Off Grid Chicken Coop Tour | Chicken Compost
Video Overview & Insights
#chickencoop #chickenlife #offgrid
This is one of the best videoes we've seen in quite a while, for so many reason !!
Really well thought out, tons of recycled materials and it looks good. Difficult to check all those boxes these days !!
We saved it to a playlist.
I can tell Dan is especially proud of the flashing :)))))
Excellent Guys !!
Cheers J&C 🌱👍🤜🤛🇦🇺🇺🇸
What went wrong?
After a very long couple of months, we have finally finished the new chicken coop and we have a few features we want to share with you.
Gday, I have been following rustic spirits homestead (also Australian)for a little while but it is the first time that i have came across your channel. I did subscribe to your channel now
We have designed and built a draw under the coop to continue with our composting system.
We also have a little problem and are not sure what to do about it!
What a fantastic job! I am about to embark on a 6x3m coop and run and this design is exactly what will suit. You don't by chance have a rough plan or layout with measurements do you!?
Thanks so much for taking the time to watch our channel.
Cheers Deb & Dan
We have a coop with three boxes, all identical. Had our three chooks from a few days old and they all insist on using the same box. Found all three in the one box a few times. Very comical to find them all squished in together.
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We would greatly appreciate it.
As an Aussie who has owned literally 1000's of different breeds of chooks, the dividers are definitely needed. I have a couple of suggestions that would normally work well together if you want to give them a try to get them to start laying in the other nests.
#1. Yes, you need dividers but make sure that they're appropriately sized for the breed, not too big, not too small. If too big, you'll have multiple hens in there together which will end up with broken eggs and resulting in getting in the habit of eating eggs, a hard habit to break. It only takes one bird to teach the rest in the pen. Too small? They have to be able to turn without too much hassle. Most people make them way too big. Cosy and dark is the best.
#2. Fake eggs placed in the other nests. I found some would accept plastic, but not all as they were too light. Ceramic are best both for weight and cleaning/disinfecting but are expensive.
I found that wooden ones were excellent, widely accepted, good weight and could even be painted to match the general colour of the eggs your hens lay if you wanted to. They were so good that we had to put an X on each end to quickly identify them. We had both Crows and dogs steal many of them from the nests. We've had them in bantam, std chook sizes and also duck and goose sizes. Really good product.
#3. Block the current favourite nest off from their access temporarily. Just try it for a week or two, two is best seeing as they've been in the habit of that nest for a while. You have to give it enough time to break the habit for several of them to accept the other nests.
#4. They need really thick roosts, like forearm thick or wide (2"?) flatish, still deep.
Hope this helps someone.
Just found your channel, subbed, gotta support the Aussies out in YouTube land.
All the best to you and your family from Southern NSW
🇭🇲🦘🙏🦘🇭🇲 P.S. your hubby did a great job on the build 👍
EDIT: I'm so sorry, I'm a bit of a goose, I just realised this was posted 2 years ago! 🤯 Silly me, sorry about that.
Have a good day anyway and hope you sorted the problem out by now.
We also have a Instagram account if you would like to see what we get up to in between our videos.
Outstanding great looking chicken coop and run!😊🐔🐓❤️❤️🙏
More User Perspectives
Nice job guys. You will end up growing chicken food inside the pens. Mulberries, olives, comfrey, cherries, almonds work well for me
@profesorr4938Check out chicken tunnels. I reckon they might suit your layout and longish trip to the orchard
@profesorr4938Absolutely love your chicken run. So many good ideas I have shamelessly stolen for when we move to our block next year😄. Also can I say I love how clean and tidy your homestead is. The ones with junk everywhere and knee deep weeds do not get a sub from me. It is so much more hard work to have a tidy and I would say a pretty environment, so well done! Look forward to future posts😊
@melisand8295Awesome! It's paradise for the chickens ❤❤❤
@MarioLopez-ob5rv8:25 chickens will generally choose the nesting box in which they feel more secure from predators. The box on the right is a little darker & perhaps smaller. Simply add some cardboard to partially close off the other boxes and the hens will soon think they’re secure and use them. With your roosts I would suggest flat boards as chickens, being ground dwelling birds, can’t wrap their claws around round roosts very well. Their feet are flat and they prefer flat boards to sit on overnight.
