Derksen Buildings Thoughts?

[FireInTheWire]

Wife and kids bought an incubator about a month ago. We now have 11 baby chicks running around. Need to get a coop going. Derksen makes a nice 8x16 greenhouse building that we are looking to convert a section to serve as a chicken coop on one side and greenhouse on the other. 2 birds with one stone theory. It's made with what looks like quality materials. I looked at one yesterday and they look legit. Was just curious if anyone has delt with Derksen and how do they hold up to the wear and tear of the elements.

I need something turn-key. I don't have time to build something. I barely have time to have fun with my kids on the weekends and fix everything that breaks throughout the week.

Please share your thoughts... the good, bad and ugly.

 

[BRD@66]

No experience w Derksen BUT, ur plan looks like a good idea.

 

[Vaquero]

I've got a 12×30 Derksen at the range.
No complaints after 5 years.
I got metal siding and roof however.

 

[Shady]

That is going to be one hot mofo in direct sunlight mid summer.

as much as I love my chickens they are dirty nasty messy creatures, Make sure you have access with room for brooms shovels and some other covering for the wood floors or the Poo is going to be nasty to clean up.

 

[FireInTheWire]

That is going to be one hot mofo in direct sunlight mid summer.

as much as I love my chickens they are dirty nasty messy creatures, Make sure you have access with room for brooms shovels and some other covering for the wood floors or the Poo is going to be nasty to clean up.

Valid points! Thanks

 

[Shady]

I forgot the formula but chickens require a decent amount of room or they are going to fight more. Unless you plan on that being the roosting area and they are going to run free when not roosting 11 chickens take a good amount of room.

 

[FireInTheWire]

I forgot the formula but chickens require a decent amount of room or they are going to fight more. Unless you plan on that being the roosting area and they are going to run free when not roosting 11 chickens take a good amount of room.

Yeah, I forgot to mention that. This will be only for roosting. We will have a large pen area for them.

 

[baboon]

That is going to be one hot mofo in direct sunlight mid summer.

as much as I love my chickens they are dirty nasty messy creatures, Make sure you have access with room for brooms shovels and some other covering for the wood floors or the Poo is going to be nasty to clean up.

My thought exactly as Shady's on this. Them yard pimps got a stank about them. Then getting temperatures up in the hundreds stank will most likely kill any desire to garden.

 

[FireInTheWire]

My thought exactly as Shady's on this. Them yard pimps got a stank about them. Then getting temperatures up in the hundreds stank will most likely kill ant desire to garden.

Yeah... maybe be better to keep those things separate.. hmmm

 

[Lonesome Dove]

Animals need air and lots of it. Free flowing air. That's why they call chicken wire what it is.

An inclosed pen is not what you need a partially inclosed like a couple stub walls lower and wire on one or two remaining lowers and then above along with some nesting boxes will protect them and give them cover when needed.

 

[Lead Belly]

Plenty of critters (dogs) like to eat chickens. Once they get a taste of that dark meat... they get very motivated. I'd go heavier than chicken wire. 1/2" welded wire is popular to keep predators out- bury it underneath dirt, too.

I set landscape timbers in concrete and pnuematic stapled the welded wire to it.

 

[Shady]

anything is better than nothing.

I have seen dogs chew through chain link fencing.

coons, opossums,fox and who knows what else will climb fencing materials. Birds of prey will dive bomb from above.

That fencing is not going to stop rats,mice,snakes or any other small predator. EDIT SORRY I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE 2"x3" welded wire fencing stuff

everything loves chicken.

It takes multi prong protection. My runs are old 9ga chain link covered with 1/4" hardware cloth. Covered with netting and shad covers over a lot of it including the top.

I think the biggest denture is my 3 dogs pissing and crapping all over the yard so predators move on to easy pickens else where.

I do not fool myself into thinking nothing is getting in well because something if it wants food enough will get in.

 

[kbaxter60]

as much as I love my chickens they are dirty nasty messy creatures, Make sure you have access with room for brooms shovels and some other covering for the wood floors or the Poo is going to be nasty to clean up.

My thoughts were similar. Those look to be well made, but you basically will have 8x8 coop and greenhouse, which could be tight for both. By the time you get nesting boxes, a cage or two, and some storage for feed and accessories, you may be done. Do they have larger units? Because it's a decent idea...

 

[V-Tach]

I have 3 buildings from Derksen...12×16, 12X20 and 12X26. All good to go. One we had before hurricane Harvey and survived with losing a few shingles. The other two we bought post Harvey.

 

[FireInTheWire]

anything is better than nothing.

I have seen dogs chew through chain link fencing.

coons, opossums,fox and who knows what else will climb fencing materials. Birds of prey will dive bomb from above.

That fencing is not going to stop rats,mice,snakes or any other small predator. EDIT SORRY I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE 2"x3" welded wire fencing stuff

everything loves chicken.

It takes multi prong protection. My runs are old 9ga chain link covered with 1/4" hardware cloth. Covered with netting and shad covers over a lot of it including the top.

I think the biggest denture is my 3 dogs pissing and crapping all over the yard so predators move on to easy pickens else where.

I do not fool myself into thinking nothing is getting in well because something if it wants food enough will get in.

MIL has chickens. I've learned off her growing pains with keeping them safe.

 

[FireInTheWire]

My thoughts were similar. Those look to be well made, but you basically will have 8x8 coop and greenhouse, which could be tight for both. By the time you get nesting boxes, a cage or two, and some storage for feed and accessories, you may be done. Do they have larger units? Because it's a decent idea...

Yeah, after further thought... they make a chicken coop. They are very nice. We decided we need a dedicated coop. The greenhouse will come later.

 

[Sam Colt]

If you give $3k to HEB you'll get chicken and eggs for life. Those BBQ spiced chicken quarters are pretty darn good.

 

[Shady]

If you give $3k to HEB you'll get chicken and eggs for life. Those BBQ spiced chicken quarters are pretty darn good.

but you miss the fun of watching roosters chase chickens

Chickens chase chickens

chickens chasing bugs

chickens begging when they see you eating

chickens chasing down mice and eating them whole

fresh eggs

non altered chicken meat <if you want to cook your pets>

5 chickens trying to all lay eggs at the same time in the same area when there are 10 nesting boxes 2 ft away.

Chickens and Roosters attacking that hawk that flew down to get them.

 

[FireInTheWire]

If you give $3k to HEB you'll get chicken and eggs for life. Those BBQ spiced chicken quarters are pretty darn good.

That'd be nice. We go through 3-6 eggs a day and HEB 1.5hrs away.

 

[kbaxter60]

That'd be nice. We go through 3-6 eggs a day and HEB 1.5hrs away.

Yep. And it gets dicey when Bidenomics kicks the price up over $8/dozen...