Coop gems -what is the one feature of your coop you couldnt live without?

[Trish of the Coop]

Here's some posts about mine, they're kind of old, but changes are noted.
...and the threads these posts are in has a ton of examples of poop boards.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...s-poop-pictures.621363/page-111#post-13179595
Updates:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...s-poop-pictures.621363/page-178#post-18966048

https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/1/...ch-x-9-inch-mesh-drawer-organizer-silver.html

Oh that is brilliant! Thank you! I currently only have my 3 girls and they are in a small 3x2 coop with a large run. TSC special. I pack the floor with straw/hay, then remove it and put fresh down about once a week. For now that works for me and takes all of about 10 minutes, if I end up with more birds and a bigger coop that is definable going to be on my NEED list.

 

[RumneyRoost]

Definitely electricity. Before the pandemic I left the house at 7:15 am, home at 4:45pm. Impossible on a work day to provide water for most of the winter.
Lucky for me my hubby is an electrician.

 

[WhiteWaterLady]

My favorite thing about my coops has to be the clear roofs that let in every bit of daylight/moonlight/starlight.
Second would be good ventilation - which wasn't as good as it needed to be in the first coop, but was well fixed in the second.
This blog post has comments and pictures of the features and fixes in my coops https://eclecticmusings.blog/2020/03/29/chicken-coop-learning-curve/

 

[NatJ]

Door with high sill--door swings open even when there's snow on the ground, deep bedding stays inside, sill can be removed for cleanout.

Also a big fan of tall enough to stand up in, and of natural light, but those have both been mentioned already.

 

[Farmgirl1878]

I'm still a little foggy one the whole * poop board* thing. Guess I'll be doing some research today.

Best thing since sliced bread...

 

[Dmaggot]

I'm hoping this thread will be a fun break for everyone with some knowledge and experience thrown in. My question is: What is one thing you have ( or have modified) in the chicken coop or run that you couldnt live without now?

The Dutch doors my contractor built for me. They allow me to swing open the top portion to grab the feeder and water pail while keeping the girls inside. It’s also like a picture window - I have a clear view of feathered festivities with just the top half of the door open.

 

[Dmaggot]

 

[Farmgirl1878]

@Dmaggot my girls would be over that Dutch door in half a second!

 

[SteveWin]

For me, its definitely the self filling water bucket hard plumbed into my house water system. Its 4 nipples screwed into a full size 5 gallon food grade bucket, hanging on two shelf brackets, with water supply piped down into the top to a standard toilet fill valve. No more of the daily bucket brigade, I just turn it on and let it go - about once a month I close the shutoff valve and unhook the bucket to dump it out and clean it.

Next to that, I'd say it's my home built 200# capacity bulk feeder.

My only daily chores are the fun ones - gathering eggs, and sharing treats...

 

[CluckerCarrolls]

Christmas lights for the girls!