Coop under construction in NorthAZ - seeking feedback/critiques

[BeeInNorthAZ]

OMG I have hens! A woman in my town had to get rid of all her birds, and I bought three pullets from her that should be laying any day now! I have spent the last four days busting my butt getting the coop and run finished, and I just completed everything today. I picked the hens up this afternoon and they all seem really happy in the run, eating everything in sight. I did have to force them into the coop after they spent about 15 minutes desperately searching for a roost for the night. Hopefully they get the point of their new coop soon. I already have a favorite hen, a sweet little Cali Grey that is about 4 weeks younger than the two Buff Orps I also have. I will post pictures when I finish painting the outside of the roll-away nest box I built on Friday. The coop and run turned out beautiful. I hope I know what I'm doing!

 

[joan1708]

Congrats on getting your hens! Most folks will tell you to keep new chickens in the coop a couple days so they know it's home and will go there every night.

As far as fencing goes, I've had 3 silkies for 2 years and they only require a 2 1/2 foot fence to keep them in. They could go over it, but they don't. They are content to scratch around the chicken yard compost pile or hang out under the worm farm bins. I have a 5 foot fence farther out ( a kind of buffer zone between the dogs and the chickens), just in case.

I found that after I had chickens for about a year, I started seeing hawks flying around. So, I only let my chickens out 2-3 days a week and some evenings. I enlarged my run this year, so they have a secure chicken run compost pile to hang out in.

 

[BeeInNorthAZ]

The chickens are happy, and so am I after seeing the final result of my custom designed and built coop and run. I feel things came together quite well, but let me know what you think.

 

[joan1708]

It looks great. I'd be very proud of that.