Things you've learned while building your coop...

[Sam The Yam]

Quote:
soundl like that works pretty well - but I also need a way to move around the coop without stepping on any of the gang as they surround me, so I use an old lightweight window screen (in an aluminum frame) when I first open the coop I slide it inside the doorway and gently shove everyone back away from the door with it, then place it in the door as a gate while I reach out and grab the food/water etc, then as I move around the coop I use it in front of me, again to keep from stepping on or tripping over them as they crowd around me, mostly it works well, except when I lean it against a wall and they try to roost on the top edge, knock it over and try to squish whoever it lands on...LOL (no harm since it's very light and even with a chicken on top it's still bends around the bottom one... )

I found a small garden rake at Lowes that I use to rake the coop as well as use as a little prodder to encourage them when I have to drive them into the coop when I have to leave them. It also could be used to gently push them away as they try to crowd around you. It's like a child size but it is durable. Even a piece of wire mesh would work, your idea sounds great. Thanks for commenting.

 

[vermontgal]

Be sure to build into the coop design where you will keep tools for chicken coop cleaning - poop scraper (I use a dustpan), broom, car snow-brush, etc. Preferably also design where you will keep: feed, scratch, oyster shell, various equipment (light bulbs, heat emitter, heated water dish), various medicines (anti-peck, triple antibiotic, etc.). The faster cleaning stuff is to access, the less work in the long run!

 

[Carolyn252]

All the walls and ceiling of our run is of heavy gauge welded wire mesh of one-inch by two-inch openings in the mesh.

The wire is attached to the vertical lumber and the horizontal lumber frame of the run by long screws positioned inside large metal washers. No staples.

Inside the run, from the ground up to three feet high, we added a layer of a medium gauge welded wire mesh of half-inch by half-inch openings in the mesh. Overlaying the heavy meshed wire. That's to prevent the local raccoons from being able to reach inside the larger holes of the heavy mesh surrounding the run.

However, the two layers of mesh make it a bit difficult to see the chickens clearly when we sit outside their run to relax and watch their antics.

What we should have done is use plexiglass for the bottom three feet of the run, instead of using the second layer of small meshed wire.

 

[cybercat]

*** Critcal Check area where you plan to put your coop for yellow jackets nest in ground or wasps above ground. We had to burn out 2 YJ inground nests after we got floor done.

 

[oldchickenman]

when building your coop keep plenty of Beer on hand and hotdogs too.

 

[SpunkyTheMonkey]

Quote:
hell yeah, you always need more nails and more beer than you thought you would...

 

[g_a_brand]

SpunkyTheMonkey
Today 2:57 pm oldchickenman wrote:
when building your coop keep plenty of Beer on hand and hotdogs too.

hell yeah, you always need more nails and more beer than you thought you would
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Even if you think you have enough beer and nails on hand.... go get more

We even had to get our 20 year old to do a beer run for my hubby lol

one thing we learned while building our coop , Dogs love to lay and roll in the sawdust from the chop saw ... had to take the vacum to the both of them to get it all out

 

[fishshocker]

If you're about to make the last cut on the last board for your run, the 'measure twice/cut once rule' is useless. I measured 2 times/cut once and then realized my cut should have been a 30 degree angle to the right....not the left!

And to follow up on my last point, take the time to locate a 24hr lumber/hardware store, just in case you destroy your last 2X4, 10mins after homedeepoh closes! Please PM me if you do find a 24hr hardware store, I would have made a 5hr drive for that 1 board!

 

[chickenwhisperer123]

Quote:

I learned that if you put a coop on uneven ground, things can crawl under it!!

 

[davidr]

Since I needed a variety of wood 1x2, 1x4, 2x2, 2x4, 2x6 etc.

I generaly purchase 1x10x 10' and 2x10x10' and rip what I need, as I need it.

It does slow me down, but I end up with a lot less waste, and figuring out the cuts to minimize the waste is part of the fun for me.

David