Interior Coop Pics

[MaureenC]

this week, DS made a cornstarch science project which the birds accidentally ate, BOY oh BOY was that sticky on the driveway!

Omygosh that made me laugh... I've heard of "the dog ate my homework" but THE CHICKENS?? I bet that went over really well in class!!​

 

[Jbrandt000]

It looks like a lot of people build chicken coops like their own homes and not for the chickens benefit.

 

[kevinhannan]

Quote:
Yes, and I think both species benefit!

All the coops I see here seem to work for the little girls
while pleasing our need for aesthectics and - sometimes even - art!

Hats off to all the great peeps here! ;-)

 

[gale65]

Quote:
The vast majority of the features in our new coop are for MY benefit to make things easier. The chickens would be happy with a cardboard box, a roost, and another cardboard box for a nest.

 

[bairo]

Quote:
Yes, and I think both species benefit!

All the coops I see here seem to work for the little girls
while pleasing our need for aesthectics and - sometimes even - art!

Hats off to all the great peeps here! ;-)

I agree...hats off. I tend to lean more towards the science of situations and have studied chickens fairly extensively. I have not seen one single instance on here that you could call detrimental to the chickens. I think everyone here has done a great job in as far as what the chickens need. As matter of fact I read a research study not long ago outlining egg production of 100 years ago compared to now (keep in mind that egg production is the #1 indicator to a chickens health and happiness) The results indicated astounding increases across all breeds. They specifically looked closer at the older breeds so as not to skew the results due to newer egg producing breeds developed to lay more.
I would bet I speak for many on here when I say that most backyard keepers are passionate about animals health but yet are practical as well. If you are one of those super liberal tree huggers that believe that no animal can be happy when domesticated....then I suggest you keep buying your eggs at the market and support the horrible conditions of commercial egg producers and see how that makes you feel. Or maybe go join PETA and rant over on their boards

 

[Costa Rica Art]

Today was a good day for a little cleaning the nest boxes, no idea what is wrong but I am getting very fragile egg shells which break easily so the boxes got hosed out and new shavings put in. Notice the bottom which slopes to the middle front and rear, the center 4" is flat.

The water bottle with two nibs, hanging feeder, turkey hen and exit door.

An area I sectioned off for the turkey hens to sit on their eggs and the same place for the poults to be protected from the rest of the flock.

There were 3 turkey hens sitting on nests with lots of room to spare even when they were up and around after the 3 eggs hatched (only 3 eggs were fertile as this was the first time for all 3 hens, only one hen will remain to hatch the next eggs).

Roosts which also gives access to the nest boxes.

And you wondered what to do with those old kitty litter boxes, 5 boxes hold a full sack of poultry feed while the 6th box holds 10 kilos of cracked corn. The feed sack on top is now filled with wood shavings to replace the shavings in the nest boxes as it is dirtied. The wooden box on top is the small double nesting box for the bantam and silkie hens (it got washed out too so it is upside down to dry).

The coops walk thru door has a chain at the top as we do get a lot of wind. The poultry door is wood but metal clad and latches so the flock is protected at night should something climb the chain link fence and barbed wire and make it past the dogs. The coop is where the flock spends the night, the flock is out in the yard all day, it would have to be much larger if they had to be shut in during the day, the temperature here has never gone below 58 at night and generally in the 70s during the day (highest we've seen is 85 so it is our paradise).

Notice the concrete splash way around the coop, we get a lot of rain, over 100" a year so the splash way is necessary to help keep the coop dry. There is a 2' concrete footing as well, this allows the dirt floor under the litter to stay dry. Even after my washing out the nest boxes the dirt will only be a little damp in a few days which is good as the damp, the wood shavings and the droppings set up a beneficial bacterial enviroment which is good for the flock. This also helps break down the droppings which all gets spread around the plants in the yard. A win, win situation.

 

[beach livin']

very nice set up. one of my dearest friends loves costa rica; she tries to get there every year to surf, but now she is being restationed to guam.....

 

[rngrbill]

Quote:
Because to some minor (I hope) nerve damage in my arm I am unable to swing a hammer much or with a lot of accuracy. Got out the old drill with the driver bits and screwed my coop. Ah! put it together with screws, right.

Just remember to measure twice and cut once. You can do it. BTW HD and Lowe's will cut the big sheets to size for you. a lot more accurately than I could.

I just use a board under my roost. It sticks out about 4" past the roost and has a window at the end I pull it out of to scrape it off. This helps keep the deep litter cleaner.

Sorry you can't see it very well in this picture. It is before I had to lower everything my girls were bouncing off the roof when trying to get onto the roost. I added a temp at an angle untill I dropped it all 8" and added a ladder. Everyone is happy now.

 

[kevinhannan]

@ bairo, (post #90, previous page)

Indeedly.

I think that the very fact that peeps choose voluntarily to be part of this wonderfully supportive comunity
shows an intent to do the best they can with what they have for their little harem!

My coop cost less than £10 to make and gives my girls as good a life as a commercial coop costing many 100's!
And like many peeps here, our daily checks and care for our hens is first-rate!

 

[6chick*start]

Quote:
What a strange thing to say for your very first post ...