Here's my Coop! Pics and Questions...

[PrincessChicky]

I have some improvements to make on it, but I'm pretty optimistic.
Some of my first plans are to add some vent toppers over the apex of the closed coop area. Upon inspection, there is a gap at the top where rain and any kind of weather can fall right in onto the bedding and chickens. I want the ventilation but not the rain! Since I live in Texas, I am also going to add some shade screening along the top level of the coop. There are not any nesting boxes in the closed coop so I am considering adding some. The people before me just put straw on the bottom and had the chickens lay wherever. Thoughts?

For the chicks getting into the lower level, do I need a ramp or will they just fly when they're older? Do I block off the lower level until they're older? They are about 3-4 weeks now.

Oh!! I almost forgot, is straw the best thing to put in the coop or something else? Pine flakes? Where should I put their water in the coop? They just keep shoveling all their bedding into the water. And I planned to get a fly catcher bag thing to hang in the coop, is that a bad idea or will the chickens just eat the flies and I don't need to worry about them?

We go to pick up the coop tonight so I'll make some adjustments to the coops design and hopefully put them in it this weekend. They are trying to fly/flutter out of the container I have them living in while in my kitchen!

 

[bnjrob]

I'd cut a hole in the backside of the coop and insert a nest box so that it hangs out the back side and doesn't take up any floor space in the coop.

You'll definitely want ventilation in it - too hot here in TX not to have vents.

Some people like straw. For a small coop like that, I would not go with straw. I would either get the pine shavings or pine pellets. We're using pine pellets in the brooders right now (and we also use pine pellet kitty litter) and we like how it does and minimal smell. People have no idea that we have 9 cats in our house because the pine pellets work so well on smell.

For water - you can consider using chicken nipples or chicken cups attached to either PVC pipe or buckets that hang. Definitely helps with the messy water problem. I would put the water outside into the run area for most time. I am only thinking about putting water inside the coop area for times when I have a hen sitting on eggs or when the weather is too crummy and they don't want to go out.

I would put in a ramp.

I wouldn't worry about a fly trap unless you start to see problems that the chickens aren't taking care of.

If it is warm enough for the chicks that aren't fully feathered, I would not block off the bottom run.

 

[PrincessChicky]

Thanks a lot for the input.

I hadn't thought to use pine pellets in the coop! I'll have to look into that and see which is most cost effective between the pellets and the shavings. I had an idea to add another ventilation hole to that back side that I could open and close depending on weather, and I'll have to see how clever I can be in building a nest box under that vent spot I had in mind.

I have a lot of ideas to google now, thanks a lot! I have to figure out where to get chicken nipples!

 

[bnjrob]

I got my chicken nipples from qcsupply.com They had a selection of metal and plastic nipples and both the screw in and push in types. They were cheaper than other places I checked out and had great service. I think someone got chicken nipples cheaper than me by going on ebay.

 

[Sparky43]

I would consider getting the bucket- style nest box, they look easy enough to put in and will be much easier to get the eggs

 

[PrincessChicky]

I would consider getting the bucket- style nest box, they look easy enough to put in and will be much easier to get the eggs

i will keep my eyes open for a bucket-style nest box, I'm not sure I've seen them before.

Unfortunately, I got my coop yesterday and it is mostly a tear down. The bottom 4x8 portion is intact with only a small amount of rot along the wooden base. The chicks are out in that for the day and might be back inside the house tonight. The top portion of the coop has had one end removed, the bottom completely removed and now have plans to do 1/2 the top in wood for the inner coop and 1/2 in wire for the outter part. I'll put in a ramp for them and also an external nesting box. Right now, everything is in shambles!