Recent content by ClockRoach

  1. ClockRoach

    New Coop Project

    Building new coops is probably my favorite part of having chickens. I wish I could do it more often! The design looks solid, but I think the most important thing to think about and plan well are access points. Think about where all the doors are. Where will their food and water be? Where are...
  2. ClockRoach

    Ventilation on new coop

    In the summer, there's no such thing as too much ventilation. As long as a cold breeze isn't going straight up their cloacas, they'll be fine, more or less. In the winter, it depends a lot on your local temps, winds, and humidity, but in general you should worry less about keeping them warm than...
  3. ClockRoach

    a transparent roof a decent idea for a coop?

    I use polycarbonate panels on my coops, and my chickens seem to be just fine with them. I use the tinted version so that they can get a bit more shade in summer, but it still lets in enough light to keep winter from seeming quite as dark. My original coop is a bit over three years old now and...
  4. ClockRoach

    Predator Apron Question

    Going on the outside of the block is definitely the easiest. If you're worried about the looks, you could add some skirting boards over the outside. Pick up some 1x4 or 1x6 boards, trim them to match the grade, and secure them over the hw cloth. I'd use treated lumber since they're going to be...
  5. ClockRoach

    Run Modifications

    Very important, clearing the top of your hat. I just finished my new coop, and the roofline drops to 5' along the back, with a 2-3' walkway between the back wall and the fence. Fortunately, I don't need to go back there very often, but I've already found those rafters with my head half a dozen...
  6. ClockRoach

    How much did you spend on your DIY coop?

    I'm putting the finishing touches on my new coop. 12'x8' fully enclosed and half-roofed run with a 3'x8' elevated henhouse inside. I made a lot of separate purchases and didn't keep super close track of the total cost, but I'd estimate somewhere just north of $500. Most of the material was new...
  7. ClockRoach

    Kitchen scraps/ general feeding

    Nope, chickens aren't goldfish. They'll only eat as much as they need to eat (although you do want to limit things that aren't as nutritious as chicken feed or healthy forage). Also, if you're giving them food that isn't just pellets/crumbles (including letting them forage), be sure to give them...
  8. ClockRoach

    Kitchen scraps/ general feeding

    Here's a list of things chickens will love and things to avoid giving them: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/chicken-treat-chart%E2%80%94the-best-treats-for-backyard-chickens.47738/ As for feed, it's much easier to just have a large feeder that stays full and they can eat from as they...
  9. ClockRoach

    Chickens roosting outside henhouse at night

    Removing the other option (for at least a few days or weeks) is the only guaranteed way to force them inside, but you could also just leave them be. Both of those coops look very secure, assuming you've got a skirt or other underground protection, so you don't need to worry about predators. If...
  10. ClockRoach

    Layer pellets or crumble

    I started with crumble, and my chickens were fine with it for years, but a few months ago they started making a horrible mess. They'd throw feed everywhere (and this took some work with the feeder I was using) and not want the stuff that was on the ground. I switched over to pellets and they've...
  11. ClockRoach

    What Waterer Do Y'all Use?

    Is the leak coming through the nipples or around where they're inserted into the bucket? If it's through the nipples, then they're bad. I had one recently that had a small void in the injection molding, so there was just a hole in the side of it that let water through. The little rubber o-ring...
  12. ClockRoach

    Disgusting chicken run

    Shavings are a bad idea in such wet conditions. They'll soak up water and just hold into it. Sand is your best bet. It'll drain well and dry out much more quickly. If you want to get serious about it, a layer of gravel covered by a layer of sand will give you the best drainage. You can dig out...
  13. ClockRoach

    Possible Rooster?

    We added a couple of birds to our flock recently, and this morning one of them started letting out, in my wife's words, "murder screams." We're still relatively new to this, so we're not sure if we might have a rooster or not. She's a white ameraucana, just shy of three months old. I can't see...
  14. ClockRoach

    Have roost but hens won't use - HELP

    We've got two buff orpingtons and a barred rock, and for the longest time they'd always huddle in the corner or in the nesting box. They're finally starting to sleep on the roost now that they're a good four or five months old and one of them has just started laying. If your roost is suitable...
  15. ClockRoach

    My coop and run area for my girls!

    Nice. What kind of dog is that, and how does it do with the birds? We're looking into getting a puppy, ourselves, but we've pretty much resigned ourselves to forcing the dog and chickens to take turns with the yard.
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