To maximize floor space I decided on the 'cat walk' - something I'd seen in other coops. My pop-door is manual operation for now until I get an automatic door opener. With mornings remaining dark later in the day, it's no bother for me to let the girls out myself as I'm up and about long before they would be.

A platform beneath the roosting bars on which to place a light-weight poop board I can slide toward me for daily cleaning. Or until I find something that works better.
The floor is made of exterior siding, exterior side in, and lined with a scrap of vinyl flooring, then wood shavings. Again, end goal is to use sand in here as well.
The red board at the opening lifts out for easy raking out and while in, keeps bedding from falling out.

Hen house 5x4 (20 sf) and the run floor is 5x10 (50 sf). The window has its counterpart cut out I just haven't mounted yet. Now that winter is not far away, I'll need to get on to that.

'Cat walk' to ladder.

To maximize floor space I decided on the 'cat walk' - something I'd seen in other coops. My pop-door is manual operation for now until I get an automatic door opener. With mornings remaining dark later in the day, it's no bother for me to let the girls out myself as I'm up and about long before they would be.

My plan was (still is) to use sand in the run, but I need a little help getting that much sand to my place and into the coop. Still my goal, though.

I started this project in August 2014. Took the fall/winter off and resumed in spring 2015 only when weather permitted. I've not done a whole lot since, just minor things for comfort and convenience. Life sort of got in the way of populating the coop along with my fear of brooding chicks in absentia - not home all day to ensure their comfort and safety in the house (no garage, no basement). I think I've come upon a less-worrisome manner to keep newborns warm w/o fear of fire or over heating from a heat lamp. Anyway, I hope to move from 'virtual' chickens to real chickens in the very near future.
Total cost came out around $300. The costliest part of the whole thing is the hardware: hinges, hasps, handles, stabilizing brackets (2 doors), hardware cloth, drip edge, and washers & screws ; and more washers & screws!

Procured free siding for the hen house structure. Some patching and paint once installed and it'll be fine.

To maximize floor space I decided on the 'cat walk' - something I'd seen in other coops. My pop-door is manual operation for now until I get an automatic door opener. With mornings remaining dark later in the day, it's no bother for me to let the girls out myself as I'm up and about long before they would be.

Bs Peeps
Oct 15, 2015

There are no comments to display.