Coop idea. What do you think?

[Moabite]

I don't have pics, but imagine a box with shed roof suspended on four sunken posts. Hardware cloth skirt. So the coop will be above the run. Ordinary to this point, but this coop will not have a floor, just roosts and a divided nest box. The run will be the new compost bin. All the leaves I rake will go in along with kitchen scraps (Deep Litter Method). The chickens can eat what they like and leave the rest. Come fall, remove all the litter to my other compost bins and rake in new leaves and start over. Anybody tried this?
I'm liking the idea because it will more mimic a natural tree roost, less nooks, crannies, and corners to clean, less dust in the roost, and more head room making life easier for us humans involved in their care. Would love to hear your concerns and modification ideas. Also, this coop will be for 10 hens.

 

[Hollow Point]

Just completed mine about two weeks ago. Pen to the left is for pheasants, in the middle for doves and to the right chickens. Have all my brarred rocks in there right now to be able to hatch a straight breed off about ten eggs, then will open gate so all the different breed chickens can mingle.

 

[Moabite]

Looks like a good set up. What would you change if you had to rebuild it?

 

[Hollow Point]

Actually i wouldn't change anything. Chickens run their yard all day, hens can walk the steps to the first shelf to lay their eggs in three different nesting boxes and late afternoon walk the steps to the second shelf to roost for the night. Have another chicken yard right next to it divided by a gate. Going to open it once i get enough fertile BR eggs to place in the incubator. My other coop is full so i need to divide it up.

 

[Baymule]

You just described my coop!

today i snagged 6 bags of leaves from the neighbor's! I toss in pea hulls, corn shucks and cobs, garden trimmings and grass clippings. My girls are my composters.





I just added a 12'x8' run and DH and I filled the run 2 1/2 feet deep in leaves. The chickens scratched, pooped and it is now about 3" deep. Garden Gold is what I call it. My coop is 8'x7' and both are skirted 2' with wire all around. The run was made by building a frame (with materials I already had) and stapling cow panels to it. Then I hog ringed hardware cloth over the cow panels, built a door frame and door for the end and it makes a real nice run.

If I read you right, you plan on the coop being over the run? It is SOOOOOOO much easier with a walk-in coop and run. Easier to clean (laughs-yeah, riiight! clean twice a year) easier to get wheelbarrow in it, easier to feed and water, no stooping or reaching. Put your posts in the ground, roof it, board and wire up the sides, put in a nestbox and add a run. Yo will be glad you did!

 

[Moabite]

Thanks. I am gonna give it a shot. I gotta make it look cute for DW, and I've grown tired of my truck topper coop, mainly because it's an eye-sore and because it's harder to clean than it could be. I'm doing away with the galvanized feed bin also. I can't afford to feed the hordes of sparrows so I've decided to feed twice a day and throw the feed on the ground in to the litter to encourage better turning. I have been emptying the compost bin into the coop as well. My chickens seem to be avoiding the onions, avacado peals, coffee grounds and other not recommended scraps. I'll keep an eye on it though.

 

[yyz0yyz0]

Quote:
I'm also planning on a coop over run design that will also have run extending out from under the coop. Since I don't relish the idea of stooping or crawling around in there I had planned to make the top of the exposed run out of Hinged panels so I can unlatch one or more and lift them up to allow walking entrance to the run. Then just lower them down and latch after the clean up is done.

So far I dont' see any problems with this design except maybe the weight of the panels would be restrictive. if the panels look like they are going to be too heavy I might split them into two halves supported by a post at the junction of the two.

 

[hopefulpeeps]

You just described my coop!

today i snagged 6 bags of leaves from the neighbor's! I toss in pea hulls, corn shucks and cobs, garden trimmings and grass clippings. My girls are my composters.





I just added a 12'x8' run and DH and I filled the run 2 1/2 feet deep in leaves. The chickens scratched, pooped and it is now about 3" deep. Garden Gold is what I call it. My coop is 8'x7' and both are skirted 2' with wire all around. The run was made by building a frame (with materials I already had) and stapling cow panels to it. Then I hog ringed hardware cloth over the cow panels, built a door frame and door for the end and it makes a real nice run.

If I read you right, you plan on the coop being over the run? It is SOOOOOOO much easier with a walk-in coop and run. Easier to clean (laughs-yeah, riiight! clean twice a year) easier to get wheelbarrow in it, easier to feed and water, no stooping or reaching. Put your posts in the ground, roof it, board and wire up the sides, put in a nestbox and add a run. Yo will be glad you did!

Baymule, do you have more information somewhere about how you built that run?

 

[jteam]

I 2nd the comment about making your coop and/or run tall enough to enter. I did not do that and have kicked myself every time I have had to stoop, crawl, and contort to get things done!

I too would like to know more about the arch style run!