post your chicken coop pictures here!

[citygirl180]

Yeah the "easy reach" nest boxes are sweet. Hope it doesn't rain in Phoenix or Sylvester will be on you about lack of a roof over the nest box.
ETA: Just noticed the house roof relative to the nest box. If it rains on your house, it looks like you are going to get a LOT of rain from it on to your nest box. Problem whether it is egg collecting time or not. Might want to add "put gutters on the house roof" at the top of your "to do" list.

I second the lamp question. How old are the birds? If they are the same ones in your album on Dec 8th, they are well past needing a heat lamp in Vermont (where it is currently 6F) let alone Phoenix at 50F+.

Thank you! I figured I could do without the light at this point. They seem to like huddling in front of it so much though! I'll do away with it. As for the rain... It doesn't rain often here and so until I get around to adding slopped roof (with overhang!) I've put a tarp over it for when it does rain. The angle of the picture is deceiving- the house overhang isn't actually that close to the coop. but good notice!

 

[Sylvester017]

Split coop.

Silkie side

Egg layer side

I got a chuckle from your split coop into a Silkie side and an Egg Layer side. My Silkies ARE my best Layers in the winter!

 

[WthrLady]

Another 8 hour work day, but I love it! So quiet and peaceful,except for me swinging a 20 ounce hammer. Lol!

Tomorrow the large side walls and back wall.

I have four more window studs and a stud support over the pop door to do first thing in the morning, but then I'll tackle the next walls. I would have had them done today ( the window and pop door studs) but for a visit from our local Mrs. CRAVITZ, being nosey and chatty. Oh and she brings her ratty little ankle biter dog. Ugh, WHO does that? Keep your dog away from my chicken yard!

Phew.

 

[Latestarter]

Quote:

Another 8 hour work day, but I love it! So quiet and peaceful,except for me swinging a 20 ounce hammer. Lol!

Tomorrow the large side walls and back wall.

I have four more window studs and a stud support over the pop door to do first thing in the morning, but then I'll tackle the next walls. I would have had them done today ( the window and pop door studs) but for a visit from our local Mrs. CRAVITZ, being nosey and chatty. Oh and she brings her ratty little ankle biter dog. Ugh, WHO does that? Keep your dog away from my chicken yard!

Phew.

I remember Gladys Kravitz! Used to watch bewitched every afternoon as a child.

I bet you were feeling kinda like this --->

Starting to look good there. Nice to keep us posted!

 

[WthrLady]

She even has the same voice and hair!

All her conversations are prying and her comments are loaded opinions.

Drives me bonkers.

Oh and another neighbor from 3/4 mile down the road stopped by, sans KIDS this time. Awesome. Usually she's got three toddlers in tow, who chase chickens and don't listen at all.

I'm not running a petting zoo.

Does anyone sell ' do not approach the chickens' and 'poultry bio security in effect, stay back' signs?

I want some!

 

[TJordan]

Since it is that big (10x15) I would want head room for the times when cleanups are necessary to enter the pen.  If you add a roof, make it gabled or slightly sloping for rain run-off.  So excited for you on the build!

Thanks for the idea... I've decided that if this husband of mine decides to go HUNTING this weekend.... ILL BUILD IT MYSELF. And he can just deal with it!!!
I've lost birds now for goodness sake... My poor daughter asked me why the dog tried to eat them... My husband told her that the dog wanted chicken nuggets but couldn't go to McDonalds so she tried to eat them whole....

 

[BonRae67]

Thanks for the idea... I've decided that if this husband of mine decides to go HUNTING this weekend.... ILL BUILD IT MYSELF. And he can just deal with it!!!
I've lost birds now for goodness sake... My poor daughter asked me why the dog tried to eat them... My husband told her that the dog wanted chicken nuggets but couldn't go to McDonalds so she tried to eat them whole....

I and my 13 year old daughter have built ours so far. I know you can too. We are determined to build our coop with minimal help from hubby.

 

[BonRae67]

I got a chuckle from your split coop into a Silkie side and an Egg Layer side.  My Silkies ARE my best Layers in the winter!

That makes me chuckle. This will be my first silkies.

 

[Sylvester017]

Another 8 hour work day, but I love it! So quiet and peaceful,except for me swinging a 20 ounce hammer. Lol!

Tomorrow the large side walls and back wall.

I have four more window studs and a stud support over the pop door to do first thing in the morning, but then I'll tackle the next walls. I would have had them done today ( the window and pop door studs) but for a visit from our local Mrs. CRAVITZ, being nosey and chatty. Oh and she brings her ratty little ankle biter dog. Ugh, WHO does that? Keep your dog away from my chicken yard!

Phew.

Dogs of any breed are a challenge around chickens. Neighborhood stray dogs broke our gate to get to our coop but our neighbor chased them off. Some breeds are good guard dogs around livestock/poultry but still have to be trained. Maybe an electric fence will keep Mrs. Cravitz' ankle biter away? Tell her she's not welcome unless her dog is on a leash and you'll reward her with a dozen fresh eggs if she complies. It may get expensive but a fenced pen with cover attached to the coop plus electric fencing might add protection. Chickens are very vulnerable to predators. Even in our suburban cottage backyard I have doghouses, benches, shelters, canopies, and lots of plants for the hens to snooze/hide under -- in addition to city Raccoons we have a neighborhood Cooper's Hawk (chicken hawk) that likes to visit our free-range hens but he won't go after them while they're hiding. There are so many predators that one never knows about until one gets chickens -- snakes, 'coons, 'possums, rats, foxes, wild pigs, weasels, cougars, coyotes, dogs, bobcats, bears, domestic cats, hawks, etc. One nice bird to have around are crows. They are territorial and actually do a good job of keeping the Cooper's Hawk off-limits without ever going after our full-grown hens or feed. Other owners have experienced the same with crows. Set up a corn patch and sunflower garden just to attract the crows. I wouldn't keep chicks or ducklings out in free-range because they are always an easy target for any predator. Hope you plan on 1/2 inch hardwire and not flimsy chicken wire for the coop or pen. In your open spaces your hens will need all the protection you can incorporate. GL!

 

[Sylvester017]

She even has the same voice and hair!

All her conversations are prying and her comments are loaded opinions.

Drives me bonkers.

Oh and another neighbor from 3/4 mile down the road stopped by, sans KIDS this time. Awesome. Usually she's got three toddlers in tow, who chase chickens and don't listen at all.

I'm not running a petting zoo.

Does anyone sell ' do not approach the chickens' and 'poultry bio security in effect, stay back' signs?

I want some!

Let an electric fence do your work for you!