Describe 'You couldn't hit (the side of the barn) Coop' here
We just began our experience of chickens about the end of February. My husband came home from the feed store with four little tiny chicks born February 8th. We looked at many designed and were a little overwhelmed by the complex designs. It was when we saw that everyone does what works for their particular situation, we relaxed and my husband began creating.
We began our coop in a corner of the fenced in portion of our yard behind the fish ponds. We used our plastic shed as the side wall and the wire fencing behind it as the back wall. We also used part of the existing wire fence corner and then made a chicken wire wall diagonally across. This is very simple and airy. We live in FL and wanted to make sure the chickens would be protected and have plenty of cool air. We also used chicken wire across the top to keep them safe from predators (cats) and keep them from flying out. He then took some tarp and made high center pitch to keep them dry and keep the water from collecting on the tarp. There is a big oak tree so they will have shade in that spot all summer long. He made a door for us to come in and out, with a latch to latch ourselves in when we go in to visit with the chickens. We like to spend time with them holding them and didn't want the dogs or cats to come in while we were visiting.
Over the past weekend my husband make a perch the whole width of the coop. Then he drilled wooden boxes for the hens to sleep in and lay eggs on the perch. He also drilled in the food dish on the perch. Outside the door of the coop we have a holder for hand sanitizer.
Eventually we would like to do a few more expansions.
1) Buy another storage shed for the yard and maybe cut a hole in our shed wall for a more enclosed area for the hens.
2) We are going to take off the small piece of side fence and expand the coop;s exterior area more past the tree and to the end of the fencing for the fish pond. This will increase their walking area outside, while they still will be under the shade of the big tree.
We are looking forward to see what ideas come to us as we seek to make a happy home for our chicks.
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