Building a Serama coop?

[serama hen]

i like those houses but you want them confined dont you the reason i recomended a rabbit pen was that theyhave a house and a pen to live in.

 

[TweetyNPetey]

i like those houses but you want them confined dont you the reason i recomended a rabbit pen was that theyhave a house and a pen to live in.

Yeah well I meant the doghouse to just be the coop, they'd only be locked in it at night. They'd likely be in the run (I'm gonna build a run to attach to the coop) most of the time.

 

[TweetyNPetey]

Okay, so here's the deal.
My mom's telling me I should wait until spring, since it's gonna be a cold winter, or so she thinks. But Tweet has to have his first winter sometime, why not this year?
*shrugs*
What's your opinion? Maybe if I get some good reasons to build it this year, she'll let me. Haha.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Okay, so here's the deal.
My mom's telling me I should wait until spring, since it's gonna be a cold winter, or so she thinks. But Tweet has to have his first winter sometime, why not this year?
*shrugs*
What's your opinion? Maybe if I get some good reasons to build it this year, she'll let me. Haha.

I have read that Seramas require a heat source for less than 40 degree cold winters, like a light bulb or heater. You might look into this by searching BYC.

 

[TweetyNPetey]

I could also easily get the doghouse insulated, so he's not just sitting in a drafty wooden box. I could stick a lamp in there for warmth, and I can keep his water from freezing by just changing his water a few times a day. It shouldn't be hard to keep a Serama warm in the winter...

 

[yogifink]

Why don't you build him an inexpensive hoop house and than build a simple coop inside the hoop house?


Drive some stakes or rebar into the ground in a straight line every 2 feet, for 10 feet or longer, and repeat the same parallel to that line about 6 feet away, making a rectangle. Get some grey pvc pipe (electrical conduit) that is 10 feet long (you will need 6 pieces) put the stake/rebar into one end of the pvc pipe and spring the other end into the parallel stake/rebar making a hoop. Set up all the hoops and then use an additional piece of pvc to connect all the hoops at the top. Cover with wire and fasten to hoops using zip ties, and then cover the while thing with a tarp. (probably be pretty easy to find step by step instructions on you-tube)

Something you could easily accomplish without any experience for very little cost.

 

[TweetyNPetey]

Great idea! I'll try that.

 

[yogifink]

If you do end up using a hoop house, feel free to shoot me a PM and I would be more than happy to help out.

Also, if you use a tarp for the top and one side, so that the tarp covers the whole run and one end, weigh it down with some rocks or something. This alone could sufice as an open air coop if you add a few roosts.

 

[TweetyNPetey]

Well, look what I found!
(Description taken from www.RGShed.com)

DESIGN
Roof comes with lifetime warranted shingles.

There are lots of windows for light and ventilation.

An entry door provides easy access and cleaning.

A 10" overhang provides protection from rain over the open windows.

Nesting boxes.

With our spring-loaded hinges it is easy to gather the eggs from the outside of the chicken coop.

The bottom area can be enclosed with wire which allows your chickens to thrive in the open air while still providing them protection from hawks and other predators and also provides shade from the sun on those hot summer days.

Pressure-treated 4x4 construction ensures a sturdy built hut.

Easy turn out door allows your chickens to range freely.



Currently available on the East Stroudsburg lot....




Estate Coop

(4'x4')


Designed for up to 10 chickens.


Includes: one window,

one turn-out door,

one access door,

two nesting boxes,

and roosts.

 

[TweetyNPetey]

Okay, so I've had so many ideas about Tweet's coop, at one point we were gonna buy one, then at another point we wanted a doghouse coop, but we've made a final decision.

Our neighbor has a cute little coop and 3 hens, 2 silkies and an EE, and she can't take care of them anymore. So she's giving us the hens, as well as the coop! We already tried, and the hens get along just fine with our girls, so we're gonna use the coop for Tweet. I'll take some pictures tomorrow.
It's just perfect. A little ramp from a... I think it's 4x4 or a 5x5 coop with nesting boxes and roosts, leading into a 3x6 run. Perfect for a few Seramas!