Growth and prosperity at Klucker Farms

Growing pains are a part of life. The philosophy of becoming bigger and better has become intertwined into the American dream of society and chicken farming is no different.

Six years ago, Klucker Farms started out with 25 baby chicks. After my first adventure, I decided I wanted to expand my coop to accommodate more chickens. My dad and I added an addition to hold up to 45 chickens. I proceeded to raise 35 and then 44 lovely girls. I always hoped to get as big as my grandmother's poultry flock, which included around 70 to 75 laying hens. I wanted my grandmother's poultry legacy to live on and I think I'm well on my way to achieving that dream.

Since most of my supplies are located in the garage, I wanted a chicken coop that had a separate storage area. This way, I would not be carrying buckets of feed in the rain or snow. I would have all my supplies readily available. This is 2015 for heaven's sake. I have been chicken farming like Laura Ingalls for far too long.

Plus, I would like my garage back. My garage is overrun with feeders, waterers, medicine, light bulbs, heat lamps, metal garbage cans with feed, containers with oyster shell and grit. You name it – my garage has held it. Oh, and I almost forgot, bales of bedding. My poor garage has even been turned into a chicken infirmary for the injured and sick. The only thing missing is my doctor's shingle.

My current chicken house is 12 by 16 feet. The new and improved coop will be 12 by 24 feet. It will have better doors and windows, which will be air tight. I will no longer have snow coming in under the front door or wind whistling through the windows. I also decided to wrap the outside of the coop with Tyvek. My contractor suggested this idea. This way, less heat would escape in the winter.

The coop's walls and ceiling also will be insulated. To top the building off, it will have electricity trenched under ground. I won't have a drop cord connected from my chicken coop to my house anymore, which has always made me nervous. With heat lamps running continually in the winter, I've always been afraid of a fire. I love my chickens too much to see them fried and extra crispy.

This chicken house will be like none other. It will be the Taj Mahal of chicken houses – all they need is satellite TV. Every chicken in the United States will want to be a Klucker Farms girl.

I have often joked about installing air conditioning and digging a storm shelter right next to the coop in case a tornado decides to come my way. My friends and family think I'm nuts, but to any chicken farmer this would make sense – especially a storm shelter. You have to admit, it's a pretty cool idea. There is absolutely nothing I wouldn't do for these girls. I love them. Since I really don't want to see my chickens picked up and moved to the next county, you can bet your booty I will be running back and forth from my coop to the my basement trying to save every last hen.

I have decided to put vinyl siding on the outside topped off with a metal roof. I even have signs that will be hung on the outside of the building along with a rooster weather vane on the roof. My dad even found some deer antlers that we're going to mount above the one door.

My old chicken house will be turned into a garden shed and an infirmary when needed. I feel a little guilty about my old coop since it was such a labor of love for my dad and I. This old building will always have a special place in my heart.

As I write this blog, I will keep you abreast of all of the growing pains. Long live chickens and long live growth and prosperity at Klucker Farms.