post your chicken coop pictures here!

[HighStreetCoop]

I finally have a coop! It was delivered and set up by the guys from THE CHICKEN GARDENER on Sunday. I'm sure I'll make a few alterations down the road (more ventilation and adding external nesting boxes), but for now I'm just happy the giant chicks are out of the house and have dirt to scratch in. I already made the ladder into a ramp with an easier grade for them.



Giant dog checking it out. Venetia the pullet giving him the hairy eyeball:

 

[birdman55]

nice pens

 

[Free Feather]

I finally have a coop! It was delivered and set up by the guys from THE CHICKEN GARDENER on Sunday. I'm sure I'll make a few alterations down the road (more ventilation and adding external nesting boxes), but for now I'm just happy the giant chicks are out of the house and have dirt to scratch in. I already made the ladder into a ramp with an easier grade for them.



Giant dog checking it out. Venetia the pullet giving him the hairy eyeball:

Will you let them free range? That run is awfully tiny.

 

[HighStreetCoop]

Will you let them free range? That run is awfully tiny.

It's more than 10 sq feet per bird, which is what's recommend everywhere on this site. But yes, they will get to free range when I'm home.

 

[LindaB220]

I love all the pics of the coops!! It is giving me great ideas

Yes, we do have a lot of ideas. I've learned so much by reading through the different threads. I love deep litter, and fermented feed threads. Of course I'm learning as I go with the hatching and incubators.

 

[Free Feather]

It's more than 10 sq feet per bird, which is what's recommend everywhere on this site. But yes, they will get to free range when I'm home.

Often times, especially with a boy, 10 square feet is not even enough to keep them from bothering each other let alone actually be happy. You certainly could keep them in a run that size, but they would not choose that over more room. Something to think about.

 

[LindaB220]

Often times, especially with a boy, 10 square feet is not even enough to keep them from bothering each other let alone actually be happy. You certainly could keep them in a run that size, but they would not choose that over more room. Something to think about.

I, actually don't agree with you. If we all had unlimited space, I'd say do it. But 10 sq ft is totally ample. They will be happy and content. If they had to subside on the 1 sq ft like in a cage, I'd think differently. No offense intended.

 

[dfalchek]

 

[dfalchek]

From our experience, good luck collecting eggs in the rain... Maybe use that clothesline bar to secure a tarp over the coop roof/collection lid. We have a pop-up canopy over ours and anchored to the ground. Keeps any rain leaks from warping the coop's exterior finish and keeps us dry while collecting eggs and checking on hens. Before we could afford a couple of canopies we used tarps over the hen house. Now we have one canopy over the little coop and another canopy in the back yard as shelter for the hens from rain or hot sunny days. When the canopy tops deteriorate we use regular tarps secured with ball-ties and heavy clips over the canopy frame because the replacement canopy covers are too expensive. If ball-ties are used the tarp looks almost as neat as a regular canopy replacement cover.
BTW - cute coop!

I have high quality felt and 30-year shingles on the roof with a GAF ridge vent. Same felt and shingles over the nests boxes, sealed with a rubber gasket and flashing against the coop, which will be painted with Sherwin Williams Super Paint and Duration on the trim. There's better roofing on the coop than on my house, (albeit the same quality paint). I don't think I'll be putting a cheap, Harbor Freight Tools tarp over it anytime soon.

 

[Free Feather]

I, actually don't agree with you. If we all had unlimited space, I'd say do it. But 10 sq ft is totally ample. They will be happy and content. If they had to subside on the 1 sq ft like in a cage, I'd think differently. No offense intended.

If they do not know any better, perhaps. It is not fair to compare to factory farms. They deserve to be happy, not to deal with it because someone else has it worse. I have gotten chickens from people who follow the ten square feet rule, and their chickens were definitely excited to be out, and waited at the door more anxiously to be let out than the chickens I have always let range. Once they get a taste of freedom they typically are not happy to be in. If it is literally all you have I guess it will work, but mayhaps you do not really need a bit of your yard and could give it to the chickens? Or let them range as often as possible. I just wanted to give advice in case it was not realized, that they prefer more. Just trying to help.