TWEAK MY COOP~Tweaks on the Cheap

[just13nat]

I've found putting the fan right against the window mesh, blowing into the coop,
keeps it cleaner and even blows some of the stirred up dust out the other windows/openings.

Yes! This is what we did, brought an old standing fan down from attic and it blows into the "window" and out through vents on opposite side. The bottom has mud on it now, but it's never dusty! Then in the morning when I'm opening coop, I turn it and face it towards the run.

 

[Beekissed]

That works well on a conventional coop with standard walls and windows, but this coop is all "window", so outside the hoop or inside the hoop, it's subject to the dust kicked up within and without. No stopping that. Plus, where the nest boxes are located are below waist height, so in order for the fan to blow across them, it has to be positioned low...which means it's low enough to catch a lot of the dust.

 

[just13nat]

That works well on a conventional coop with standard walls and windows, but this coop is all "window", so outside the hoop or inside the hoop, it's subject to the dust kicked up within and without.  No stopping that.  Plus, where the nest boxes are located are below waist height, so in order for the fan to blow across them, it has to be positioned low...which means it's low enough to catch a lot of the dust. 

I think the amount of dust chickens (and chicks!) kick up has been the most surprising thing I've learned since owning chickens. And poop. Good gravy, so.much.poop. LOL, I wasn't prepared for the amount of poop a few chickens can produce! My compost loves it though.

 

[User395221]

I wasn't prepared for the amount of poop a few chickens can produce! My compost loves it though.

Chickens aren't for finicky people. I bought some chicken things from a man who sold his chickens. He had a lovely back lawn which he no doubt wanted to keep. My backyard now looks like the craters of the moon.

 

[just13nat]

Chickens aren't for finicky people.  I bought some chicken things from a man who sold his chickens.  He had a lovely back lawn which he no doubt wanted to keep.  My backyard now looks like the craters of the moon.  

For sure, although our two dogs had already done a number on our yard. I'm constantly telling my kids to watch out, they'll be running through the yard and fall in one of the many craters from the dogs digging for moles.

 

[SHERRING7712]

I saw this thread come up on the homepage this morning and I LOVE IT! I've been going back and forth with the hubby on ideas for redoing our current chicken habitat. I want a shed/coop so I can store feed, extra feeders/waters, a couple bales of straw, bedding, etc on one side and the coop on the other. I am in North Dakota pretty much on the Canadian line so I need something that can handle our harsh winters as well as some fairly hot summers. I love miss Bee's hoop design and am now thinking of ways to do a walk in hoop coop that I can divide for storage. I loved the bucket nesting box idea. I was thinking of doing the nesting boxes out of old drawers/dressers but buckets might be more readily available.
Thanks for the great thread and awesome idesas! Keep em coming!

 

[I Love Layers]

Looking for ideas on making a 15ft diameter trampoline frame into a coop of some sort. I live in north Dakota, so I don't think I would use it over the winter

 

[SHERRING7712]

Looking for ideas on making a 15ft diameter trampoline frame into a coop of some sort. I live in north Dakota, so I don't think I would use it over the winter

I live in North Dakota as well and am thinking of a hoop coop if I can get our old trampoline from MT when we go back in a few weeks. I found quite a few DIY designs on pintrest.

 

[I Love Layers]

I live in North Dakota as well and am thinking of a hoop coop if I can get our old trampoline from MT when we go back in a few weeks.  I found quite a few DIY designs on pintrest. 

Can you post pics of some of those designs? Ours got ruined in the wind, and was bent I'm half. You can straighten it out but I wouldn't be able to be an actual trampoline

 

[GardenNut]

Subscribing. Lots of good ideas Bee!