Arizona Chickens

[Coffee N Chickens]

A pack of coyotes was just outside, and the dogs sounded the alarm. Will HC hold against a whole pack? It looked like there was 5, but it was hard to tell for sure. Fortunately, they weren't around the chicken coops.

 

[springvalley123]

I hadn't even thought of a reach-in coop. So the entire coop is off the ground, hen house and run both? Don't chickens need dirt to scratch in? What kind of flooring do you use in those?

My first coop was for ducks, and it was 4x8, and 2 ft off the ground up on blocks. We enclosed the area under it with 1/2 hardware cloth, and it adjoined a kennel run for the run. The ducks would dabble in the run, and if it were for chickens, like yours, the chickens would scratch in the run. They will scratch in the coop if they are in it during the day though. I like the idea of an apron around the coop. I now use the metal feeders, like grandpas, but am having trouble teaching them to use it so I'm still going outside half hour before sunrise to open it up so they'll eat from it. If you're getting new birds, you could get the grandpas feeder and teach them to use it once they're big enough. it has "training bolts" so the lid won't kill a baby chick. I like the idea of dumping the water at night too. I had a skunk under the house once, and getting rid of the water saved me thousands of dollars by encouraging the skunk to move on and stay gone.

 

[BlueBaby]

A pack of coyotes was just outside, and the dogs sounded the alarm. Will HC hold against a whole pack? It looked like there was 5, but it was hard to tell for sure. Fortunately, they weren't around the chicken coops.

Not yet, but they will discover the available food (chicken's), and try to figure out a way to get in there. Coyotes can jump a 7 foot fence, so make sure that your chicken run also is covered well if you have one.

 

[cavemanrich]

A family member just sent me this video link. Since we were discussing goats, and donkeys,, this fits right in discussion.

 

[cavemanrich]

I had a skunk under the house once, and getting rid of the water saved me thousands of dollars by encouraging the skunk to move on and stay gone.

You probably felt like this.

Spoiler: best feeling

 

[BlueBaby]

A family member just sent me this video link. Since we were discussing goats, and donkeys,, this fits right in discussion.

That one look's like the one that I posted here in the thread the other day.

 

[springvalley123]

That one look's like the one that I posted here in the thread the other day.

It must be going viral!

 

[EmmaDonovan]

My first coop was for ducks, and it was 4x8, and 2 ft off the ground up on blocks. We enclosed the area under it with 1/2 hardware cloth, and it adjoined a kennel run for the run. The ducks would dabble in the run, and if it were for chickens, like yours, the chickens would scratch in the run. They will scratch in the coop if they are in it during the day though.

When I say "coop" I mean the whole thing, the hen house where they sleep plus the run where they spend their days. We can't free range here so they're in the coop full time.

I'm having a hard time visualizing an entire 128 sq ft coop off the ground. What dimensions would it be, like 4x32? Any wider would be impossible to reach across.

What would the bottom of it consist of? Some kind of plywood basin with a foot of dirt in it...?

 

[cavemanrich]

That one look's like the one that I posted here in the thread the other day.

You are correct,,, I just went back and checked. This one is going viral, What threw me off,,,,,,, is the one I posted is in different language. 2 separate family members sent me the links.
I must have been super tired when I was reading posts on Tuesday.

 

[BlueBaby]

When I say "coop" I mean the whole thing, the hen house where they sleep plus the run where they spend their days. We can't free range here so they're in the coop full time.

I'm having a hard time visualizing an entire 128 sq ft coop off the ground. What dimensions would it be, like 4x32? Any wider would be impossible to reach across.

What would the bottom of it consist of? Some kind of plywood basin with a foot of dirt in it...?

I don't free-range mine neither. My coop sit's on the ground with the run attached to it. The run is made up of used horse panel's with the horse panel's covering the top also. We attached 2 X 4 inch welded wire over the top, side's, and ran it 2 1/2 feet below the ground on the side's. (The below ground also includes around the coop too.) Then we attached chicken wire over the top of the run part because the dove's were still getting in. We attached some board's over the top to help with shade and to help keep the end by the coop dryer during time's of rain. So far, the only critter's that have managed to get in there have been ant's and a couple of rat snakes.