Chicken coop in my shed!!??

[Indiana feather]

My boy talked me into getting some chickens from Rural King back on sept 9. While most people would probably prepare an area then get the chickens ...not me..LOL.. i sometimes put the cart before the horse. Any how the chicks spent their fist night in my son's room in a pet carrier. From there they went into a brooding area... They got pretty big in the last month. We figure they were most likely a week old when we got them so guessing they're about 5 weeks now. Anyway I knew I had to either make a coop or buy one. The prefab pens for 3 to four chickens just seemed so small yet kinda pricey so we decided to just make our own. The area pictured is 4' by 7' and will serve as the coop

 

[chasiekitten12]

By the way in a run a chicken need 10 square feet each

 

[Indiana feather]

we're getting a little stretch of warm days coming up so I opened the window for the coop. I removed the small roost branch and unplugged the heat lamp. Since the chickens are 7 weeks old and pretty well feathered they should be able to handle it. As I worked they were racing around and i first i thought they were scared by something but then realized they were just feeling their oats and sped around the coop and stopped in front of another bird and flapped their wings. It was really cute and they had me chuckling at their antics... Still they haven't ventured out although they can . I made a door for closing up the window in cold weather since it is just above the roost. My birds seem really happy though and that makes me happy :yiipchick

one thing i was wondering if i need to make a ladder going up to the nest boxes or will they just jump up there. It will be springtime before these youngsters will be laying so i got some time to figure that out :cd

 

[aart]

we're getting a little stretch of warm days coming up so I opened the window for the coop. I removed the small roost branch and unplugged the heat lamp. Since the chickens are 7 weeks old and pretty well feathered they should be able to handle it. As I worked they were racing around and i first i thought they were scared by something but then realized they were just feeling their oats and sped around the coop and stopped in front of another bird and flapped their wings. It was really cute and they had me chuckling at their antics... Still they haven't ventured out although they can . I made a door for closing up the window in cold weather since it is just above the roost. My birds seem really happy though and that makes me happy

one thing i was wondering if i need to make a ladder going up to the nest boxes or will they just jump up there. It will be springtime before these youngsters will be laying so i got some time to figure that out

Aren't they fun?!

Working in the coop while they are in there is a good thing IMO, they get used to you being there and will be less afraid as they age.
I had to add/change alot of things once the coop was populated to make thing work right, they were nervous at first( bought as adults) but soon you find who the curious ones are.

Your nests shouldn't need a ladder as they are low to the ground, but a perch about 8" or so in front of the nests will give them a landing place, they like to look inside before entering. You will need to put a front piece, about 4" inches high, on the nests tho to keep the bedding and eggs from being scratched out of the nest.

 

[Indiana feather]

Since we live in a housing addition in the country... needed my chickens to be contained yet to be able to free range so we built this run. I had 2 x 4 and landscape timbers and a big pile of limestone rocks . We put rocks under the shed to prevent predators from accessing the run from under the shed. We also dug a trench and put rocks under the landscape timbers to discourage any digging to get in the run. We went with the green welded wire fence with a 2 x 3 inch hole so we need to cover that with hardware cloth yet. I think I will get a big tarp to put over the run to shelter it from the rain.

 

[chasiekitten12]

Good idea coops get expencive

What about a run?

Will they be able to be outside for 4-12 hours a day?

Will you make a run (fenced in area they stay in during the day)

How will they fing bugs to eat? Will you buy those?

They need to be outside many many hours a day

 

[Indiana feather]

The run is the whole length of the shed so it is 12' by 8'. It is 4' tall at the shed and tapers down to the ground . I cut an access into the coop for the chickens and made a ramp with treads on it. Its nothing too fancy but it all is coming together

I am really excited to let the chicks check it out. They haven't been outside yet... most of what i've read says 60 days in the brooder but i'm guessing they would be ok outside as long as i got them all to come in at night??? They are Rhode Island reds so they are pretty good sized for their age. I would appreciate any comments or tips you may have for me. How many chickens will thrive in a setup this size ?

 

[chasiekitten12]

Ok sounds good to me

 

[Indiana feather]

Ok sounds good to me

One question I had is about covering the run... Is all the grass gonna die off due to the foraging of the chickens? would it be better to let it get rain or no? The run is on the north side of the shed so most of the day it is in the shade except for the last 2 hrs of the day so there isn't a necessity for shade . Wondering about alternatives to a tarp etc.

 

[aart]

Couple issues I see.
You want your roosts to be higher than your nests or they will roost in the nests and fill them with night poops.
2x4, wide side up, is a great roost for winter areas, keeps thier feets warm.

You need to be able to get into the run yourselves, I don't see a door, in case a chicken gets hurt or stuck in there...or to retrieve the inevitable first egg that is often laid in the run.

Yes, they will quickly decimate any vegetation in the run....and the rain/snow can make it very mucky unless the soil there drains very quickly.
If they get locked in a secure coop every night you might not need to put HC on the run, I didn't....but don't have many stray dogs around either and am home most days.
You could cover part of the run roof to keep rain and snow out so they can go out in bad weather.

It would be good if you could extend the run so they can get some sunlight, they do need that.

I don't see any windows or ventilation in the coop part....more pics of that?