We got a few chicks from TSC in late March, and now I am certifiably obsessed. We threw together a run in the early summer (it only keeps in the roo, the hens fly out at will) and kept the chickens in a cage in the garage at night. Been discussing and reading about coops all summer and hubby finally came up with a design. He and my boys (grown men actually, at 22 and 24) bought the supplies and built it for me for our anniversary. It still needs the siding (left over from when we re-sided our house) put on and the electricity run out.
It is 8x8, and 9' tall at the highest point to accommodate the door. So for we have one window, and purposely left ventilation "cracks" under the eaves. There are 3 nest boxes, and a roost above (with a shelf for poop catcher tubs under).
We hung the feeder and waterer (had to take it down, figure a way to keep the hanger from sliding) and one of my sons is going to make a couple of narrow wooden troughs for grit and oyster shell to screw into the sides (my Christmas present from him this year). We still will need a way for the hens to get to the roost, though the four hens I currently have just fly up there.
We currently have 4 hens, 1 roo, and 1 duck. I'm planning on having 12 - 15 total, and I'm hoping this is big enough. I'm so proud of my men - they did such a nice job!
It is 8x8, and 9' tall at the highest point to accommodate the door. So for we have one window, and purposely left ventilation "cracks" under the eaves. There are 3 nest boxes, and a roost above (with a shelf for poop catcher tubs under).
We hung the feeder and waterer (had to take it down, figure a way to keep the hanger from sliding) and one of my sons is going to make a couple of narrow wooden troughs for grit and oyster shell to screw into the sides (my Christmas present from him this year). We still will need a way for the hens to get to the roost, though the four hens I currently have just fly up there.
