2+ years to get approval for chickens

[Danielstribe]

Something else to consider @Danielstribe: Snakes can get through the 1" chicken wire as well as weasels and mice. One of the biggest adrenalin rushes I have experienced in my life was reaching into the nesting box to get the eggs and a water moccasin popped his head up to say "Hey!" That happened when I lived south of the Mason-Dixon line. Go with 1/2 inch hardware cloth, at least 19 gauge.

WHOA! That would be a heart stopper!

The coop has the 1/2 metal cloth around perimeter as well at ridge vent and all air gaps. Only the open part of run has the 1" chicken wire, burds of prey, possums and coons biggest issue for us.

 

[Danielstribe]

Welcome to BYC! Yes, we are all finally thawing out from the Polar Vortex! Snow is finally melting, the -12F (-36F windchill) here is history.

Here are some pics of my coop (similar in sq ft space to yours, but tallest point is only 8ft high inside). Lots of ventilation in ours, but less in winter to protect from the really cold winds, but still quite a lot for the flock. This was build stage last spring.

View attachment 1661937 View attachment 1661938 View attachment 1661939
Ladder roosts inside on a hinge, so they can be lifted for easier cleaning. Birds were 4 months here. We had up to 21 in here, including younger 5 months chicks before we sold some. They did fine, I think because they can get away from each other fairly well. We are considering adding a fixed roost at the very back, higher than the current top roost, attached to the studs, and twould be able to choose that as well.

Here are 21 of them in this space, including 2 cockerels. We have since sold 9 of them, including 1 cockerel, leaving us with 12 chickens (and only 1 cockerel). Note, there are still 2 lower roosts that the birds could use, but of course they all like to be as high as possible. The female Jersey Giant (bottom right, very large pullet) does like her space, so is usually not crammed in with the others, whereas the male Jersey Giant doesn't seem to mind being crammed in (he is middle top, blocked by the SLW that is standing). The 4.5 month old chicks are, as expected, working their way up the pecking order and are roosting on the second highest roost ... an improvement from the month before when the flock relegated them to pretty much the bottom roost!
View attachment 1661954

Yes, planning on getting some more chicks this year, but we can either send to freezer camp or sell at livestock auction the ones we don't want. We will have extra males because I have some straight runs coming, and will need to get rid of the ones we don't want to keep one way or the other.

Beautiful coop brother and birds. And unfortunately we are not allowed roosters, Ladies only but very thankful for that!

 

[Danielstribe]

congrats! it was worth waiting.

your chicken inn looks great.

Thanks and all I need now is my ladies!

 

[Danielstribe]

Advice often given on here is to put smaller opening wire on top of your main wire on the bottom couple of feet. Raccoons are known to reach in to try to take a chicken, but end up decapitating them, when they can’t pull them through. Also, adding an apron of wire (about 18” or more) around the base of run helps deter digging animals.

Do you have a ridge vent or open eaves? If not you will want to create more ventilation to help remove the moisture the chickens produce by breathing and pooping. Guessing your area is rather humid, wet generally, so you can only have as little humidity as is outside, but you want to prevent it from building up higher than outside humidity. I know you can get decent snow, but temps aren’t too crazy low where you are.

 

[Danielstribe]

I did run 2 ft of 1/2" metal cloth up and 1ft out around entire perimeter. Also all soffit is vented and ridge vent runs entire ridge as well as 3 windows with screens. And no the coldest we've been here this year has been 5° and only for a night or two.

 

[imnukensc]

Is there a pop door for the chickens to get from the coop to the run?

 

[Acre4Me]

Beautiful coop brother and birds. And unfortunately we are not allowed roosters, Ladies only but very thankful for that!

Thanks! We aren’t restricted, but still only so many birds we would want to handle, including boys!

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Welcome to BYC! Yes, we are all finally thawing out from the Polar Vortex! Snow is finally melting, the -12F (-36F windchill) here is history.

Here are some pics of my coop (similar in sq ft space to yours, but tallest point is only 8ft high inside). Lots of ventilation in ours, but less in winter to protect from the really cold winds, but still quite a lot for the flock. This was build stage last spring.

View attachment 1661937 View attachment 1661938 View attachment 1661939
Ladder roosts inside on a hinge, so they can be lifted for easier cleaning. Birds were 4 months here. We had up to 21 in here, including younger 5 months chicks before we sold some. They did fine, I think because they can get away from each other fairly well. We are considering adding a fixed roost at the very back, higher than the current top roost, attached to the studs, and twould be able to choose that as well.

Here are 21 of them in this space, including 2 cockerels. We have since sold 9 of them, including 1 cockerel, leaving us with 12 chickens (and only 1 cockerel). Note, there are still 2 lower roosts that the birds could use, but of course they all like to be as high as possible. The female Jersey Giant (bottom right, very large pullet) does like her space, so is usually not crammed in with the others, whereas the male Jersey Giant doesn't seem to mind being crammed in (he is middle top, blocked by the SLW that is standing). The 4.5 month old chicks are, as expected, working their way up the pecking order and are roosting on the second highest roost ... an improvement from the month before when the flock relegated them to pretty much the bottom roost!
View attachment 1661954

Yes, planning on getting some more chicks this year, but we can either send to freezer camp or sell at livestock auction the ones we don't want. We will have extra males because I have some straight runs coming, and will need to get rid of the ones we don't want to keep one way or the other.

Thank you solving my design problem. I want to add more roosting space and the hinged ladder is great. Thank you!

 

[Acre4Me]

Thank you solving my design problem. I want to add more roosting space and the hinged ladder is great. Thank you!

YW! Here are a couple more pics regarding the hinged roosts:

Here it is raised out of the way. Looks like it was propped up on the left side for this pic, but we can raise it using the eye bolt in the center of the bottom roost. We've talked about using counter weights on the sides (in between the studs) to more easily raise and lower it, but haven't gotten there yet.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

This is so helpful @Acre4Me. It looks like you put linoleum down on your floor. I couldn't find a piece small enough for my coop and I didn't want to do the individual tile, too hard on the back and knees. I want to maximize the floorspace in the coop since I plan on adding a few birds. I'm adding an extension to the run to house the new chickens and will put in a gate so I can open it to all the birds once they adapt. Any advice is always welcome. Thank you.