Building my first coop/run

[Squawkers]

Paint is dry. All the hardware is reinstalled.

View attachment 3997140

Added some branches for them to hang out on.

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and brought a few out to see how they liked it. They'll get introduced to it tomorrow.

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They are gonna have soooo much fun!

 

[juhesihcaa]

They are gonna have soooo much fun!

https://imgur.com/8Nw5D6n

Quick little vid of them exploring

 

[Squawkers]

https://imgur.com/8Nw5D6n

Quick little vid of them exploring

Thank you! They are so stinking cute!

 

[902_Rooster]

Just got my first chickens 3 days ago after years of thinking and dreaming.

Admittedly, did things a bit backwards but today, myself and my husband worked on getting a run/coop framed out. View attachment 3985711

This was the basic framework for the structure itself.

View attachment 3985710View attachment 3985707View attachment 3985708
Here is the final progress that was made today

We still need to do a lot between hardware cloth, roofing, painting, and (maybe?) siding.

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It's kind of hard to explain but that red area is going to be the actual coop area with nesting boxes. I'm pretty tall and my husband is basically a giant so we really need to maximize height for us because we both have back issues.

We DO have a fully fenced in backyard for them to explore but this will be the secure area for them. That big red building behind it will act as a wind and weather block as that's the direction it typically comes from.

I am torn between solid roofing the entire top (and yes, we need to add more roof studs) OR only solid roofing 2/3 of the top and using hardware cloth on the remaining portion to give more access to sunlight. Any suggestions? Also, the reason for the full enclosed sides- we have multiple neighbors who have dogs that are kept outdoors basically 24/7. I didn't want those dogs barking and and scaring my birds. In addition, while it's not illegal to have birds or rabbits in town, I don't want anyone making a fuss over the noise. I figure this way will tamp down the noise.

If you have any suggestions or feedback, I welcome it but this is my first coop so, be gentle.

Get ready to over kill my coop is 9 by 8 supply shed /nursery/sick bay 9 by 6 the run is 30 by 21 with a 1!2 19 gauge fencing buried two feet down with a 12 inch lip facing out covered with rock so nothing can dig under . Heat and air circulation controlled and monitored via app as well as 7 cameras . Automatic chicken door ,grass pad , jungle Jim ,ladders ,houses multiple feeders, water and dirt bath stations.i spend about 80 a month on food for 10 chickens that includes a special weekend breakfast, on top of scraps we give them .it started out as a 5 by 6 shed and 10 by 9 run .2 by 3 to roost on . under the roost I made a box I fill with peat moss go in 2 min a day with a cat litter scoop to clean poop and two big blue water jugs to give fresh water to drink once a week I tidy their nests and dust baths up . planning to build a chicken garden for them next year as well I'll be building a chicken garden for them .I add on the chicken mansion every year start in spring end in fall lol

 

[Squawkers]

i spend about 80 a month on food for 10 chickens that includes a special weekend breakfast, on top of scraps we give them

I think OP could avoid that I spend about 10-20 dollars a month total on my five chickens. That’s feed and bedding.

 

[ThatsMyPurseIdontknowyou]

Chickens spent their first night in the coop. No issues. And it dipped into the 20s and snowed, too.

I put a wifi camera out there.

They seem quite happy. I assume if they were upset or cold they'd be noisy, and they are hardly making a peep. Just moseying their way around the straw looking for snacks.

 

[Squawkers]

Chickens spent their first night in the coop. No issues. And it dipped into the 20s and snowed, too.

I put a wifi camera out there.

View attachment 3999377

They seem quite happy. I assume if they were upset or cold they'd be noisy, and they are hardly making a peep. Just moseying their way around the straw looking for snacks.

looks like they're doing great!!

 

[thistlewick]

Chickens spent their first night in the coop. No issues. And it dipped into the 20s and snowed, too.

I put a wifi camera out there.

View attachment 3999377

They seem quite happy. I assume if they were upset or cold they'd be noisy, and they are hardly making a peep. Just moseying their way around the straw looking for snacks.

Do they already know to go into the coop at bedtime? I was doing 2 separate flocks when mine were that age, and my first batch was smart as heck and learned in 1 night...

The SECOND batch though, omg... took them a couple weeks!

How did they do?

 

[ThatsMyPurseIdontknowyou]

Do they already know to go into the coop at bedtime? I was doing 2 separate flocks when mine were that age, and my first batch was smart as heck and learned in 1 night...

The SECOND batch though, omg... took them a couple weeks!

How did they do?

My wife had to put them in the coop. They haven't really used the ramp yet. My wife was saying she was going to try to teach them. I said you can't really teach a chicken to be a chicken, they'll just figure it out sooner or later. One will walk up it, the others will see, and it will catch on.

 

[StinkyAcres]

My wife had to put them in the coop. They haven't really used the ramp yet. My wife was saying she was going to try to teach them. I said you can't really teach a chicken to be a chicken, they'll just figure it out sooner or later. One will walk up it, the others will see, and it will catch on.

You better believe you can teach a chicken. They'll learn more quickly if you place treats on the ramp, "peck" at it with your fingers, etc.