Coop Builders - What would you have changed or done differently?

[omaeve]

Quote: My sisters rabbit had rabbit wire on the bottom of cage and hardware cloth on sides and we had babies legs ripped off through the rabbit wire and dogs ripped off the hardware cloth on the side so it is not just wire but size of Staples and the amount you use to tack on the wire. also electrical staples can be used with a hammer if you do not have a staple gun.

 

[Mortey]

We use an old freezer to hold our extra food/supplies and keep it inside the chicken run - works great! A great tip from our local feed guy!

 

[EggieRowe]

I like the freezer storage idea! I need to look on craigslist or freecycle for a broke one. I also wonder if a pickle barrel would be helped by a stocking full of rice. I know it saved my iPad last year when it decided to hop in my bathtub without its ziploc bag.

 

[omaeve]

-love the idea of the installed misters, as well. We have a large oak tree from whence hangs a mister at present. The coops are underneath the tree (and open) so the chickens can cool off. Since we added another coop and four more chicks, we will be building a new 8 x 12 coop in the spring to house everyone. -will definitely attempt to install a timed mister system! What a great idea!

I am so kooky I misread at first and thought you were going to build a new coop in the spring house to cool the chickens. If you have never seen a spring house it is a stone house built over a spring with large stone steps to put all your food on. It was a cool place to sit in hot summer weather.just put the watermelon in the water yum.

 

[Jeannine]

Although my coop is quite makeshift, there's a couple of things I haven't seen throughout BYC, so I'll tell about them . . .
It all started with my creating a 4x10 coop next to my shed, with panels and chicken wire (I have two panels to insert when weather gets cold on both sides of the two doors (also made with chicken wire).
As you can see, there is a small 4x6 cage with door on left (I call it the "hospital") in case I have to separate a chicken from the rest, and a night lightpost on a timer. Inside the coop are nesting boxes on both sides (also makeshift!) I'm a girl, what would you expect?? Just thinkin' what I'd want if I were a chicken!
Looking the other way in the run, I have a little feeding station made from a dilapidated wishing well roof, a perch made from a large crooked limb that fell off a tree, and a watering station made of a galvanized window box with two plastic shoebox inserts for the water.
A full view of coop and run is this:
Run is 30 feet long by ten feet wide, and I had a 12x20 carport installed over it all. Voila!!! It certainly isn't the Taj Mahal, but my chickens are quite happy, and it doesn't take a lot of work for me to care for it all.

 

[aussie pete]

love the carport idea

 

[Sandara]

Very nice Jeannine. Loving the dilapidated wishing well roof!

 

[elizmartin]

Wow, such great ideas....Would love to have large covered runs..maybe half netting and half roofed...carport great idea...(have eagles and hawks here)
.... did see on another list someone used elevated sandboxes under her roosts along the chicken house wall so that she could scoop out with a cat scooper keeping the coop much cleaner....using more shavings on coop floor helps with moisture and compost....like the PVC tube feeders, with the feeding holes small enough that the chickens don't throw feed out.....with permanent coops a cement floor with a bowl area for dirt for dirt baths( i have cement blocks but have problems with rats making homes and undermining the floor.) nipple buckets or a barrel with nipple lines attached really help with keeping water clean...for buckets can use the new bucket lids that can be unscrewed or drill a hose size hole at its highest point for filling.( i clean out every month plus)
Folding metal dog crates and pens and portable dog panels can help with separating hurt and needy birds. easily stored when not needed.
Having a closet or drawers close or in the coop? for tools and feed is a great idea.

 

[wantedman66]

You have an awesome set up

 

[aoxa]

Although my coop is quite makeshift, there's a couple of things I haven't seen throughout BYC, so I'll tell about them . . .
   It all started with my creating a 4x10 coop next to my shed, with panels and chicken wire (I have two panels to insert when weather gets cold on both sides of the two doors (also made with chicken wire). 
As you can see, there is a small 4x6 cage with door on left (I call it the "hospital") in case I have to separate a chicken from the rest, and a night lightpost on a timer.  Inside the coop are nesting boxes on both sides (also makeshift!)  I'm a girl, what would you expect??  Just thinkin' what I'd want if I were a chicken! 
  Looking the other way in the run, I have a little feeding station made from a dilapidated wishing well roof, a perch made from a large crooked limb that fell off a tree, and a watering station made of a galvanized window box with two plastic shoebox inserts for the water.
A full view of coop and run is this: 
  Run is 30 feet long by ten feet wide, and I had a 12x20 carport installed over it all.  Voila!!!  It certainly isn't the Taj Mahal, but my chickens are quite happy, and it doesn't take a lot of work for me to care for it all.

I adore your run!!