Coop, fresh straw, and cheap wooden crates!

[SizzleQueen]

Hey guys, so decided it was time to clean out the coop again layer down some straw that I LOVE.. I bought it from tractor supply and it came compact and was extremely soft and it covered my entire coop (Where I needed it too.)

The wooden crates I got at Michael's craft Store and all I have to say is that my chickens LOVE them.. They were 13 dollars and built very sturdy. Also bought my mealworm treats that came out 25 for a huge bag.. But my chickens love them so it was well worth it.

Just for a little detail on this coop it is separated into 4 sections. All that have doors that close, and latch. The coop itself is lifted about 2 feet off the ground, and floor consist of two types of wire.. Chicken wire, and 12-1/2 Gauge Non Climb Horse Fence.

The horse fencing was laid down first and them the chicken wire on top. There are support boards that obviously these are tightly nailed into so stern support when the chickens walk across it.. The coop was designed like this so the poop just falls the ground & keeps predators away. (We also have two strands of electric running along the outside of the coop.) .. There are latches so when the poop begins to build up to much you lift the entire floor and latch it the ceiling, and scoop the poop! There are two windows, and 4 wooden windows that can be lifted so in the summer there is a nice cool breeze for the chickens. (The outside of the windows is another part completely closed in by chicken wire so nothing sneaks in there)


I keep all my feed in a trash can so no mice that might get in the coop can get in it, it's cheap and effective!

I have screwed in all the nesting boxes also so they aren't going anywhere just so everyone knows!

 

[WNCcluck]

Amazing! What's the square footage in there?

 

[SizzleQueen]

It's about 200 square ft!

 

[aart]

The coop floors are mesh...how do you walk on them?

What are those little angled pieces of wood going up the posts?

 

[SizzleQueen]

There are boards in each coop, kind of going like a tic-tac-toe ordeal that I walk on that support pretty much any weight! The squares of the tic tac toe design is where the horse fencing and chicken wire are obviously. Also, those are just perches that my silks love to sit on during the day.

 

[aart]

There are boards in each coop, kind of going like a tic-tac-toe ordeal that I walk on that support pretty much any weight! The squares of the tic tac toe design is where the horse fencing and chicken wire are obviously. Also, those are just perches that my silks love to sit on during the day.

I guess the angled board parts of the perch keeps poops from falling on the bird below?

 

[RonP]

Very nice.

How long have you had this coop?

I would like to hear your long term success with this type of manure management.

 

[SizzleQueen]

You sure know your stuff, .

 

[SizzleQueen]

Quote:
The poop is never a problems.. all I do is shovel out the old straw every week, and put some fresh straw down. Simple and easy. About once a month I take a power hose and power spray the entire coop to get poop off of everything.. then when the build up beneath the coop get's even half a foot high (which takes almost a entire year and then some) I take a shovel and scoop it away. I sprinkle a little lime over the poop at the bottom once a month also to control the odor (there is none at all. It smells just like the mountain air outside the coop). It's the easiest way, and very. VERY little work needs to be done.

 

[ChickenLegs13]

Nice pens!