Another coop design thread

[aart]

I LIKE your feeder, but it looks complicated. Wondering if I could connect it to a larger container. I plan on checking on the birds at least once a day, probably in the evening, but sometimes we may be gone for a school activity, and I'd like to make sure they don't run out. Or maybe two containers would be better - allow more feeding room.

As for wheelbarrow...the door will be about three feet above the ground, so we'll have several steps to go up or down. Thinking might make some sort of "funnel" to rake stuff out the door and into a wheelbarrow when the time comes, although I've heard several say they just rake the bedding into the run and the birds spread it out.

The trigger feeder is rather complicated.
But thought they were cool and wanted to play with the concept (equipment designer by trade and tinkerer/builder by nature...so....)

The water bottle version at bottom of page is what I'm using now, much simpler to build.
I built a prototype for my brother, he had amazon deliver the bottle, and drew plans for him to build one for his friend.
I ended up using it long term when I got some crumble that wouldn't feed thru the trigger orifice.


I have a couple steps up to my coop shed(see My Coop) just have a piece of plywood I lay down over steps as a ramp to bring feed bags up on a hand truck.
But yeah, wouldn't attempt rolling the wheel barrow up it.

 

[silarajc]

And another question - Is it necessary to put hardware cloth around the bottom of the raised coop? It is hard to imagine a raccoon or possum being able to scratch or bite through wood, but I suppose they do from what I read on here. I want to leave the bottom open for shelter for my flock, but I could screw it right on the bottom. How high up should I attach it? 24" from the ground?

 

[aart]

If you're going to have a run, I would make under the coop part of the run and fence it off with same mesh you use on run.
Otherwise, I would think you could leave it open.

 

[WesleyBeal]

Regarding feeders, and the need to fill them regularly, I'm using this feeder for my chickens:

https://www.fleetfarm.com/detail/little-giant-40-feeder-with-14-in-pan/0000000006086

Currently it's feeding 24 chickens, but it was feeding 42 last Fall.

I almost never fill it up. Only time I come close is when the feed in the metal trash can I use for storage needs emptied for a new couple bags, so I don't store new feed on top of old.

Filled half way up, I suspect that would last a week (or several) for 33 chickens.

Somewhere you can find or someone on here will tell you how much feed chickens will normally go through. You may not find keeping the feeder full that big of a chore.

I definitely much prefer a tube style feeder to a trough. Something that doesn't result in so much feed waste would be a huge plus, though I haven't yet decided on a design to try out, so can't speak to what works best.

 

[Howard E]

Wesley:

I think that may be the same feeder shown in the Cackle video.

Do you get feed waste with it?

I have a Little Giant wall mount feeder, and the birds rake half of the feed from it out on the ground.

 

[WesleyBeal]

Wesley:

I think that may be the same feeder shown in the Cackle video.

Do you get feed waste with it?

I have a Little Giant wall mount feeder, and the birds rake half of the feed from it out on the ground.

Yeah, I still get some waste. Nothing like with a trough feeder, but some.

If I weren't feeding pellets, I assume I'd get a lot more.

 

[blackdog043]

For feed and water, 5 gallon horizontal nipple waterer and 5 gallon no waste feeder.

Inside the bucket feeder. You could put four 90 degree street elbows
in a bucket. I've also seen people using totes for a larger flock.





5 Gallon waterer. You could easily put 6 nipples around the bucket.
It keeps the water clean!


Feeder in use!

 

[jeria]

I also live in western MO, Independence. Not getting into anything as large as yours as limited by zoning to 5 hens but am reading lots of posts about coops and runs. FYI on raccoons: they can chew holes through wood but it does take them awhile and they are quite noisy about it. Had them in my attic a couple years ago and before we could catch them all and repair the damage they chewed a larger hole through the side of my house from the inside out. The trappers said they had never seen one try to get in that way only out.