NCcitychicken
In the Brooder
Hello everyone,
I am fixing to start assembly of my coop and run and would love some input. The coop is the extra large walk in from tsc. It claims to hold 18 chickens and has two exterior laying boxes with a divider in each for four nests total, I have 10 birds as of now and may cull a few. I plan to highly modify it and would like some fresh ideas. First is I will relocate the door to the far side and do away with the two piece design for a single door. Second is add a small door with a pull rope and latches so I can walk in, unlatch, pull the cord and hang it on a hook allowing the chickens into their outdoor run. There is a large space between the roof and top of hen house that is wide open, I will enclose it and I have ordered a small fan, temperature controls, and a heat lamp which I will attach at this new triangle shaped piece I will add to fully enclose the house. I don't want the a/c of sorts to run much, I just want to prevent frostbite and overheating. I'm thinking of 35 degrees heat on 40 degrees heat off, and 90 degrees fan on 85 degrees fan off. This will be hands free once I set it. Are these good parameters? Also I need ideas for auto feed and water, not that I won't see them everyday and clean everything regular, I just want to be able to go on vacation and not be worried about my chickens. And my neighbors will gather eggs and look at them if I am gone, I just wanna make it simple as I can for a few days away. I really want this coop for the long term as ease of use. Thinking of water nipples in a pvc pipe hooked to a barrel with a float switch, or an auto dog watered, and some type of large feeder. Ideas? Suggestions?
I am fixing to start assembly of my coop and run and would love some input. The coop is the extra large walk in from tsc. It claims to hold 18 chickens and has two exterior laying boxes with a divider in each for four nests total, I have 10 birds as of now and may cull a few. I plan to highly modify it and would like some fresh ideas. First is I will relocate the door to the far side and do away with the two piece design for a single door. Second is add a small door with a pull rope and latches so I can walk in, unlatch, pull the cord and hang it on a hook allowing the chickens into their outdoor run. There is a large space between the roof and top of hen house that is wide open, I will enclose it and I have ordered a small fan, temperature controls, and a heat lamp which I will attach at this new triangle shaped piece I will add to fully enclose the house. I don't want the a/c of sorts to run much, I just want to prevent frostbite and overheating. I'm thinking of 35 degrees heat on 40 degrees heat off, and 90 degrees fan on 85 degrees fan off. This will be hands free once I set it. Are these good parameters? Also I need ideas for auto feed and water, not that I won't see them everyday and clean everything regular, I just want to be able to go on vacation and not be worried about my chickens. And my neighbors will gather eggs and look at them if I am gone, I just wanna make it simple as I can for a few days away. I really want this coop for the long term as ease of use. Thinking of water nipples in a pvc pipe hooked to a barrel with a float switch, or an auto dog watered, and some type of large feeder. Ideas? Suggestions?
