Building new coop and new to Chickens

[aart]

...... but once you put your hand around her neck and scooter off the egg she go back to being very docile.

LOL that would do it!

 

[dustnik]

lol, I didn't mean as in, strangling the chicken. Circling your thumb and pointer finger in a C shape at the base of her neck and using the other three fingers over the wing in a scooping motion to move her off the eggs, just to control her head and she can't reach around and pick you anymore. ("There was no harm done to any animals with this method")

 

[aart]

lol, I didn't mean as in, strangling the chicken. Circling your thumb and pointer finger in a C shape at the base of her neck and using the other three fingers over the wing in a scooping motion to move her off the eggs, just to control her head and she can't reach around and pick you anymore. ("There was no harm done to any animals with this method")

I know you didn't mean actually strangling her to death...but just the 'threat' of strangulation would show her who's boss!

 

[buttercup95]

Haha well they sound no worse than my cochins can be! I'll have to look around for local breeders

 

[dustnik]

Finish putting the hardware on the nesting box door.

 

[dustnik]

The windows are completed. Used a rounder to make lip on the inside of the frame for winter time to install Plexiglas to close in the window.

 

[dustnik]

Their first night in their new coop. had to go out there after dark and placing them on the roost. I don't think they've ever had a roost in their lifetime to sleep on. Hopefully they learn quickly and get the hang of sleeping on the roost. so I don't need to go out at night and moving them.

 

[shgreen1]

Currently have 4 silkies and plan to have Buff Orpington's. Currently using a run with temporary coop until the new coop Is built.



The footage for the run will be 8 x 12. the coop will be a 4 x 8 inside the run 2 foot off the ground.

I have placed a cement footing that is roughly 5 to 6 inches deep for the foundation. Hoping this would prevent any predators from entering underneath.


I live in Northeast Texas so I'm not too concerned about cold freezing winters. I'm planning on having a open floor for the coop instead of a sheet of plywood. Are there any recommendations as far as using hardware cloth or see next picture or other options for flooring that would make it easier to clean the coop and provide ventilation for the hot summers in Texas?


Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

About the concrete footing, how did this work out for you? I'm planning something similar. I plan on building an 8" high cinder block wall, buried in the ground to serve as the footing for the run fence. I was thinking the same thing, that this would prevent animals from digging under the fencing. Did you find any problems?

 

[dustnik]

The way I did mine was i measured out the dimensions used a string line Pulled tight this show me where to dig the trench so I stayed in a straight-line I used a sharpshooter Shovel and Doug down about 6 inches and the shovel was about 6 inches wide. i then poured dry 50lb bags of sack Crete into the trench that I dug. Placed L-bots / Cement bots accordingly in the dry sack Crete. Over the next three days I lightly watered the sack Crete multiple times a day so the sack Crete turned into concrete.

 

[shgreen1]

Sounds good. No predator problems yet?