Coop pics. thoughts please

[aart]

Should I keep the water and food indoors or put it out during the day to encourage them to go out?

Ehhh..doesn't really matter, you could tho...or toss some treats.
Could also put some 'playground equipment' in there, stuff to 'play' on.
2x2's and branches for roosts in run. Logs, stumps, pallets leaned against wall or up on concrete blocks, grazing frames, old table/chairs/benches.

Porch and ramp look great.
Is your ramp sitting on the ground?
Put a concrete block under low end to lessen angle and keep it from rotting.

 

[Dukes7779]

Ehhh..doesn't really matter, you could tho...or toss some treats.
Could also put some 'playground equipment' in there, stuff to 'play' on.
2x2's and branches for roosts in run. Logs, stumps, pallets leaned against wall or up on concrete blocks, grazing frames, old table/chairs/benches.

Porch and ramp look great.
Is your ramp sitting on the ground?
Put a concrete block under low end to lessen angle and keep it from rotting.

I definitely have a concrete block under the end of the ramp. The ones going out are using it well, even the little cross beaked Silkie.

 

[chickentrunks]

I second wood to secure and protect the exposed edges of the hardware cloth, I'd also just like to make a quick call out. I'm assuming that by rigid insulation you mean something like expanded polystyrene sheets? That needs to be enclosed - difficult to make it removable or just add in at a certain time. If it's not enclosed your chickens with peck through the skin of the EPS and fill their crops with styrene

Lastly, my only other suggestion would be to paint all of those exposed wood pieces, or at least silicone any big ( <1/4" ) gaps up to try to reduce the number of places for unwanted bugs to hide... This is coming from the pest paranoid lady though haha

Really though, kudos, you've got a very beautiful and functional looking coop!

 

[J garden chicks]

love your coop - did you line the nesting boxes with linoleum? Does anyone do that? Why/why not? Hope you've got chickens init by now!

 

[aart]

did you line the nesting boxes with linoleum? Does anyone do that? Why/why not?

I do. Well, vinyl not linoleum.
Have a piece that fits snug in the bottom of each nest and an extra,
makes it easy to quickly clean out broken egg messes....just lift the whole thing out and replace.

 

[J garden chicks]

I do. Well, vinyl not linoleum.
Have a piece that fits snug in the bottom of each nest and an extra,
makes it easy to quickly clean out broken egg messes....just lift the whole thing out and replace.

great! yes sorry vinyl - so you do not glue them down correct? just slip them in, then bedding on top. sounds great! Thank you so much for your reply!

 

[aart]

great! yes sorry vinyl - so you do not glue them down correct? just slip them in, then bedding on top. sounds great! Thank you so much for your reply!

No glue, they fit pretty snug tho so need my jack knife to pry the edge up.