post your chicken coop pictures here!

[BECCS2014]

Put my girls out today and they did the same thing. They just sat inside the doors loving the sunshine, but not going down the ramp. Tonight around sunset we did the feed and water routine and they all paraded down the ramp walked around pecking bugs. Someone had posted how ridiculous ramps are for chickens because they can fly up and jump down. I didn't agree at first but after watching them tonight I agree. Half of them never used the ramp they jumped down flapping their wings and flew back up. Give them time they'll figure it out.

 

[chickeelina]

They need a little help, show them and maybe make a nice food trail?

 

[gilcamp4]

also if you put them inside right near the door they will come down it then go back up on thier own. i did that with my babys and they went down it but could not get up so i put corn on the floor of the coop boy they came up then.you may have to show it to them set them right on the ladder, when they get down put the corn on the top of ladder they will come back up.

 

[mandydj]

My husband built the white one and i just built the other today. I will paint it white also once it stupid raining long enough! I'm going to do a couple modifications. I'm going to put a couple more rungs on the ladder and a roosting bar inside. Both of our we made up, designed ourselves using free scrap wood.

 

[chick peeps]

This is my coop just finished today I put my chicks in it today but they never went out it or up and down the ramp what do I do is my ramp to high or anything or will they just do it on there own

My chickens did the same thing at first, I had to place them in the enclosed part several times. Eventually they will start to sleep on the roost.

 

[elesandchickens]

Quote:
You need to be careful with regard to the "vicious beast". Lots of people lose chickens to their own dogs.

No worries, they're not allowed in the backyard at the same time. The vicious white fluff machine is too old and ornery to put up with the chickens. So they go back in their run when the pup comes out

 

[Sylvester017]

My husband built the white one and i just built the other today. I will paint it white also once it stupid raining long enough! I'm going to do a couple modifications. I'm going to put a couple more rungs on the ladder and a roosting bar inside. Both of our we made up, designed ourselves using free scrap wood.

Nice recycling ideas. Yes, the extra steps on your unpainted ladder is a good idea. Chickens like security under their footing. An extra step between each of the existing steps on the unpainted will be nice. I saw someone's post that said to add sand to the paint for better grip/footing on painted steps. We chose not to paint our wooden steps and keep the steps natural for our chickens' footing.

 

[mandydj]

Great idea about the sand. I'm going to do that thank you.

 

[Sylvester017]

This is my coop just finished today I put my chicks in it today but they never went out it or up and down the ramp what do I do is my ramp to high or anything or will they just do it on there own

Nice coop. As for the ladder - add more steps between the steps you have now. About 3 inches apart for bantams and 4 inches for large and bantams mixed. If you have chicks the 3 inches would be better. Don't paint the ramp as it will be too slippery for sure footing.

Have you had advice about using 1/2 or 1/4 inch hardwire and/or burying the wire it into the ground - can't tell from your photo. You'll get a lot of input from security-conscious chickeneers on this thread.

We put our little coop on paver stones and made a large patio of paver stones all around it 6 feet out to discourage predator digging. The center of the coop was left as bare dirt for easier landing for chickens when they fly down to the floor. We also cover our coop with a popup canopy (feet buried into the ground about one foot so it doesn't fly away) and a tarp over the coop if it is raining to keep the wood from weathering and to cover the chickens at night from any harsh weather/wind.

Beautiful scenery you have! The chickens will love foraging free-range in that field. Provide several 12-inch high lean-to's around the area for them to snooze/hide under from aerial predators. We live in the city but still need to provide lots of shelter from the Cooper's Hawk (aka known as chicken hawk). The more shelters the better. We have about 3 lean-to's and a recycled doghouse for our backyard free-ranging hens. They have become quite predator savvy without a roo in their flock but it takes our good sense to provide them the extra protection. Chickens like a back wall on the lean-to or have it placed up against a fence or wall or row of bushes.

 

[Sylvester017]

This is my coop just finished today I put my chicks in it today but they never went out it or up and down the ramp what do I do is my ramp to high or anything or will they just do it on there own

I had an afterthought after posting to you. In that lovely large field if you free-range your chickens eventually invest in a treadle feeder for your chickens. Our yard got infested with wild birds wanting to eat our chickens' expensive organic feed not to mention all the lice/mites/worms brought in by wild birds. The wild birds have their own wild bird seed feeder and don't need to eat my expensive chicken feed!!! Nippled chicken waterers is another way to discourage wild birds from dipping their nasty beaks into pan type waterers.