post your chicken coop pictures here!

[bruceha2000]

Bruce, we're good on that too.

How did your roof rails do this winter?

Fabulous! I'm going to put some on the east side of the house to keep the snow from sliding down on to the porch roof. Wouldn't be a problem except for the bedroom window on the north wall of the south building. Way too much snow ends up there both from blowing and sliding. These will be easy to install, I can do it standing on the porch roof rather than swinging that heavy (but VERY USEFUL!) chicken ladder around.

 

[TJordan]

Well guys... I just counted and cleaned out my egg stock in prep for this weekends sale.... In the last 2 weeks I've gathered over 11 dozen eggs....

I cracked open 20 for cakes and cookies today and I've discover all but 3 were VERY fertile.... I guess that evil rooster is doing his job... I can't wait to get the new coop built so I can "accidentally" leave a few under the broody next time... She's down to 2 eggs under her now due to the nature of life and death but both look to be very far along... As in the next week if both are still viable...

Wish me luck on both the coop build and the possible new babies coming...

 

[vehve]

Always nice to have something sturdy to stand on when doing stuff at an altitude. I sometimes find myself wondering "What the heck am I doing?" when standing on top of a ladder, balanced on a table, stabilized with two planks, trying to reach that little spot in the corner with the paintbrush.

 

[Darmamommy]

That makes me very, VERY nervous.

I know what you mean. It worried me to have the lamp in the house too. We triple checked it and it is very secure. Don't think even a earthquake could move that thing. What else would you use? There doesn't seem to be many options for securing a heat lamp. I'll have to look and see if there is a thread here sbout securing a heat lamp.

 

[vehve]

Darma, I like hanging them from a chain, and attaching the cable to another point, so that the chain supports it but the cable will act as a safety if the chain should fail for some weird reason, that I can't think of.

 

[LindaB220]

Still working on it. My first coop. Hope to have it finished this weekend. The girls have been in my basement since they were born the last week of Feb. I have a lot to learn. I bought most of my material from Home Depot. The large dog kennel with a extra panel from Tractor Supply on sale. I have to finish the back, cover the top and bottom with chicken wire. I will make the nesting boxes for both sides in about another two weeks. And finish the outside trimmings. I also want to dig down around the fence and place wire or concrete to keep the critters out. It's more work than I realized.....almost done..
.lol

It sound's like you are off to a good start. My clay dirt does not allow me to dig so I place 2" x 4" fencing two feet around it on the ground. and I just finished putting hardware cloth around the bottom 3' of the coop. The losses I have had had not been dogs or coyotes, it's been tiny predators that can get in 1" wire. Mink or such. I use the dog kennels also. Good for the deep south with a tin roof.

 

[vehve]

By the way, has anyone tried attaching half a pipe high up on their run on the outside to deter climbing predators? Something that looks a bit like the top of modern prison walls? I think that would be an interesting experiment for someone with a flimsier net on top of their run, but also raccoons in the area.

 

[LindaB220]

I know what you mean. It worried me to have the lamp in the house too. We triple checked it and it is very secure. Don't think even a earthquake could move that thing. What else would you use? There doesn't seem to be many options for securing a heat lamp. I'll have to look and see if there is a thread here sbout securing a heat lamp.

Here is a good option. And what I'll be using after placing my lamp too close to the side of a heavy plastic dog crate. It melted 5" but the metal grate it was on was fine. Lamp was fine.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/956958/mama-heating-pad-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update

 

[Darmamommy]

Here is a good option.   And what I'll be using after placing my lamp too close to the side of a  heavy plastic dog crate.  It melted 5"  but the metal grate it was on was fine.  Lamp was fine.  


https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/956958/mama-heating-pad-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update

I just looked at that post a few second ago! It is a great idea! I'm going to try it out. I'll make a one in the coop while they are still in the brooder and place a temp guage under it and see if it works.

 

[Darmamommy]

Darma, I like hanging them from a chain, and attaching the cable to another point, so that the chain supports it but the cable will act as a safety if the chain should fail for some weird reason, that I can't think of.

Thats a good idea. I don't like the wire pinch hook on it. I think they could make them a little more safe with clip on loops and hooks instead on the flimsy wires they come with.