Coop and run.....egg box experiment LOTS of pics

[bananakey]

After catching a bad case of the chicken math, I was just shy of the roost space margin I'd like. Also, after purchasing new patio furniture that has been pooped on non stop and our top hen Penny deciding to start stealing food right off the plates of our BBQ guests ....we decided free ranging wasn't working for us...well mostly my boyfriend whom me and my ladies moved in with last summer. lol.

I LOVE my little snap lock coop since it is easy to wipe down and keep very clean so wanted to keep it. Decided I would build the run up to the coop, enclose the base and put the egg boxes under the house. I finished this just in time for this heat wave, and it is actually working out great. The egg box area under the house stays much cooler than the coop so the ladies don't come out panting after laying an egg in the heat.

I researched a bit before making this move of the egg boxes and didn't find any reason they HAD to be inside the coop as long as the run is predictor proof. I added a new roost where the nest boxes where to make sure alll the ladies have enough space

This was before I finished painting and decorating back wall. Which I did with WW2 posters encouraging families to keep chickens. I'm a crafter, what can I say.

used an old closet door to make a compost pile for the ladies to dig around in. Also added a box to grow sprouted grains and a suet cage to give the ladies occasional treats. Also a dust bath area where I can mix a little sand and wood ash. I know not everyone agrees about dust bath additives but they love it AND it seems to have been the best remedy to a recent lice problem we had (yuk!!:/)

attempted to make a nice clean food area but the ladies keep deciding it needs sand kicked all over. ugh.

anyway. that's my coop. Maybe this will be useful to anyone kicking around ideas for their set up. I'm pretty happy with how it's working out.

 

[Leigti]

I think you have made a great coop and run for your chickens. Lots of things for them to do. I am totally going to steal some of your ideas by the way you can put the food up on a couple cinderblocks to keep it a little higher so maybe they won't kick so much sand up there. And there is no reason the nest boxes have to be in the coop itself, as long as it gives them privacy they should be fine. How many chickens do you have? You might only need one or two nest boxes. You have a great set up there. Thank you for sharing. Oh, definitely keep the dust bath. It is very good for the chickens and they do love it. I would not put DE in it like some people say because it is very bad stuff to be inhaled.

 

[bananakey]

Thank You! I have 6 chickens. I have a polish and a maran that will be fully feathered in a few weeks and moving outside.

 

[Leigti]

To nest boxes would be fine for six chickens. Do you ever let them out to run around the yard?

 

[bananakey]

we will on occasion....but they are hell on the garden so probably not too much this summer. Our RIR is a pro plant uprooter

 

[bananakey]

To nest boxes would be fine for six chickens.

Normally yes. However the space for 3 perfectly and I knew if I left space to either side they would find a way to roll the buckets all over. My RIR and Easter egger I've had for a couple years and I've learned if there is a possible way to do something annoying and destructive, they will surely figure it out. The gruesome twosome have taught me many lessons. lol