Credit goes to the Taj Mahal for most of the design concept. With most of the credit going to my dad and husband doing most of the work!
I tried to take all the ideas that I like to make my Frankenstein coop. The ideas I had my heart set on were the clear roofing, more nesting boxes, using milk crates, the chicken nipple water, wooden floor, and having access to the door inside and nesting boxes without having to go into the coop.
I made my coop 12' by 6' since I have 11 pullets (well hopefully they are all pullets) that should get pretty large.
Me and my husband compromised on the location for the coop.....behind the shed/old barn. Turned out I'm glad I listened..just don't tell him that!
We can easily run electric when we need too with and extension cord.
We can also easily fence in two sides if free ranging doesn't work out as planned.
I think the piece of tin came from an old belt line from one of the coal mines around here.
Our feeder from PVC pipe. It was used to be our deer feeder. I had to hike up our mountain to go retrieve it!
Our Chicken Water-er with 5 chicken nipples drilled in the bottom I got from ebay.
I really love this setup its easy to fill up and check the water level. The chickens can't poop in it so you don't waste so much water and time! It also wastes very little water, I filled it up two days ago and it's still over half full! It is a very needed relief from that mason jar chick water-er that constantly got pooped in
I made the run all by myself! I used freebie paint sticks for the little steps, I worry sometimes that they might not be thick enough though so we'll just have to wait and see. The door has a cable that goes to outside the door and hooks either up or down.
Someone might have left some chalk in the coop on this picture
One of the reasons I went with a wooden floor is because of how soft and spongy our ground in this spot. I was worried about something being able to dig underneath. I also like the fact that I can just take a water hose and spray all the poopie right out!
The roost is about 3' x 6' not counting the nesting box. I can stand all the way up!
Our nesting box
We had to make the side open instead of the roof because the coop is up so high! It was a last minute decision, but I really like the result. It will be super easy to clean this way.
I plan on using milk crates for the actual nesting boxes, they will just slide in between the 2x4's. I just put this one in for the picture. My chickens are about 6 weeks old now and I had just moved them to the coop. While in the brooder I used a crate for them to play on and to keep the water and feed off the pine shaving floor. This didn't work out too well the first night. When I checked on them every single one had perched on the edge of the crate to roost. So, I ruffled a few feathers and took out the milk crate. I plan on putting it back in when they get closer to laying egg age. Hopefully by then they will like the higher 2x4 roosts.
I actually had plans on paint the whole coop...well eventually. I was painting a piece of wood with chalkboard paint for my son's play set outside, then though "What the heck, I'll put some of this stuff on the coop!" I though it would be cute to maybe keep a daily egg count or something. I drew a chicken on the left and my 3 year old drew the one in the middle!
So there it is my ideas and madness made real by the people that love me.
If you have and thought's or ideas to improve please fill free!
I tried to take all the ideas that I like to make my Frankenstein coop. The ideas I had my heart set on were the clear roofing, more nesting boxes, using milk crates, the chicken nipple water, wooden floor, and having access to the door inside and nesting boxes without having to go into the coop.
I made my coop 12' by 6' since I have 11 pullets (well hopefully they are all pullets) that should get pretty large.
Me and my husband compromised on the location for the coop.....behind the shed/old barn. Turned out I'm glad I listened..just don't tell him that!
We can easily run electric when we need too with and extension cord.
We can also easily fence in two sides if free ranging doesn't work out as planned.
I think the piece of tin came from an old belt line from one of the coal mines around here.
Our feeder from PVC pipe. It was used to be our deer feeder. I had to hike up our mountain to go retrieve it!
Our Chicken Water-er with 5 chicken nipples drilled in the bottom I got from ebay.
I really love this setup its easy to fill up and check the water level. The chickens can't poop in it so you don't waste so much water and time! It also wastes very little water, I filled it up two days ago and it's still over half full! It is a very needed relief from that mason jar chick water-er that constantly got pooped in
I made the run all by myself! I used freebie paint sticks for the little steps, I worry sometimes that they might not be thick enough though so we'll just have to wait and see. The door has a cable that goes to outside the door and hooks either up or down.
Someone might have left some chalk in the coop on this picture
One of the reasons I went with a wooden floor is because of how soft and spongy our ground in this spot. I was worried about something being able to dig underneath. I also like the fact that I can just take a water hose and spray all the poopie right out!
The roost is about 3' x 6' not counting the nesting box. I can stand all the way up!
Our nesting box
We had to make the side open instead of the roof because the coop is up so high! It was a last minute decision, but I really like the result. It will be super easy to clean this way.
I plan on using milk crates for the actual nesting boxes, they will just slide in between the 2x4's. I just put this one in for the picture. My chickens are about 6 weeks old now and I had just moved them to the coop. While in the brooder I used a crate for them to play on and to keep the water and feed off the pine shaving floor. This didn't work out too well the first night. When I checked on them every single one had perched on the edge of the crate to roost. So, I ruffled a few feathers and took out the milk crate. I plan on putting it back in when they get closer to laying egg age. Hopefully by then they will like the higher 2x4 roosts.
I actually had plans on paint the whole coop...well eventually. I was painting a piece of wood with chalkboard paint for my son's play set outside, then though "What the heck, I'll put some of this stuff on the coop!" I though it would be cute to maybe keep a daily egg count or something. I drew a chicken on the left and my 3 year old drew the one in the middle!
So there it is my ideas and madness made real by the people that love me.
If you have and thought's or ideas to improve please fill free!
