Consolidated Kansas

[rlh1]

rlh1, that is a gorgeous coop - I love the gambrel style. When I was building my coop, I really wanted to do the gambrel style roof but wound up doing a gable style simply because it was easier. Do let us know how the ladder style roost works for you. When I built my coop, I started with a ladder style roost but had a problem in that all the birds wanted to be on the highest rung. Bedtime was stressful as it would fill up first, but the remaining birds would still try to get up there. So they'd jump up and in doing so, knock off a bird, who would squawk her protest and then try to get back up there. For up to two hours, there was constant squabbling until it got too dark and they'd finally go to sleep. After a few months where it showed no sign of settling down, I wound up dismantling the ladder style and rebuilt the roost with parallel bars instead. The bonus was that where I only had room for 3 horizontals with the ladder style, the parallel roost allowed for 4 horizontal roost bars in the same space. The night time squabbling stopped instantly I rebuilt the roosts and bedtime is a lot more peaceful now. Here is what I had: and here is what I replaced it with: [COLOR=B42000] [/COLOR] The parallel roosts are installed on the wall with a lag bolt, while the front is supported by the free-standing legs. This allows me to fold the entire unit up against the wall when it comes time to clean out the coop, so it isn't in my way as much as the ladder style roost was either. However part of my problem may have been too many birds If I'd had few enough they all fit on the top roost, there wouldn't have been any need for arguing over positions at bedtime. (Of course if I'd had that few birds, I guess I really wouldn't have needed the other two levels either.)

Thank you! I am loving it! It still needs some work. We put in two vents at the top, just under the overhang on the front and back side of the coop but I think we need more airflow. I keep one of the front doors open during the day but that won't work come winter. I would love to put in a window but I'm not sure where. I was thinking about replacing the two front doors with doors that have Windows. I don't know. The roosts are working for now. Yes, everyone wants to be at the top. There is some arguing to begin with but they usually settle in after about 10 min. There is enough room on the top rung for everyone. The problem is I have one hen that is a bully and no one wants to get new her. So the others are all crowded to the farthest corner from her. I think she will be going to freezer camp with my extra Roos when the time comes.

 

[rlh1]

@rlh1
  it looks like the coop is coming along & he's doing an awesome job! My first coop at this house was a converted shed like that & I'm still using it. I moved it here from my other house & it's an old building now. We had to re-side it at one point because the siding was getting in bad shape. The floor is starting to have issues in places so eventually I will have to replace that too. The biggest issue I have is I have added windows on both sides & the door but it still gets really hot in there. I have put vents at the back as well but I think maybe a roof vent would help a lot. I'm just reluctant to cut a hole in the roof because of possible leaking. Ventilation is really, really important in the coop because of the ammonia that builds up from the droppings. I agree with Danz & HEChicken about the ladder roosts. I tried that as well but it didn't work for me either for the same reason, the birds fought over the top rung & it just wasn't a good situation. I replaced mine as well with roosts on both sides of the coop that are horizontal 2x4s. I have two rows on both sides the full length of the coop. The one on the right going in has one that is lower so they can jump up on it & get up to the higher one. None of the birds use the lower one at all. I also have a board running the full width of the coop under my big metal nest boxes so they can jump up on that & get up to the nest boxes. Are you going to add windows to your coop? You definitely will need some ventilation in there. 

We got some rain during the night, but I'm not sure how much, we can use it now because it's been really hot & it's drying everything out. Yesterday we spent the afternoon & evening with our granddaughter. We hadn't seen her all summer, so it was nice to spend some time with her. She is growing up way too fast! We took her to a movie she chose & out to eat. It was so hot & there was virtually no air moving so it was just stifling out there. I look forward to a bit cooler day today even if it is humid, ugh I hate this heat. 

I understand what you mean about not wanting to cut a hole in the roof. I'm just not sure how else to get more ventilation in there. It gets so hot in there, I need to get some air flow going. I do want to add Windows, I'm just not sure where or how.

 

[Trish44]

I understand what you mean about not wanting to cut a hole in the roof. I'm just not sure how else to get more ventilation in there. It gets so hot in there, I need to get some air flow going. I do want to add Windows, I'm just not sure where or how.

