Built the Coop, Run and have the Chickens... Now What?

[mooseb]

We are using the deep litter method and we throw bags of leaves from the yard in the enclosure. We have tons of leaves and they love playing in them, digging and breaking them down. I plan on removing most of the thick compost in the fall and adding leaves again all fall and winter.

They would definitely love a roost in the enclosure to hang out on.

I also rake the "floor" of their enclosure a couple of times a day and they live to play in the piles and eat whatever has settled in the moist ground underneath.

 

[barred2rock]

I found with my girls they don't like being out when it's getting a lot of sun. Granted at 8,700 feet the sun is quite harsh. Originally I was planning, like you, to have an open run with chicken wire. But after watching them for a few days I put on a roof. Now they're out all day except the couple hours of midday when the run still gets direct sunlight.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Mine gets straw, alfalfa, grass clippings, and leaves.

I have mine partially covered but did it rather unconventionally. Their large house and a giant tree give shade to half until about noon. During that time the sun shines into the area that gets afternoon and evening shade. While the late day shaded area is shaded the area that was shaded early is getting sun.
I have found that this set up works very well keeping the entire run drier. There is no odor from droppings and the birds have options on whether they want shade or not.

 

[aart]

With the roof question is this something i should consider adding on?

Thank you in advance.

What is your climate/location?
It's good to put your location in your profile.

Here's a great description of contents and how to manage organic 'bedding' in a run or coop...and there's a great video of what it looks like.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1037998/muddy-run-help-please#post_16017992

I have a large walk in run, mesh roof, and never 'clean' poops from the run,
and there is rarely any nasty odors. The bedding of a good mix of dry plant materials use facilitates this nicely, it's basically no maintenance other than adding more material from time to time. I was able to start with a big load of tree trimmings from the power company that had been aged(6 months). I collect dry leaves in the fall (stored in feed bags in a shed) and add them occasionally, and other garden trimmings. I let my grass grow tall, mow and spread it out with discharge pattern, leave it to dry a few day, then push it into rows with the mower discharge, rake it up and add to run.

 

[Cash's Coop]

Thank you for your replies.... I live in NE Kansas.... We are getting ready to hay the brome fields this week. Therefore this may be a great opportunity to grab a significant amount of hay to add to the floor of the run. I will also consider continuing to add leaves and trimmings throughout the fall...

One more question... I have read a lot about the flooring of the actual coop. I currently use pine shavings, however i have read a lot of people that are using sand. Any thoughts or recommendations on this?

 

[aart]

Thank you for your replies.... I live in NE Kansas.... We are getting ready to hay the brome fields this week. Therefore this may be a great opportunity to grab a significant amount of hay to add to the floor of the run. I will also consider continuing to add leaves and trimmings throughout the fall...

One more question... I have read a lot about the flooring of the actual coop. I currently use pine shavings, however i have read a lot of people that are using sand. Any thoughts or recommendations on this?

Don't put too much of one thing in the run, it can become a nasty anaerobic mess.
Keep an eye on it.

I vote no for sand on coop floor, unless your coop is very small and you sift the poops every day. It can freeze up on winter too. Works great on poop boards tho.

 

[Engine823]

Really Nice coop! I like!!!!