@Youtuber-k2pWow, wonderful coop and run, so beautifully constructed (I am definitely experiencing 'chicken coop envy' right now :))
@cpc1303There's a chance whoever's laying earliest likes that box and feels safe in it. The others could then be following suit? Maybe try some fake eggs in the others and see if that encourages them to branch out?
@roovawalPlant banana trees. Chickens love the leaves. They grow on neglect and you can cut the big fronds off and within a few days they regrow like weeds. Ours is near the tank overflow and our washing machine water soaker hose. We use soap nuts so the grey water is safe.
@Aussiehomestead1965You've done nothing wrong with the dividers. Our chickens all started off with an old lawn mower catcher each to lay eggs in. Worked great and we got them off junk piles at the side of the road. Problem was they all migrated into one catcher and ignored the rest. Chickens will be chickens 😁
@Aussiehomestead1965We use wormwood and Diatomaceous Earth to help get rid of mites and flees.
@Aussiehomestead1965You've got plenty of room on top of your chicken pen for some solar panels to run some 12 volt fans to move the air through the chicken coop. Advantage of direct wiring to 12 volts is they start by them self in the morning and turn off late evening when the sun stops shining. Good job guys
You're living the dream 🙏
Great video and fantastic chicken coop, it's very well thought out and built. Thanks for sharing
@YourgolfplaceI'm sure someone thought of this but seems like maybe that side of the box is north facing and cooler than the southern wall?
@JoshuaEilersWe found that when we removed the fake wooden eggs, they all of a sudden layed in only one box instead of all the boxes they had been laying in. So that same day, I placed a fake egg in the other 3 empty boxes and voila the remainder of the birds took to laying in the other three as well. I figured it was their “monkey see, monkey do” nature which had them choosing the same box after removing the fake eggs. They have been using all boxes since then. We keep a fake egg in each box now. We have 13 hens. This is our experience , I hope that helps…… love your chicken complex…….. it’s beautiful. Thank you for sharing!🐔💖
@MyBelovedHephzibahBeautiful coop and hens. I wish I could find a friend to share in my love for chickens.❤
@winniecash1654What a wonderful place for your chooks to live and I'll bet they couldn't be happier.🐓🐣🐤🐔
@christasflowersandveggiesGreat vid. Chickens are creatures of habit. They will lay in the same place every day. To encourage them to lay in the other boxes put a golf ball or plastic egg in them. They will think there are chickens laying in the other boxes and will do the same. Take care folks.
@CreeksideMaplesHomesteadBest ❤
@ijsmamujutengahTVGreat chook coop and run, do u think that the wormwood and dustbath will be enough to stop the mites? I hope so, I am starting to build coops/chicken tractors from recycled steel and mesh as in the moist irish conditions the mites always seem bother some of the weaker birds. Also using wood ash, sand and sulfur in the dust bath. On the nest box question, I worked on a large free range commercial chhicken farm, there was always competition for the favoured nest boxes, the front ones, they literally were piled up on top of each other jostling for the favoured nest boxes. The back of the shed nest boxes were empty. I wonder is it a pecking order thing. The alpha hens dictate which is the 'cool' chooks nest box. Solution, make one of the other boxes different and cool. I always find a smaller lower box is more popular. Thanks for sharing, inspiring, lots of great features/designs/recycling!