You definitely will need more ventilation or you're going to have problems with illness with your birds eventually. You need some north/south windows for cross ventilation in the summer. I even leave windows open some in the winter because I don't leave the door open then. I don't know which way your coop is facing but I noticed there is no shade there. Mine didn't have shade for years till some trees grew up behind the coop but now I'm afraid the city will come & cut them down due to the electric line there.

 

[chicken danz]

If you lack places to put windows for ventilation You can do what I did. I put a folding screen door in place inside one of the two front doors that you can leave open for ventilation. Then in the other door cut a square opening, frame it and put hardware cloth in the opening. Save the wood you cut out and make a couple of simple wooden hinges so you can put it back in in winter my moving the latches. Or the other option is to put a piece of plexiglass in the opening in winter if you want the light.
Also check habitat stores, or craigslist adds for smaller windows you can install here and there. I have used old aluminum storm windows and mounted them backwards so I still have a screen but can open or close them from the outside.

 

[chicken danz]

Not much posting going on. I got to see @Trish44 yesterday briefly. Nice little visit. I have a new customer coming today for some turkey's. She is expecting poults but these birds are getting pretty big. I should raise the price but I just want to empty the pen. I've just let the hens sit for quite a while. They tend to break the eggs when they sit all the time so I don't know if they'll hatch any or not.
It's supposed to get hot again the rest of the week. The humidity is so high I'm afraid it's going to be really miserable out there. I'm really stiff and sore from moving birds and pulling weeds. I didn't do much of anything but feed and water yesterday. It's already getting up there in temperature so it may be a miserable day.
It would be nice to get a little more pen building and such done today.

 

[rlh1]

Well, my husband and I looked the coop over and decided where to put Windows. I think it's going to work great.min the mean time, I'm leaving the front door open during the day. I have chicken wire stretched across it and secured, that way they are getting some ventilation.

 

[rlh1]

I have a question. How do you all water your chickens? I want to use the nipples in the bottom of the bucket but I'm not sure how to ha g the bucket. I'm worried about the handle breaking.
Thanks

 

[lizzyGSR]

I have a question. How do you all water your chickens? I want to use the nipples in the bottom of the bucket but I'm not sure how to ha g the bucket. I'm worried about the handle breaking.
Thanks

I use the horizontal nipples. They've worked great for me and don't require hanging the bucket. It is said that they won't freeze in the winter either, though I have not had mine long enough to prove/disprove that claim. If you're interested, you can find the horizontal nipples on e-bay. I'd have to look to see which seller I got them from, but the seller I bought them from is/used to be a member here on BYC.

 

[chicken danz]

I use heated dog bowls for water in winter. I prefer not to water in the coop itself. It makes too much mess. I would think nipple waterers would freeze because the water itself will freeze, but you could drop a tank or bird bath heater in the bucket for winter. I just hang the one nipple waterer I have by the handle. It hasn't broken yet. The problem is keeping it hanging even. You can make a heavy wire bracket that hooks on each side of the plastic handle to hang it with.
Last night I saw an owl stalking the ducks from a power pole. I shot at him but missed thanks to the scope on the rifle. DH has it set to work for him and since he put it on there, I can't hit anything. I'm going to have to buy my own I guess if I ever want to hit anything. He flew away and I was hoping I had scared him off but this morning about day break he got one of my ducklings. Grrrr. They'll clean me out now for sure. I can't corral the ducks to put them in their pen at night by myself. I have several groups of them. I hate sacrificing ducks to the stupid owls. It happens every year.
It's supposed to be really miserable hot out today and tomorrow. I have a lot to take care of out there today but I'm afraid the weather is going to leave me short.

 

[Trish44]

I have most of my outside pens set up with bucket waterers with nipples & they're all hung. You can get them balanced so they don't tip. Mine are 3 gallon & so far this summer I have not had a problem with the handles breaking. I use chain & S hooks to hang them with, you just have to get the S hook big enough to go over the plastic bucket handle. I use the heated dog bowls in winter as well except for at the main coop where I have a heated base so I use the galvanized waterer there.

I sure am ready for this heat & humidity to go down. I have a lot of things I need to do outside like cleaning coops but I'm sure not going to do that when it's so darned hot.