i bought a used coop from a man who used it for pigeons. Power washed it for about a month to get all the poop out. We did some painting, i added hardware cloth, and roosts. Since our land was sloped, we put pavers under to level the coop, and then ladled concrete around the bottom. It looks a bit tacky now. My plan is to cover all those bricks with concrete, then decorate it with interesting rocks and stones, so it looks magical, or at least better.
One question here though, for winter i think we should cover the front sections with something, for warmth. Other than tarps or plastic sheeting, is there something that would work better? Maybe plexiglass or solid panels that bolt in, then they can be removed in the Spring?
i have three latches on the door, one a slide lock, then two spring locks, one on the top and one on the bottom. They are pretty hard to latch, those spring locks, so thinking they will be good for predator protection? Please let me know if you think i can do better there.
Here is a front view of the coop and pen. We used fencing pieces from Lowes, then put in posts and staple gunned in chicken wire. We still have a bit of painting to do.
Side View
The pen area is up against our shed, so i attached hardware cloth to the side of the shed, bent it inwards, then put bricks and cement on the bottom edge.
This is a make-shift gate at the rear corner of the pen.
Not sure if you can see, but we put aviary netting across the entire top of the run.
Here is the back corner.
Other side view and front gate. i have since filled in that corner with hardware cloth. The gate and the area above all have hardware cloth. Thinking i need to level and put pavers under the door, to prevent digging.
The gate is latched with a slide lock and then a spring latch at the bottom.
We also got some cute stained glass pieces to add charm.
Another picture, just because.
i would love to hear suggestions on how to make the pen area more secure. We have seen raccoons in our yard at night, but not near the chicken pens. i know a raccoon could get through the chicken wire and aviary netting, but i think the coop is secure. Please let me know if i'm wrong. Thanks for taking the time to look!
Colleen
i have three latches on the door, one a slide lock, then two spring locks, one on the top and one on the bottom. They are pretty hard to latch, those spring locks, so thinking they will be good for predator protection? Please let me know if you think i can do better there.
Here is a front view of the coop and pen. We used fencing pieces from Lowes, then put in posts and staple gunned in chicken wire. We still have a bit of painting to do.
Side View
The pen area is up against our shed, so i attached hardware cloth to the side of the shed, bent it inwards, then put bricks and cement on the bottom edge.
This is a make-shift gate at the rear corner of the pen.
Not sure if you can see, but we put aviary netting across the entire top of the run.
Here is the back corner.
Other side view and front gate. i have since filled in that corner with hardware cloth. The gate and the area above all have hardware cloth. Thinking i need to level and put pavers under the door, to prevent digging.
The gate is latched with a slide lock and then a spring latch at the bottom.
We also got some cute stained glass pieces to add charm.
Another picture, just because.
i would love to hear suggestions on how to make the pen area more secure. We have seen raccoons in our yard at night, but not near the chicken pens. i know a raccoon could get through the chicken wire and aviary netting, but i think the coop is secure. Please let me know if i'm wrong. Thanks for taking the time to look!
Colleen
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I put the hook n eye's on the inside of the doors for our wind...