@davidballantine728well...all couped up now! nice comfortable girls - yummy googs
@philgibbs8575Great coop! Thank you for sharing
@goodwinsfarmgifts2078Great Coop. As for the chickens all laying in one box... you aren't doing anything wrong, hens are 'communal' in that one hen usually will go broody and sit on a clutch of eggs. Out of those eggs maybe one or two might be hers while the others belong to other hens. It is just an instinct they have for safety. That said, if you have so many hens that multiple girls are laying at the same time that becomes an issue of over crowding in one spot so you should always have enough for them. The general thought is about one box for every 4 hens.
@janb8015thank you sir for the knowledge is very useful ..greetings greetings of friendship from Indonesian laying hen breeders ..let's share knowledge of chicken farming
@dedikfarm1128Super nice, chicks will love it!😊
@MrSpinnerbugAbsolutely lovely!!!
@joyadams507Thanks for sharing your coop with us. I love some of your ideas which I plan to incorporate.
@dennistaylor7655It was definitely worth the wait! Such a wonderful coop and love the integration of recycled materials.
And our chooks do the same.
That was a lovely video and those chickens are super lucky. It's gorgeous and very well thought out. ❤
@honey-bee-farmsteadThis is really really nice guys! I hope we can build something comparable someday! We have a wood chipper that will help make the chips that you are using there... It seems like it's taken a lot of skill and care! Sooooo nice!
@mywildholmThat's a chicken palace. If you ever name it (and I think you should) my vote is either Chookdominium or Chateau de Chook.
@Lea-bw9wjGreat job 😊
@trentchandler89Well done 👍🏻 your going to have some very happy chickens
@The_FletchersGorgeous coop you built! I love it.
Nice to have family to help! 💕
Chickens trust their friends and when one chicken lays an egg in the box then they lay in the same box. I would put an egg or two in each of the other boxes and see if that encourages the use of the other boxes.
Our boxes are a cozy size which I think helps them to feel safe. I can measure them if you’d like. Glen built them.
Sometimes our hens have a favourite box though….
Take care,
Annette 🌺
Great job, the chooks resort ( as mum calls it lol) looks amazing. So much talent from you both sis
@michellejackson5684We gave our 6 girls 2 layer boxes. They all lay in the one box. We have moved the boxes and they all still lay in the same box. They seem happy enough. Your Chicken run is the Taj Mahal. It is wonderful.
@janeallan9491Wow,❤ wow,❤wow.❤ Firstly I'm saving this immediately! You have combined every single brilliant idea for the perfect coop EVER! I cant love this more. Secondly you haven't done anything wrong , the girls have chosen what they believe to be the "safe" nesting box ,away from predators, dry and dark to protect their eggs and a hens instinct is always geared towards hatching them even if they never go broody. Its their design. Even knowing this , i like to provide multiple nests and they can choose. If you find too many girls are always cramming in that box at once , you can use some curtains . It does work . Curtains can be rags or the cutest gingham. 😂❤i seriously love this. Yes, keep the videos up pleeeaaassee. Lol. You are creating awesome content on here for your own records too. Now off to talk Hubby into building me 1 .....or more of these 😊Thank you very much for sharing this ripper❤❤❤❤
@countrymousesfarmhouse497Thanks Dan. Great work as usual. Stop setting the benchmark so high for the rest of us that now have to copy this 😂
@thebudgetadventurer1879G'day guys.
I've been looking forward to this and it's fantastic. Good on you. Everything from water catchment to the tray underneath... Just really well thought out and executed.
I have multiple girls in 2 main coops (2 yards) and they all lay in the one end too. Especially annoying when one goes broody, so I have to be quick to sent that one to the 3-4 day retreat and spa. 🙄
All the best Deb and Dan.
Daz.
Such a beautiful result ❤
@thenelgroupNice job, the chickens have a nice looking home. 😊
@jeanetteanddeanHaven't seen you guys in a long time. Here to support
@CookingSecretsForMenLooks great very tidy
@bundybearsshedI love watching your videos ❤
You always put our very professional stories.
Keep up the great job 👍
❤Peggy❤