Coop/Run in-progress - Pic Heavy!

[St-Hubert]

Ok.....I am fairly certain I am close to 100% done on the structural part of the coop/run construction. There are a lot of cosmetic things I want to do to it to make it look a wee bit better rather than a cobbled-together collection of timber.

The biggest addition was the moat to prevent flooding. That hasn't been truly tested yet, so it still looks a little rough. Once I know it will work as planned, I'll be cleaning it up and doing a bit more landscaping around the outside of the run.
'Course...with it having a moat, I now have to plan for the drawbridge...and archer slits....and the place for the boiling oil....

I also finally finished painting all the wood. Granted, it's three different shades of grey, but....

The blue pieces that are on the ground are actually 14 gauge steel plate that are sunk about a foot into the ground. I wanted to make sure that the one side we couldn't really see from the house was well-protected from diggers.

The moat itself goes all the way around the run.

I realized we'd need a way to get across it, so we have a tiny bridge!

We have found that sitting inside the coop with them is not only relaxing, but can be a lot of fun at times. So, we added a few chairs.

The girls seem to be enjoying it. They wander all over the run pecking away at anythng that strikes their fancy, and I've seen them taking dust baths in the corner underneath the coop proper. The noises they make when they are doing that are hilarious! Our EE, Bleu, enjoys chasing anything that flies into the run. So far as I know, she hasn't caught anything yet, but that hasn't slowed her down yet. Kiev is taking the role of the rooster, and Pot Pie is just happy when she has some greens to munch on.

Thanks for looking!

 

[rebecky1305]

This is just an extra house on your property? You use it for storage? I wanna be a chicken at your house!

 

[St-Hubert]

Quote:
Yes. The property was originally two properties. The last owner had them 'incorporated' so they are now one property. That house is tiny....maybe 410sq feet of living space upstairs. It makes for a good costume shop, but that's about it.
Though, we have enough land for more chickens! Come on over!

 

[PhilErvin]

Way Cool !

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

Let's see... 410sq. ft. @4sq. ft. per bird =a coop for 102 chickens. Now all you need is the 1020 sq ft. run and you're all set.

 

[St-Hubert]

Quote:
Hmm.....wonder if my wife would let me get away with converting the basement part of the house into a coop.....it's also got about 410 sq ft.... Now, the 1,020 sq ft run, that might be a bit more difficult to convince her of.
Thanks for the idea, Chook-A-Holic!

 

[StrawberryHouseMouse]

Dont leave your chairs inside the coop. Or they will get roosted on and thus pooped on.

 

[St-Hubert]

Quote:
....thank you. Hadn't thought of that! Good news is they are plastic and should clean off easily, but I'll remember to take them out from now on.

 

[fldiver97]

Instead of 'regular' roosts for the run - if you have some thick tree branches and/or a tree stump that would make a good chicken roost/jungle gym. My chicks love to sit on a stump in the yard to 'survey their domain'. I also just found a prefect thicke branch that was knocked down....It will go in the run a a roost, I'll take the 2" round roost out. Will you fill the trench with gravel, like a french drain? Hop it'll kee the run from fooding!!!! I worried about it for my run and I added dirt topped of with sand to raise it a bit. So far, so good...
Great coop and run for your girls!!!!

 

[BankerJohn]

I like, no wait - LOVE your girls home! I especially like the names... "Pot Pie" ROFLMAO