Am I missing anything for my coop plans?

[member 373180]

Have fun with your build. You might try searching for "grazing frames" to get ideas of how to grow greens in a run.
In a cornfield in GA, eh? Any chance you could plant some fast growing trees to provide shade?
I have sand in my run. It does well but requires some work (raking and turning every week) to prevent it from packing down and getting smelly. It would probably do better if it didn't get rained on all the time.

 

[jthornton]

well shoot! I guess I'll scrap the veggie boxes from my plans then

Not really, you just need to make a box with hardware cloth to protect the plants until your ready to let them have at them. I do that for grass in the chicken yard.

JT

 

[Sublight]

1. Remember with your coop, you are NOT trying to keep your chickens in the coop. You are trying to keep predators AND VERMIN OUT. Build it from that viewpoint.
---------- When I took the time to ratproof the coop and spill-proof my feeder, I saved probably 60-70 percent on my feed.

2. I agree with the other posters. Make a walk in coop. I don't have one, but my dad does. I wish everytime i go to his house, that mine was a walk in coop. Not to mention its really hard to clean and do ANYTHING with since I cant walk in it. My dads is dirt, and has been for 40 years. The chickens have never complained.

3. I wish I had made my coop big enough for a dedicated "broody" space. Where my broody silkies can brood, and raise chicks. They keep trying to use nesting boxes, and I only have 2. I built my coop much too small.

4. Don't build on the cheap. I used cheap plywood, and it didn't hold up well. Go to home depot, spend 30 bucks and buy some cheap paint, and slap it on there. You will thank me in 3-4 years.

5. POWER: Even if you just buy and bury a good extension cord. Power in a coop is nice. Just hook the extension cord into a GFCI from home depot. Its simple to install, if you have any problems just post it here. It is literally a matter of 3 wires, 2 of them don't really matter whre you hook them because they are connected at your electrical box. SUPER easy.

 

[jthornton]

A few pallets laid down will protect grass and allow it to grow up through the slats so they can still get greens for grazing on.

The chickens will put their little heads down between the slats and eat every bit of grass unless you cover it with hardware cloth.

JT

 

[jthornton]

I'm defiantly take y'all advice and do a walk in coop...I don't know how I can make the external nest boxes though

A search for roll out nest box gets these links.

JT

 

[Sublight]

A search for roll out nest box gets these links.

JT

I see what you are talking about. This gives the ability to get eggs from outside the coop. I have a poorly made one, but it sure is nice to get eggs this way. Highly recommend.

 

[lazy gardener]

DLM doesn't smell at all. It's actually proven to be better (
I would make sure you Have external nest boxes to save space.
Make it walk in or you will regret it, trust me.

External access nest boxes are wonderful. It allows you to check egg status and slip those eggs into your basket without getting poo on your shoes, and with minimal interruption of your layers. In the north, I recommend that the box it'self actually be inside the coop, with a drop down door on the side of the coop. Keeping the box inside the foot print of the coop, especially placing it on the south or east side helps prevent the eggs from freezing. A "side car" nest box that hangs on the side of the coop, with the boxes actually outside the coop foot print is great if you have limited floor space. However, those eggs are more prone to freezing. No matter how you build it, you gotta make sure it's weather proof. Sometimes my doors freeze shut, but I never get rain in my boxes.

Well managed DL does NOT smell.

My first coop was a loft style over run, cattle panel hoop affair. Night mare as far as frost bite issues go.

A few pallets laid down will protect grass and allow it to grow up through the slats so they can still get greens for grazing on.

a bit of grass will grow up between the pallets. To maximize your green, you will need to build a frame and cover it with wire so sunlight gets to the entire foot print.

I'm defiantly take y'all advice and do a walk in coop...I don't know how I can make the external nest boxes though

Don't know how to build one, or don't know how you'll incorporate it into your design?

I agree with the other posters. Make a walk in coop. I don't have one, but my dad does. I wish everytime i go to his house, that mine was a walk in coop. Not to mention its really hard to clean and do ANYTHING with since I cant walk in it. My dads is dirt, and has been for 40 years. The chickens have never complained.

Excellent commentary!

 

[blackdog043]

Another vote for a walk in coop. For 1/2 inch hardware cloth, check the prices on amazon and walmart.com, they are usually the best prices. Below is a video for the deep litter method, I think it will work well for you, to keep the smell down. A well kept deep litter will smell like the your walking in the woods. and you get rewarded with good compost material. If your neighbor gardens or uses topsoil, share some of this with them along with eggs and you shouldn't have any problems.

 

[coach723]

I'm in North Florida, so climate about the same. DLM works great as long as it stays fairly dry. Anywhere you have cover it should work. If it gets too wet during thunderstorms and spring rain, which as you know can be torrential at times, you will have odor, and you have to consider the blowing sideways rains. I use DLM in my covered run, it stays pretty dry, I have no odor, and works really well. On the rare occasion it gets wet I turn it with a hay fork until it dries out. For your coop, ventilation is going to be super important or it will be a hotbox in the summer. I have a ridge vent, and multiple windows covered in hardware cloth that can be completely open in summer and closed in winter on those few really cold snaps we get. I also run a fan or two (12volt) in my eaves in summer to help move the air and cool, and to reduce mosquito born pox. Heat is going to likely be much more of an issue for you than cold. If you ventilate well for heat you will not likely have any issues when it does get cold. I also recommend a walk in coop, it makes so many things so much easier. My first coop was not walk in and it was really a pain in the rear. I have both internal and external nest boxes.

 

[Sublight]

If you don't want to fool with deep litter, just make your new pen easy to clean and be done with it.