What feature do you wish you had in your coop/run?

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ChickAsThieves

ChickAsThieves

Songster
8 Years
Apr 13, 2014
421
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Northeast
We are in the process of "renovating" our backyard. While doing the yard over, our run is going to be extended out another 6-7 feet and then I'm pretty much cut off from adding on to it unless I start cutting down trees! I want to spend a lot of time this summer perfecting our coop and run design to make caring for the birds as easy as possible, especially in the winter.

Things we do have:

- Solar powered chicken door
- Heated PVC waterer
- Flat panel coop warmer (I just bought this. Our roo lost a toe to frost bite last winter and we lost some of our Polish, I think due to the cold.)

Things I know I want:

- Automatic feeder
- An easier way to clean out the coop
- Electrical outlet inside coop

What do you wish you had? What do you have that you love?
love.gif
 
AmandaKyle said:
We are in the process of "renovating" our backyard. While doing the yard over, our run is going to be extended out another 6-7 feet and then I'm pretty much cut off from adding on to it unless I start cutting down trees! I want to spend a lot of time this summer perfecting our coop and run design to make caring for the birds as easy as possible, especially in the winter.

Things we do have:

- Solar powered chicken door
- Heated PVC waterer
- Flat panel coop warmer (I just bought this. Our roo lost a toe to frost bite last winter and we lost some of our Polish, I think due to the cold.)

Things I know I want:

- Automatic feeder
- An easier way to clean out the coop
- Electrical outlet inside coop

What do you wish you had? What do you have that you love?
love.gif
Click to expand...
I'm new to raising chickens. I live in South-Eastern PA, should I look in to one of these flat panel warmers? Last winter was light, but we can get brutal stretches.




I wish my coop was taller. The space underneath the coop is so low that the only thing to go under there is a water feeder. If it were taller I could get a decent sized food feeder under there to protect their pellets from the rain.
 
...a live-in maid
big_smile.png



Seriously though, my favorite coop features are:
1. Access to nest boxes from outside the coop
2. Brooder/Hospital pen(s) INSIDE the coop
3. Plumbed auto watering system
4. Storage area inside the coop, but separate from chicken access, for feed, bedding, etc.
5. Electric outlets inside the coop
6. Access to auto feeders from outside the coop (for refilling)
7. Ceramic heaters
8. Windows (and window-mount fans for ventilation)
9. Linoleum or Vinyl tile flooring
10. Attached secure run large enough to accommodate the entire flock for a week (vacations, etc) or to use as a grow out pen
11. Auto coop door
12. Skylights
 
What does your coop look like? A photo and dimensions could be a big help with meaningful helpful suggestions.

What are your goals and intentions? Will you be integrating in the future, will you let broody hens hatch and raise chicks with the flock?

The more information you can give us the better chance we will say something that is actually helpful.
 
I'd like an auto door. That's the only thing that would come in really handy. Late coming home or impromptu overnight and you've got to call a neighbor to ask if they'll close the coop door, all that sort of thing is avoided with an auto pop door. Someday I'll get one and hook it up to small solar panel to keep everything portable.
 
suderm said:
I'm new to raising chickens. I live in South-Eastern PA, should I look in to one of these flat panel warmers? Last winter was light, but we can get brutal stretches.
Click to expand...

The warmer that I got was under $45 on Amazon and there is no fire risk. I've had chickens for about 4 years and we've never heated the coop in the winter, but we have had a few incidents of frostbite on their combs. This year was the first winter anyone lost a toe, and it will be the last! The warmer should get the interior temp of the coop to around 45 degrees. Not toasty, by any means, but above freezing.
 
If you are comfortable with that heater in there, go for it. It’s your choice for sure. But frostbite in the winter is usually more of a ventilation issue. Poor ventilation does not allow moisture to escape, and moist air can lead to frostbite. Hopefully you won’t have a power outage when the weather turns really cold.
 
What I love:
Fantastic big shed with great ventilation...came with property.
The storage space outside of coop but inside shed. https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/aarts-coop-page
Egg gathering access outside of coop but inside shed.
Poop boards under waist high roosts...makes for easy access to birds after dark for exams.
Waste free feeder https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/aarts-almost-waste-free-funnel-bucket-feeder
Heated waterer (just removed today, spring is 'official') https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/aarts-heated-waterer-with-horizontal-nipples
Temporary wall to create brooder/isolation area with separate people access, pop door, and run.

What I wish I had:
More room for another brooder/isolation area.
Solid run roofing(with easy access roof raking) for more sheltered winter space without shoveling.
 












I just built a new coop. It has lots of great features that you have talked about.

- good ventilation, eaves on both ends are open and protected with hardware cloth
- windows that can be opened
- a poop board under the roost, filled with SweetPDZ for easy clean up
- an automatic pop door from Poultry Butler (I really like this, gear driven and programmable)
- nesting boxes accessible from outside the coop
- outlets in the coop protected by GFCI
- floor is plywood covered with Black Jack 57
- 7 foot ceiling
- door has spring loaded hinges to make it self closing
 

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