First Coop build: Pictures and questions

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Oh, and as long has they've lived in their coop for at least 2 weeks, they should be able to find their way back home whenever it's time for bed. They usually want to go back to wherever they know is safe and secure. Mine always come home whenever they free range the acre.
 
I love all the pics you posted, I think you've done a fantastic job! I'm sure you can figure out an easy fix for raising your fence for them later. Your chicks are adorable... and here's my only 2 cents worth for now; I Can tell you that it won't be long until your little girls are making a shavings-mess in their food and water containers... and I found that raising up the food and water a couple of inches really helped. I put a bowl upside down in my box, and set the water on top of it (and the same with their food). This is a wonderful site to be on with tons of information. Best of luck to you!
 
Last week I got two older hens along with their house that was in need of repair. I figured I'd keep them in a horse stall in the barn until I got the house fixed up and they learned where "home" is. The first day there both hens and flew over a 5+ foot wall and escaped through the barn window. One of them I think did get lost in the back pasture, but they were both back at the barn that night to roost on the 5 foot tall window ledge in the barn.

Your set up looks great, but the way. However, the chickens will likely be able to get out unless you put a cover or netting or something over the top.

Since chickens can actually fly fairly well, is it necessary to put ramps leading to the nesting boxes?
 
My full sized chickens have no problems jumping/flying up to a five feet high roost.

Whether they need help getting up to the nesting boxes depends a bit on how high they are and what they look like. They really don't need much help but if the opening is small a perch outside is not a bad idea. When I built my higher nests, I extended a 2x4 about 6" out to make a perch so they could hop up to that and step in, but most don't use it. They just jump right in.

I've seen chicks just a few days old jump up onto something over a foot high. If baby chicks can do that imagine what an adult can do. Some people would be amazed at how well chickens can jump, even if they don't use their wings to fly.
 
I played around with some 1.5 " conduit last night and this is what I came up with. It doesn't enclose the whole thing due to the way the fences are set up, but is easy to remove and install and seems to be secure. There is about a foot gap on either side of the top.

At the very least I think this will foil hawks.


What do you chicken gurus think?




The latching mechanism: The second hole will be a pin that I can drop in to lock it.

 
That will work, personally I would have put bird netting on top of the door way and ran it out to the top of run/coop that way you can walk around without having to move anything.
 
Your coop looks fantastic!! I live in the country also, and I have my chickens as pets. So, I'm very protective.
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The outdoor run area is enclosed, just like yours, but I actually have a wire on top, too. But, if your not quite as attached as me, what you have should be fine
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hi I am new at this chicken business and have built a coop and run for my son who is excited about this new project! We have 4 chickens a Rhode Island Red, Australorp and 2 Plymouth rocks they love my son and follow him all over and when we let them out after school and he calls them by name they come running to see what treats he has for them! I went a little over the top on my coop but my son Loves that he can sit inside with them! I'll post more pics in the future
 

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