Building the Chicken McMansion (Part 3)

[LynneP]

I was thinking a single polycarbonate panel on whichever side appears to be the most windy, once you study the wind patterns areound the coop. Polycarbonate, made for greenhouses, admits full-spectrum light. It's possible that you could leave it year-round.

 

[Chieftain]

Quote:
Gotcha. I used opaque green foamed polycarbonate roofing for this project and I know exactly what you mean. Future improvements at this point, because if I bring home one more 2x4 I think my wife will feed it to me...

 

[LynneP]

Heh. Well, it's a classy setup, and doesn't detract from your property in the slightest...in fact, once the birds are in, they'll be like decorations!

 

[pacetruckguy]

Great Idea! I've been getting a pretty muddy run with all the rain we have been getting in the SF bay area. I keep scrapping it out and putting new pine chips down, and it's a pain in the ***. I'm going to watch closer and figure where the panels will be the most effective.
Thanks for the tip.

 

[Chieftain]

I went with a covered run here because we do have bald eagles and numerous hawks that would not hesitate to snap up a chicken. They are fed well enough on squirrel and cat meat as it is.

It was a lot of work, but my run is perfectly dry and has outstanding drainage. The compacted gravel and well over a cubic yard of sand means it will stay dry forever. I wet it down thoroughly to pack it and all of the water drained away almost instantly. The sand is hard enough to walk on, yet underneath the coop it is soft enough for the chooks to dig for a dustbath.

PTG, It looks like you might be able to add a roof over yours fairly easily; it looks like you have the basis for an adequate support structure in place.

 

[LynneP]

pacetruckguy-I was thinking the same thing as Chieftain. Some corrugated roofing and gasket screws and it wouldn't take much more to get that run roofed, and to place a rain panel where most needed. Fasten that with screws too, for possible removal or adjustment if the positioning isn't perfect.

You have an African Gray? They are my favorite birds, hands down. I knew one in Ohio who could repeat the entire narrative of the childrens' recording of 'The Little Tarin That Could', along with the huff and puff sounds of the locomotive! Plus he would do that while dancing on your lap (in return for unshelled peanuts )

 

[pacetruckguy]

Quote:
Thanks for the tips. I actually put 2 6X8 tarps over the top and attached them with small bungie cords. It helped, but it still gets a bit mucky in there. I think I might have to do something a little more perminent this spring. It's a work in progress. I have 8 hens and 2 are laying now and the others are starting to show signs of following suit. It's very exciting, as well as very rewarding. The darn things are like dogs, they love to see you comming, and they're very entertaining. I'm enjoying them much more than I thought I would.
Now, as for the African Grey, Want him? He is very talented, picks up everything. Calls the dogs, mimics my voice to a tee, loves to whistle, Andy Griffith theme song, Leave it to Beaver, Mexican Hat Dance, sneezes, caulfs, and any and all other bodily functions. And then there are all the anoying sounds he likes to make to drive you crazy. Everytime I find someone that says they want to take him on, my wife starts crying. So now he's her bird. He'll probably out live me. The worst thing about him is he is not the kind of bird that sits on your finger. He would much rather bite your finger, and let me tell you from expierience he really has some tourque with that beak. I guess he's one of those things that I just have to put up with. He is smart though, I'll give him that.

 

[Chieftain]

Lynne, I just checked out your coop and run page, and you folks have done an outstanding job! I particularly liked all the chooks sitting on the windowsill looking out...

Well done, and your predator proofing is impressive. You have weasels up there?? I keep domestic fettets, but they are a lot cuter than the weasels are....

 

[Chicken Chaperone]

Chieftain, your work is just outstanding!! Thank you so much for the progress reports and pictures and for letting us future coop builders
learn from your process! Outstanding indeed!!

 

[pacetruckguy]

Quote:
That looks like a rat the cat's feet.