I am creating 2 new chicken coops that will be movable. I am trying to design these coops so that I can move them with the forks on our front end loader. Regular whimppy coops don't work here because of our 30 - 40 mile an hour winds that we get at night and early morning.
My coops will be 4' X 8'. They will be insulated with good variable ventilation and have sun tubes made out of 2 liter pop bottles. The back (south) wall has green house panels for passive heat on sunny days. The high desert here has more sunny days that almost any other part of the country. The back wall will be a two layer door system so that I can close the solar wall at night and on cloudy days.
The chickens should have plenty of roosting space at 6" per bird. They will be able to keep each other warm at night and then free range during the day. The coop has 2 levels with easy cleaning lanoleum floors. I am planning on 8 nesting boxes. I will be installing an outlet to provide supplemental heat when needed.
As I work on this project I will post pictures!
Friday, September 30, 2011
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Farm projects never end. lol
I am in the process of planning for next year. We need to make our farm more profitable so is can sustain all the livestock without drawing from our paychecks. And then we will work on the rest drawing revenue.
The plan that I would like to see is not simple and will take effort. I need to get our replacement hens going, so they will be laying as the old hens retire. I need a productive garden next spring so I can participate at the farmers market more fully. I am thinking heritage veggies and herbs. The garden will take alot of planning due to the wind here in the mouth of the canyon.
The Alpaca fiber needs to be processed into products that people will want.
Fall is approaching very quickly, winter preparation needs to be in full swing. It seems that the farm projects never end. Planting new pastures, building and repairing fence, new hen house, irrigating, hauling hay, the list goes on and on.
I love the work, the lifestyle, the effort, the animals, and the land. Now to choose the most profitable crops and start soil prep.
The plan that I would like to see is not simple and will take effort. I need to get our replacement hens going, so they will be laying as the old hens retire. I need a productive garden next spring so I can participate at the farmers market more fully. I am thinking heritage veggies and herbs. The garden will take alot of planning due to the wind here in the mouth of the canyon.
The Alpaca fiber needs to be processed into products that people will want.
Fall is approaching very quickly, winter preparation needs to be in full swing. It seems that the farm projects never end. Planting new pastures, building and repairing fence, new hen house, irrigating, hauling hay, the list goes on and on.
I love the work, the lifestyle, the effort, the animals, and the land. Now to choose the most profitable crops and start soil prep.
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