California Coop Concerns

[vckums]

Hi all, newbie here! Hubby and I have a few questions on a coop.

Hubby wants to compost the chicken poop for our garden. However we are unsure of how to do the floor for the coop. Do we have to have a raised floor? Can the coop be on the ground?

Are there any members from California who have pictures of their coops to share? I'm concerned about rain and winter. We don't get snow, but it can get to about 30 degrees. Will the chickens be too cold?

Sorry for all the questions.

Vicki & Scott

 

[bumpershoot]

Where in Ca are you? I lived in Santa Cruz and the mountains for years. Mud would be my main concern.

 

[Eggie and Me]

Hi, fella newbie here also. We live in So. Cal. Our coop is off the ground with a combo of cement and grass/dirt. We also have a 1/4" square floor for them to walk on while going up to their nesting/future nesting boxes. Well that is IF they like our ideas??

We also have/when finished a fenced in yard, just for the girls that also is covered on the top to protect against cats, etc. Hope this is a little help. Check out other coops, it helped us so much. Good luck

 

[vckums]

I'm in the East Bay near SF/Oakland.

I am concerned about mud and rain. I'd want an open coop for the summers, it can get over 100 here. But also want something to attach in the winter to keep rain and cold out.

I've been browsing the photos here, they are all so pretty! Ours will be mainly wire. The nesting box is going to be an old rabbit hutch. Hubby sketched out a design to add a run to it.

I'm still sort of nervous about doing this. I'd hate to make something not right for them.

 

[Renee]

Hi Vicki and Scott,
Mike and I built our coop here in SoCal last year. We are very happy with the design. You can click on the link to my page and take a look at it, or go to the coop page, it's the first small coop.

We use the poop in the compost pile too.

I think the easiest thing is to have access to the area below the roost where they poop without stooping over. I open the door and scoop it out with a kitty-litter scooper and a dustpan and put it into the compost each morning. The coop stays clean and so do the chickens!

The chickens were fine all winter. The main issue for us is keeping them cool in the summer.

 

[vckums]

I just saw your pics. It's BEAUTIFUL!

Do I need to do anything inside the rabbit hutch? Add roosts? Or do the roosts just go outside in the run? I am so sorry for all the questions, just getting confused.

 

[echlfan]

We are in Fresno, you can look at my page. Lots of ventilation & raised floor.

 

[Emzyyy]

Im in Kansas but I would say sand works pretty well for the run

 

[espressola]

We live in the Sacramento area- foothills nr Placerville. We are building our new coop up off the ground for two reasons- being able to police predators that might try to dig in, and shade/cover underneath in hot weather/rain. I guess mud too... We are planning to try the deep litter method in the new coop, but you must age that a bit before putting it on plants..
Patty N.

 

[Dr.Doorlock]

Take a look at what I built. The bottom slides out for easy cleaning and the big doors on each side make it even easier. Pine shavings will keep them warm, but for realy cold nights you may want a red brooder lamp.