Chicken Coop

[JohnyMac]

I have been threatening for years that I was going to build a chicken coop and raise chickens. Well I finally did it! A senior citizen friend that attends the Bible Study group we go to has been pinning for fresh eggs.

The final agreement was that if I built the coop he would help me to...
> Build the coop,
> Take care of the chickens, and
> Pay for half of the feed, for...Half the eggs.

MrsMac and I only use about a dozen eggs every other week so after my friend takes his the extras will go to the local food bank and or church for them to sell to their 'flock'. 

In an up and coming DIY article, I will describe my leap into the world of coops and chickens. Below are some pics of the  70%, 80%, and 90% completed chicken coop. Still needs painting and windows to be complete but it is functional at the moment for live chickens.

I moved the coop to its semi-new-home on Friday and ordered the chickens. Six RI Red Pullets and six Barred Plymouth Rock Pullets.





MrsMac just shakes her head when I go into these endeavors.   

[Nemo]

I have been threatening my wife with getting one of those myself.  I have been informed should I start to do so I will be living in one at a friend of hers about 20 miles away.

Nemo

[Jackalope]

   That's a nice coop Johny.  The manure will be a great addition for your gardening projects.  I think you'll be happy with the Rhode Island Reds, they're a docile breed and they lay very well.  We're getting 10-12 eggs a day now, with 15 hens.

[JohnyMac]

Jackalope wrote, "We're getting 10-12 eggs a day now, with 15 hens." WOW Jackalope that's a lot of eggs!

Thinking back, my grandmother use to freeze extra eggs. She would crack them open into a freezing container (Not Tupperware or ziplock bag) and then pull them out when she needed an egg or several for cakes, batter, etc.

I use to remember as a child, when unexpected folks would stop by, she would send me down to the freezer to get frozen eggs, butter, and some frozen berry (Blueberry, raspberry, or strawberry, etc) that she had picked previously.

She then would whip up a basic pound cake for desert. She would heat up half the berry (s) I brought up and keep the other whole. When it was time for desert she would slice the pound cake, pour a spoon full or 2 of the heated/broke-down berry component over a slice and then put a few now room temp uncooked berry's over the top with a dab of fresh whipped up heavy cream or a dusting of X-sugar on top. (Nice run on sentence)

My grandmother LOVED guests coming by unexpected EXCEPT Sundays. In her mind, Sunday was for family or invited guests only. She was a funny duck.

[Jackalope]

    You can also dehydrate eggs, which is what we do with most of our surplus.

[JohnyMac]

How Mr. Jackalope?

[Jackalope]

   The eggs are first beat in a mixer, or a food processor.  The resulting mix is then poured into silicone drying trays and then placed in the dehydrator.  We dry the egg mixture until it's a flaky crust.  The crusty chunks are then again placed in a food processor for a few moments until the mix is a fine powder.  We store the powder in dry mason jars.  To use the egg powder, just add water.  It's good for making scrambled eggs, of course, but it can be used in cake mixes, etc.

[bennington.camper]

I have read that you can freeze the broken eggs in ice cube trays, then take them out as needed.

https://happymoneysaver.com/can-you-freeze-eggs/

[JohnyMac]

Jackalope, I do not own a food dehydrator. Do you recommend a brand/model?

Hey B.C! I will have to give that a try.

[Jackalope]

    We have a several of them.  The newest one is a Nesco Gardenmaster, like this one: https://www.amazon.com/Nesco-FD-1040-Gardenmaster-Dehydrator-1000-watt/dp/B00B9F7WJW   That unit is a 1000 watt unit with a timer, fan, etc.  The one that I prefer is a 125 watt unit, without a fan or fancy frills, it uses convective heat to dry out the food, this is a similar unit: https://www.amazon.com/Ronco-5-Tray-Electric-Food-Dehydrator/dp/B000G20TCQ  The simpler Ronco unit is less likely to break, and I've had mine for over 20 years.  You can add trays to either unit.  You can find used Ronco dehydrators for $20-25 on eBay.  The dehydrators with fans do dry out the food a bit faster than the convective units, but it's not that much of a difference. 

      We dehydrate most of our herbs from our gardens.  We also dehydrate strawberries, apples, bananas, etc.  We also dehydrate potatoes, tomatoes, even squash.  The dehydrated food can be stored in zip lock bags or in mason jars.

     Excalibur makes a good one too, with square trays.  You can also build a solar dehydrator if you're in a good location with plenty of sunlight.  In a pinch, you could place drying racks in vehicles, with the windows open just a crack, and let the summer sun do its magic.

[JohnyMac]

Thank you Jackalope!