Technical coop building question.

[ScottandSam]

Quote:
Nice I'm currently looking for Wade or Davis FBCM, I aslo like the blue eggs from a cream legbar. And most of all I want 12-18lbs brahma. Gotta find a good breeder for those. Most hatcherys are in the 8-10lbs on them.

Scott

 

[Merrymouse]

Nice I'm currently looking for Wade or Davis FBCM, I aslo like the blue eggs from a cream legbar. And most of all I want 12-18lbs brahma. Gotta find a good breeder for those. Most hatcherys are in the 8-10lbs on them.

Scott

My cream legbar is supposedly from Rees line and my FBCM from Little Pedlar. So we'll see how they turn out. My Brahma I got from a local breeder and not sure where he got his stock from but she's sweet so far and my biggest chick but I think she is also a week older than the rest so theres that. Good luck with your search. Obviously I like your choices

 

[ScottandSam]

Quote:
fbcm from little pedlar would also be a good choice. I just cant seem to find them except a 4-5 hr drive away. But we will track some down.
I also like your choices you have done some good homework too.

Scott

 

[Merrymouse]

The weather finally gave us a break!!!! It wasn't snowing, sleeting, raining and no high winds today so we got out there. DH worked on laying the hardware cloth around the perimeter and back filling and leveling the base of the run and all around the perimeter. We got 8 yards of loam. I worked all day on figuring out the roosts and poop boards then I built and installed fhem

The shorter roost is 4' and the longer one is about 7'. I made my poop boards 20" wide. I know 24" was recommended but my space was too cramped with that configuration. Everything is removable so if this doesn't work I can easily change if. Poop boards are 20" from floor, short roots is 5" off poop board and long roost is about 6 1/2" from
Poop board. That's the best I could do folks. This task drove me crazy because I really wanted 10' of roost. Here are some pictures.

I also used a dremmel to cut down sticking out screws everywhere and then ground down the sharp points. So all we have to do now is finish the perimeter hardware cloth, back fill the run, paint and landscape and we are done!!!!

 

[Merrymouse]

Oops, I forgot I still have to put the boards up to stop the litter from falling out when I open the doors, also the little shield so poop doesn't get in the nest boxes. Also, where my ramp attaches to the pop door there is a little gap that I have to somehow fix so the chickens dont get their toes stuck...hmm...what else?.....oh I have to put a stop on the people door to the run and attach the spring so it auto closes.....and thats all for now unitl I think of something else I forgot

 

[TalkALittle]

Make sure if your latch is self locking that you have a way to open the run door from the inside. You don't want the door to auto close on you and get locked in!

 

[ScottandSam]

Looks good you guys are making that coop amazing looking.

Scott

 

[aart]

Good Job!!
Soooo close!!!

I think your roost/board dimensions will work fine.
How will you clean the far end of the long board?
You might want to put something up behind the poop board near the pop door so stuff doesn't get scratched off the board and into the pop door tracks.
I had that problem and used piece of the vinyl flooring screwed to the wall and bent down over the back edge of board frame, helped a lot.

Will you hang feed/water under the short roost?

"the little shield so poop doesn't get in the nest boxes."
Do you mean a 3-6" high front lip on nests to keep bedding, and eggs(!), from being scratched out?

 

[Merrymouse]

Make sure if your latch is self locking that you have a way to open the run door from the inside. You don't want the door to auto close on you and get locked in!

LOL! Ive read the stories and Ive learned from others mistakes, my doors are not self latching. Im using the big gate, kind of like a barrel bolt, I don't have a picture handy but it won't lock me in

 

[Merrymouse]

Good Job!!
Soooo close!!!

I think your roost/board dimensions will work fine.
How will you clean the far end of the long board?
You might want to put something up behind the poop board near the pop door so stuff doesn't get scratched off the board and into the pop door tracks.
I had that problem and used piece of the vinyl flooring screwed to the wall and bent down over the back edge of board frame, helped a lot.

Will you hang feed/water under the short roost?

"the little shield so poop doesn't get in the nest boxes."
Do you mean a 3-6" high front lip on nests to keep bedding, and eggs(!), from being scratched out?

Yes, the far end will be my challenge and you KNOW that will be the preferred roosting spot. There actually is about 1' on that end where the poop board doesnt cover so which ever hen is roosting there will be pooping directly into the litter. I will have to use a rake or hand shovel to clean that often because its directly over the pop door. I couldnt make the poop board go all the way because it would get in the way of the pop door. I raised the pop door up and my nest boxes for that matter in case I change my mind and try the deep litte, creepy crawlies and all

Also everything, poop boards and roost boards are removable for cleaning for when it gets really nasty.

Initially I will find a place inside the coop for food and water but my plan is to have the food and water out in the run, maybe under the coop but we'll see how that works out.

About the nest boxes, mine are raised so Im not worried about them kicking too much stuff in. I am going to put a lip of some sort so they cant kick the nesting material out. Also I noticed other folks put a slanted lip on the top of the opening to the nest boxes but now that Im thinking about it maybe they only do that if the roosts are above to keep dropping out buy my roosts are on the other side so I probably dont need that.

I do need to put some kind of barrier in each dooryway to keep the litter from falling out every time I open the doors. Maybe I can work on that today.

I stayed out of work because my youngest daughter is sick today. She is in 9th grade and has never ever missed a day of school in her life and she wasn't even asking to go so I am a bit concerned for her. She is usually a fighter and nothing keeps her down. She got hit in the face last spring playing softball, smashed her nose into 7 pieces, was in the ER until well after midnight, her eyes were swelled shut but she got up and insisted on going to school the next day

so her lying in bed all day yesterday and then not even fighting when I said she should stay home warranted me calling out today too to keep an eye on her.