Thank you and your husband for your service
Between the Bees, Coop Outfitting
- Thread starter we3ernes
- Start date
Thank you and your husband for your service
- Thread starter
- #62
Things are moving along, got a bunch of smaller projects done as I needed to get a saw....
Standing inside the coop looking towards the SE wall. The opening will be the future (community) nest box. The poop board needs to have hinges added and the leg hinged as well (it is currently free floating as my husband found out to his chagrin ). You can barely see, at the top plate of the bay where the ladder is, there are two hooks so the ladder can be out of the way when cleaning.
A full shot of the SE wall. Need to cut the white board to fit the frame and build a roost for this section. Also need to frame out the hardware cloth, trim down the foam, caulk, and paint.
I’ve got another board that will fit in the corner section and I’ll need to make a roost for here as well. This section won’t be hinged, it will just lift out (it’s less than 4’ wide and fairly lightweight).
The (somewhat) finished brooder area. The roost lifts off, the poop board hinges up, and the three panels remove for cleaning time. The two side panels are held in place with three screws.
The center panel will get hinges so it will be easy to access the chicks. The center opening will be the chick portal.
My only concern is that I will be pushing bedding out of the way everytime I open the door, but I wanted a clear floor for cleaning, so I wasn’t sure how else to do it. I plan on using pine shavings inside, but not DLM, so I’ll have to see if bothers me or not.
Standing inside the coop looking towards the SE wall. The opening will be the future (community) nest box. The poop board needs to have hinges added and the leg hinged as well (it is currently free floating as my husband found out to his chagrin ). You can barely see, at the top plate of the bay where the ladder is, there are two hooks so the ladder can be out of the way when cleaning.
A full shot of the SE wall. Need to cut the white board to fit the frame and build a roost for this section. Also need to frame out the hardware cloth, trim down the foam, caulk, and paint.
I’ve got another board that will fit in the corner section and I’ll need to make a roost for here as well. This section won’t be hinged, it will just lift out (it’s less than 4’ wide and fairly lightweight).
The (somewhat) finished brooder area. The roost lifts off, the poop board hinges up, and the three panels remove for cleaning time. The two side panels are held in place with three screws.
The center panel will get hinges so it will be easy to access the chicks. The center opening will be the chick portal.
My only concern is that I will be pushing bedding out of the way everytime I open the door, but I wanted a clear floor for cleaning, so I wasn’t sure how else to do it. I plan on using pine shavings inside, but not DLM, so I’ll have to see if bothers me or not.
How about a Dutch door? This way you can leave the bottom one closed while you can open top one. But please read the next post.
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I'll start by saying I just did the same thing as you and used the area under the roost as a temporary isolation bay, to be honest it sucked. You are always on your hands and knees when you need to do anything in there. You have to awkwardly twist your body to reach into it for whatever reason. I would never use it as a brooder, as a brooder your always doing something in there all the time.Even just wanting to catch one to hold it can be a pain in the butt.
I really recommend you find a spot that gives you access from both the front and the top for both injured bay and brooder. The front lip if the poop board is a great spot to hang food and water from. Like this:
Not sure why you are only doing one roost bar in two different locations?
Why not make one poop board roughly 40" deep and have two roost over it either same height or stagger in height and depth? Like this:
This would open up one of your walls completely. Now to make your injury bay or brooder space pick a corner this will give you two walls already in place. Now build an opening front and a side along with an opening top. It can all be done very easily to put it together only when needed once done remove those panels and your floor space returns to normal. Looks like you have the skill level to make it very easily. Believe me while using the space under the poop board seems like a good idea, I honestly think it's not. For both brooder and injury/isolation bay it's really nice to have access from both front and top as needed. Your doing a really nice job keep it up.
I really recommend you find a spot that gives you access from both the front and the top for both injured bay and brooder. The front lip if the poop board is a great spot to hang food and water from. Like this:
Not sure why you are only doing one roost bar in two different locations?
Why not make one poop board roughly 40" deep and have two roost over it either same height or stagger in height and depth? Like this:
This would open up one of your walls completely. Now to make your injury bay or brooder space pick a corner this will give you two walls already in place. Now build an opening front and a side along with an opening top. It can all be done very easily to put it together only when needed once done remove those panels and your floor space returns to normal. Looks like you have the skill level to make it very easily. Believe me while using the space under the poop board seems like a good idea, I honestly think it's not. For both brooder and injury/isolation bay it's really nice to have access from both front and top as needed. Your doing a really nice job keep it up.
You guys are moving along pretty fast and it's looking real good, but now that you have chicks it's important to finish fast as they grow like weeds.
I'm falling way behind on my shed conversion... I need to get cracking on my shed .
JT
I'm falling way behind on my shed conversion... I need to get cracking on my shed .
JT
I would also suggest a dutch door for the brooder space, bottom panel with chick door can stay closed...and also that it is going to be tough accessing that space.
The ladder.....kinda steep and ladders might not work well for coming down off board.
A cleated ramp would be better and located somewhere else as it's blocking the nest perches you're going to need. But I may be biased and it'll work out just fine.
Oh, and, don't just paint that foam, cover it with something solid or they'll peck at it.
The ladder.....kinda steep and ladders might not work well for coming down off board.
A cleated ramp would be better and located somewhere else as it's blocking the nest perches you're going to need. But I may be biased and it'll work out just fine.
Oh, and, don't just paint that foam, cover it with something solid or they'll peck at it.
I agree with @aart I don't like ladders for the chooks, just something else that could easily cause injury. Cleated board much better. I also prefer parallel with the front as oppose to the end.
Suzi18
Crossing the Road
You're coop and home are lovely. I'm like you.....aesthetics are just as important as functionality. Looking forward to seeing the finished coop and house
- Thread starter
- #69
I can convert that center portion to a Dutch door fairly easily. Just need to go back to Home Depot for another set of hinges!
- Thread starter
- #70
Replies are imbedded:
I'll start by saying I just did the same thing as you and used the area under the roost as a temporary isolation bay, to be honest it sucked. You are always on your hands and knees when you need to do anything in there. You have to awkwardly twist your body to reach into it for whatever reason. I would never use it as a brooder, as a brooder your always doing something in there all the time. Even just wanting to catch one to hold it can be a pain in the butt. I’m not sure if you read my previous posts, but that poop board hinges up out of the way for easy access to the brooder/isolation pen.
I really recommend you find a spot that gives you access from both the front and the top for both injured bay and brooder. The front lip if the poop board is a great spot to hang food and water from. Like this:
View attachment 1640882
I plan to have the food and water opposite the nesting boxes, it is an essential portion of my design to have any caretaker be able to add food and water without entering the pen. Not sure why you are only doing one roost bar in two different locations? Why not make one poop board roughly 40" deep and have two roost over it either same height or stagger in height and depth? I’m a relatively short person and would never be able to reach the back of a 40” deep board. It was important to me to be able to reach every area that the chickens had access to. Like this:
View attachment 1640883
This would open up one of your walls completely. Now to make your injury bay or brooder space pick a corner this will give you two walls already in place. Now build an opening front and a side along with an opening top. It can all be done very easily to put it together only when needed once done remove those panels and your floor space returns to normal. Looks like you have the skill level to make it very easily. Believe me while using the space under the poop board seems like a good idea, I honestly think it's not. For both brooder and injury/isolation bay it's really nice to have access from both front and top as needed. Your doing a really nice job keep it up.
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