If you knew then what you know now...

[Sabz]

The only thing I don't like about my coop are the roosts. They are not removable (first error) and too large (second error).

I read that chickens were comfy on 2x4s and that the width of the wood would allow them to "sleep" on their feets to keep them warm in winter.

Seems I might have smaller chickens than other people, as they poop on my 2x4 (no other perch nearby, so I guess the butts hang over the 2x4).

So this is bad for me, some are getting bublefoot and I am sure it is because my perch is dirty. I will redo this part of the coop.

So maybe.. know which chicken breed you are getting and go SEE them before building the coop.. I didn't think leghorns were that small, but mine seem too small for my perch anyway!

 

[stephdbarb]

love this thread. We made some fatal errors and assumed we had less predators then we actually have which cost us some chickens. We're definitely city folk learning to be country! Think of every possible scenario. Holes, gaps, places where predators can reach through or chicken heads can poke out. Electrical fencing has been truly a life saver and saved the flock more than several times. Now we're looking into surveillance camera to see what the heck our electric fence is keeping out!
Also in our case my daughters have decided they want to show chickens which means the run and coop are now too small. Looks like we will be expanding only 5 months after building the original!!

 

[sarahandbray]

Thanks! Our fixer-upper coop is a 10'x10' pony shed...and my husband is convinced I need not be worried about predators. I know better. We don't "see" raccoons ever but we hear coyotes and friends up the street have lost birds in the daytime to hawks, so I'm plenty worried.
I may have to agree to disagree with my husband and just bury the hardware cloth myself!!
Here's our fixer upper coop, soon to have roosts, nesting boxes, and a chicken door.
Will have their run covered all the way around with a door leading out to a big pasture area for when we're down next to them in the garden or home on a wknd.

 

[tntchix]

and always have more storage than you think you need. I'm fighting for dry space already for bedding and food.

 

[asandrews]

More predator proofing from day 1, build bigger, and plan for a watering system other than a hanging waterer. We only built for 4 chickens, but now have 6 and want to hatch chicks!

 

[azahn]

You will be checking on your chickens frequently and compacting the walkway more than you imagined. Be mindful of where you put the coop so that you are not jeopardizing the health of any trees. The floor of the coop should be slanted slightly so that water (rain or occasional hosing out) can drain and not puddle. Don't bother with vinyl floor covering thinking it will be easier to clean that plain wood; it will eventually disintegrate due to ammonia in the droppings. Things I'm glad I did: Totally enclosed coop and run - no predators (except snakes - they can squeeze through tiny openings!). Surrounded the perimeter of the coop with railroad ties - discourages digging and looks good, too. Solar lights at outside corners and one that's mounted near the door handle. Have a great time with your new chickens! And be prepared to make adjustments as time goes by. It's a process

 

[aart]

Go bigger and more ventilation than you think you need.

 

[sarahandbray]

Thanks again for all the replies!!
This project did turn into a retrofit/up cycle/Craigslist kind of thing, so I'm not building new at the moment. I am writing down all of your ideas on my iPad for future reference, though!! And I can incorporate some of them into the pony shed.
I will definitely be buying some hardware cloth, that's for sure!

Location is good, plenty of space for 20 hens, 10'X10' with a large electrified fence run, I think.
Today should be the day!!! Been getting texts as to where the little chicks are--they just got in to Albany (9 miles away!) this morning at 5:38am. They should be to my little post office soon and the woman who works there owns chickens as well--she said she'd call the minute they got there!

Sarah

 

[ECBW]

Is your coop ready? If not, the clock is now ticking. Chicks grow fast. They are going to want to get out of the brooder in 4 to 5 weeks, out into the run by 6 to 8 week, and maybe free range after that.

 

[rosiesgirls]

START GETTING YOUR COOP READY NOW!!

I know you said you want it done before school starts, and that's good! I got my first chicks the first week in July. We waited a couple of weeks before starting to build our coop and had NO idea how long it was going to take! There are so many little details that all take time. (Not to mention we are SLOW carpenters!) And, the cost keeps increasing! We had anticipated spending $300-$400 on it and now it seems closer to $700-$800. It'll be a beautiful thing when it's done, but wow!

At any rate, the girls are 6 weeks old now and the coop STILL isn't finished! It's finished enough that they've been in it for 3 days, but you will be amazed at how fast they grow and just how much poop they make! I was cleaning out their brooder completely every other day at the end...couldn't stand the smell any longer than that. AND, they're very dusty! Who knew?? Mine were in a watermelon box in the basement. My adjacent craft room and hubby's pool room are SO dusty now!!

Also, if you do decide to make a tractor when the weather's nice again (I can't believe it's almost fall!), be VERY conscious of the weight as you build. Our coop was supposed to be portable...and now weighs so much we're not sure we're going to be able to move it! We built next to the house so we had easy access to power but didn't anticipate how heavy it was going to be! The original plan was to move it from place to place in traditional chicken tractor manner and now have decided we'll only try moving it twice a year...in the spring it'll go toward the back of the property, near some trees for shade, and in the fall, back up near the house for easy egg gathering, feeding, etc. Just have to figure out how we're going to attach wheels that can handle the weight AND are affordable!

I also live in upstate (Sacandaga Lake area) and am new to chickens...welcome!!