Coop Questions

[Tressa27884]

I'm getting prepared to place my first coop. I have Michael Mancuso coming to make it for me, but I have some [lots] of questions.
1) I want to put it in the back corner of the yard that has heavy shade; it gets very hot here in the summer - my other option is to put it in an area that gets full sun. Which of the two places is better?
2) Should I put something on the floor of the run, or let them play in the dirt? If I should put something on the ground - what?
3) If I get solar powered light strings for the perimeter of the coop, will the light at night bother them, and is there any chance they'll peck/eat the wires?
4) I have a kiddie pool that I'm thinking they might like to play in - what's the best thing to fill it with?
5) If I wanted to put a bunny or something else in the run with the girls would they be ok with that or would they go all Diva on me and attack the intruder?

Nobody is in the coop yet [they currently live in my living room] I'll be putting them out in May at least during the day if the weather is warm enough. They will have lots of time outside of the pen when the kids and I are out in the yard.

Thanks for input all.

Tressa

 

[Paraclete]

Not an expert here but here's what I'd do given your options.
1. I'd put it in the shade, I'd be all worried about them getting hot or their water becoming to hot in direct sun or something, maybe over worry there about them. So yeah, shade for me.
2. I have dirt in my main coop, but I'll toss like pine chips in to make it look nice, they love the dirt though, take baths in it an such, another option though is to put sand on the ground, they'll bathe themselves in it like they wood in the dirt, cleaner than dirt too.
3. I don't imagine they'll eat the wire, but if the lights are bright enough during the night it might keep them up and if you have a rooster, he might be going off all night.
4. I'd fill it with sand, lil sand pool for them to give themselves a nice dust bath. But if you put sand in the floor, well than Idk. ^_^;
5. I think they might peck the bunny, like try to get a pecking order going. I had a desert turtle in with a little rooster I had and I think he rode the guy... But yeah, i think it'd be best to keep the bunny out of the coop with the birds.

Anyways that's my advice, hope it helps a little.

 

[Tressa27884]

A turtle? Interesting....I don't know that a turtle would survive the winter. I don't want a duck - what else could I put in for variety?

 

[Paraclete]

Yeah, the guy buried himself in a corner for the winter here, he's slowly but surely coming out of it when it gets warm here.
I had a duck in with some of my girls but she was hen pecked a bit, not too much where it was a problem but I could tell she wasn't happy. But since you already said you didn't want a duck... Lol there are all sorts of variety with chickens. I have orpingtons, buff colored, barred rocks, silver laced wyandottes, anconas, an araucana, and a bunch of game bird mixes. All different shapes and sizes there.