

Welcome on board ...

for the chook .. you can make the house out of dismantled pallets ... and salvaged wood ...

That's what I did for 2 out of my 3 hen houses ... and they work great ..

and a rooster doesn't cause any problems in a flock ... I have 3 roosters running with 7 ladies .. and they are fine ...

One of them hatched 10 chicks between Sunday and yesterday .. plus the other 6 that hatched back in the end of november .. that will keep up happy chicken wise (humm . roast chicken) !

but make sure you make a big house because they are addictive and multiplies well !

Camile

[Bezzie]

Well, thanks for the warm welcome chaps!!

Actually Camille, my brother works for a transport depot and has said in the past that he can get me pallets to use as fencing at the price of delivering them, so your idea sounds pretty attractive - is there any possibility of you posting a piccy so I can see how you did it? I've not seen inside a chicken coop since I used to go egg-collecting for a local farmer as a kid, and whilst I can remember what the nesting boxes looked like, I can't remember whether the chooks flew up there, had a step-ladder, and whether any perches existed at all!

I like the idea of having the rescue battery hens, not because of the money, but because of the 'rescue'. All my cats are rescues and these are the only variety I ever have - I'm the same with people taking on the strays!! Heh heh.

I know it's going to take a little while to get this all set up, and that's perhaps just as well whilst we've got this cold snap coming up with me being a rookie in chook-brooding and all, but I'm really looking forward to it. I have this dream of home-laid eggs on home-made toast ............ and the resultant health benefits that go with it! (salivation)

My parents are selling up and moving just 3 miles away from us, so I'm anticipating my brood and veg patch keeping the four of us fed mighty well and improving my mother's health away from all the supermarket preservatives!

[Wombat]

G'day Dawn and welcome to the forum!

I made a chook tractor out of an old wooden bed, and find it works for me!

Nev

[Bezzie]

G'day Dawn and welcome to the forum!

I made a chook tractor out of an old wooden bed, and find it works for me!

Nev

OK, now you've really attracted my attention|

WHAT is a CHOOK TRACTOR? The curiosity is killing me!!!!!

[Wombat]

It is a portable chicken house with no bottom. Mine is A-frame in shape. You move it from place to place on your veggie patches and the chooks dig it over and fertilise it for you, as well as digging up the weeds and bugs etc.

Nev

[green-girl]

Nev, I'd love to see your place! You have some of the niftiest inventions I've heard of!

[Bezzie]

Aha! That makes sense. There's someone down the road from me got one of those (but it looks like a posh expensive version - very ornate handles on it etc.

What happens to your chooks at night?

Cheers!

[glenniedragon]

You could have a look around at your local poultry auctions if your DIY is anything like mine! I have bought 3, brand new, purpose built, Chicken houses with sliding pop hole and hinged roof for easy cleaning for £27 pounds each (and that includes the 10% commission you pay the auction house.) I don't know of any up your way I'm afraid but there's bound to be one I should think.

Welcome to the site, You'll be happy here I'm sure

Kind thoughts
Deb

[Shirley]

Hi Dawn

:welcomeish:

Looking forward to reading all about your chookhouse building.. I want to make one too.

My OH can make one but doesn't have the time... he's got a work in progress on the go at the moment but there are no plans for it so I'm not sure how he's intending for it to end up. I would really like to make one myself so that it might give him a kick up the butt to get the other one finished

[Millymollymandy]

Hello Bezzie and welcome! I am lucky because my house came with a couple of chicken 'shacks' made from old doors and bit of corrugated iron! Good luck with it all.

[Bezzie]

Well, looks like you guys have come up trumps and given me lots to get started on. Will go away and make some noises verbally to get OH to do something with a hammer (after providing him with materials of course!), and will update you on what I'm doing from there.

Thanks a huge bunch. I really didn't expect this amount of support right from the outset!!!

Hugs and major thanks all round. Will keep you posted. X

[Wombat]

Nev, I'd love to see your place! You have some of the niftiest inventions I've heard of!

Well GG, if your ever down my way call in!

Nev