Guide Coop pages and member pages tutorial and feedback

[Chicken Egg 17]

Does it have to be the add m more page because u have to have a certain number of post u can just start ur own thread

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

I'm sure it's just a post thing and that you need a few more so the system recognises you as a genuine member and not a spammer. It is a pain and I do realise that. But the spammers have to be kept at bay. No one knows how many posts are required for the coop/member page to become available as this would then give it away to the spammers.

The new member section is great place to get some posts under your belt ~ https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/44/new-member-introductions
Right now its a busy time of year for new folk who are joining us and I'm sure they would very much appreciate you welcoming them to our group

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

Yes, just keep posting as an active member and the system will give you access rights to make an article (probably in about 10 posts or so)

 

[theparkers]

I do not have time to post on this site everyday and hope that some point someone "allows" me to post to the coop page. I hope everyone can find my coop and plans in the Gallery section because works starts back tomorrow and I will not be back on here. I have enjoyed looking around and I think I have enough info to do my little coop with my 8 chickens.

 

[Jammie]

I couldn't figure out how to post our new duck house and wanted to share the pics! We have 6 runners.
The pool with repurposed shower deck I made for burning man! In the background you can see the feeder and automatic waterer! I really am enjoying this...I just drain the waterer at night and turn the water hose off, the feeder just replace the cap and sweep up loose feed.

I was going to try and make the front of the house look like a real hobbit house, you can see the little door I made in the first picture. After looking at it I decided I liked the front without the door. I'll find another use for the hobbit door I made.

Just trying to fancy up the vent holes. There are 3 more directly across on the other wall and under the side eaves.

These act as "locks" and secures the removable wall. We live in a high corrosive area, so we tried to limit metal parts as much as possible! All from cedar - they have been outside for several months and work perfectly - no swelling.

Removable wall for cleaning - all parts are cedar to cut back on the weight. I'd say it wears about 9 or 10 lbs.

Entry, with a view of the side vents. I painted the floor and walls with BlackJack #57...so far so good as far as moisture. I should be able to hose the house out, or at least be able to wet it down pretty good with out causing damage to the wood, I also put a large tray inside to help collect waste, it came from my escape, getting a new car so I repurposed it to the ducks.

With the door closed.

We are using shredded paper and cedar chips for the inside. I remove paper and wet chips every morning. I used shredded paper in their brooder and decided it worked well in the house. Thank for looking! I've learned so much from this group!!!

 

[JACspivey]

I started with a big box that I got from work. I blocked it up off the ground with Cinder blocks and.....


...cut a door and too the top off.


Next I screened in the bottom of the coop and put hinges on the top


Framed out the laying boxes...


I had an old trampoline net so I set it out and.......


...added a shock to the lid and....


...tin on the lid and...


...a coat of barn red paint and.....


...Our little coop is complete!


12 Laying boxes inside with roost boards. All that's left to do is net the top of the run and my five chicks will be all set!


Please let me here your feedback on what I can do better. Thanks!

 

[mdrake1984]

My LF light brahma coop. Still a work in progress but able to house them til i get it 100% finished. Everything except for a couple 2*4 and 1*6 is all reclaimed materials. It is 7.5'L x 7'W x 7.5'H and the run is still in the works... My falabella stud was being nosey while i was trying to take a pic...

 

[countryladyNH]

Hi everyone, We are just starting our adventure as backyard chicken keepers and we picked up our coop and run yesterday! Here are some pictures. We got it from Coops for a Cause in NH, and Jason gives a portion of profits to charity. Still working on the spot where it's going, so it's just sitting in the drive/yard for now. Gosh it's massively heavy so we have to get some neighbor's to help us move it this weekend to it's permanent spot! We are 'tricking it out' a bit in the meantime. Brushing the exterior with Cabot's weathering stain to encourage 'greying' but protects from rot. I am changing out the silver utilitarian hinges and latches for some in black iron---I know, I know but our little house is 240 years old, and we are having fun giving the coop some of our personality. Hubby had some cedar shingles and is re-roofing the coop over the asphalt it came with for a more 'natural' look. I will be painting the inside with some safe, semi gloss tan paint.
Our 4 to 6 week old chicks will be coming in the mail in mid April---4 buff orpingon girls!!!
We are learning so much from this site and are so glad to have found you and joined!
Mary

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

Looks nice were did u pick it up from hope u like the chicken journey is it windy up there in New Hampshire it got really windy down here last night

 

[Kiki]

This is our first experience with chickens and building a coop. I was a budding Architect student at one point of my life, so the design, drawing, and building is all part of the whole experience for me. My drawings are shown below.











I started building the coop's four walls and floor in my garage in the winter. As soon as the ground was soft enough to dig, I started assembling it outside. I cemented four posts in the ground. I found a remnant high grade linoleum for the floor. After reading all I could and visiting a few of my friends coops I decided to go with a sand coop. The linoleum will allow me to clean and change the sand regularly with ease.



The floor is in the ground and the cement is left for one week to cure.
After a week of curing, the walls start to go up. I could carry most of them with the aid of a dolly, although it was a little awkward.

Four walls up!



I found many great things at a habitat restore including windows for five dollars a piece, a skinny windowed door I thought would be great for a window, and they threw in a gable vent for free. The paint also came from the Habitat for Humanity Re-store. It matches a rabbit hutch I built last year.


The roof goes up. Tar paper and shingles to come. The winter got long waiting to put it outside so I added an additional project for a touch of class, a cupola for the coop. Not only did I like how it would look, but it's very functional for ventilation. Once again, I found the four vents for the top of the cupola at the Habitat re-store for a really good price..




Now for the inside. I got 12 sheets of 3/4 inch pressed board from a good friend which saved me a lot of money and increased what I could do on the inside. Living in Michigan, I felt it was important to insulate the walls, so they have a low grade rolled insulation inside.

The basic dimensions of the coop are 8 ft by 6 ft. It's tall, because I wanted to be able to walk in through a normal door and to be able to stand up to clean the coop.

The litter trays were high enough that I did not have to bend over to clean them. I have a chronic pain condition, so the ergonomics are important to me.


I built the tray high enough to get a garbage can underneath. I ended up replacing the one in the picture with a metal can about 6 inches shorter that fit better. I can keep the food and treats in there, without having to haul it in every time.
The door to the run was added after it was assembled. I have a pulley system so that I can open and close the door from the outside.



Construction grade sand shoveled in to floor and litter trays. Water and food bucket added. Food is suspended from the ceiling about 12 inches off the floor. The water sits on a half cinder block.

Chickens of course were scared of a new environment but we sure were glad to get them out of the house. They warmed to their new home quickly. They stayed "cooped up" for a few more weeks until I got the run fence up.



My daughter loves to feed, pet, and hold the chickens and they respond well to her.

It took me a little more time to get it trimmed out and painted.

I wanted to add a weather vane to the hutch, but didn't want to pay the price. My mom surprised me with a weather vane one day. She said it needed one to finish it off. I used an old screen door that was sitting on my house since we purchased it as the entrance to the coop. A 6 foot chain link fence was found on Craig's List for the run. The run size is about 22 feet by 11 feet.

Our four year old loves to pick up the chickens.

Our first egg came at about 17 weeks.

Awesome coop.
I am working on one now.
I love the poop shelfs.......My questions is:
How are you cleaning them?
Are you able to lift the roost bar out?
Thanks!