pcgboca
Chirping
- Sep 12, 2023
- 31
- 151
- 64
Coop Upgrades for the flock! The girls deserve the best. 
So I wanted to do better as these birds get bigger and first thing I felt was these bars were too narrow and
too low. I added 2 bars up high at first as this is a tiny big box coop. But I am a newbie and the new bars were thin, short and sideways in the coop, granted the girls used them every night.
I wanted something wider so I purchased the wood at big box and wrapped it in rope. This is my new roost and first night only 2 girls were up on it - but there was a lot of change and drama so lets see how tonight goes. Here are a few pics - scroll down for the FAN upgrade as part 2 of the project......
above is the new cross beam for support and the new wider roost bar - 2x3 wrapped in rope.
Other side of the coop same setup to hold it screwed to the brace bars at both sides with a screw and fender washer.
Checking the roost bar and making sure no one is going to bump heads jumping up here as this is a small coop. I only have 4 birds so its fine, but still I can lower this if needed. I have 16" height inside at center line. Should be fine.
First Night after some drama outside of me forgetting to open the run door so they could not exit the run when it started to get dark and they were all roosting high in the run loudly I might add.
My Bad from when I closed things off for construction earlier in the day. Sorry Girls. 
Now on to Phase 2 of the project - while the roof was off and we were in there i figured we need fans. This coop hit 94 the other day so I need shade outside (in the works) but we need air moving to prevent smell and cool the girls, so I went with this fan.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CZRKTBZ?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
Reasons for that fan are primarily it runs on 120V and not battery, that I can mount it inside and avoid water, and it moves a decent amount of air for how quiet it is. This is only 32 dBs compared to some barn rated fans that are moving more air but louder. Two things I needed to be aware of in my design is the girls will not like a large change in air pressure once the coop is closed up. So when we move air in or out we need to be thinking of that or you will see the birds reacting to any pressure gradient similar to you or I on a plane when they pressurize the cabin, only chickens don't have chewing gum to help pop those ears.
Another thing i wanted to be sensitive of is noise, this fan as quiet as it is can be heard on the camera I have setup - I am a stalker when it comes to "Chicken Daddy" and making sure my 4 girls are all good. so I have 2 cams in the coop live now and it will end up with 4 so I can watch the boxes for Broody hens.
Check out the slick vent I got at Amazon! This is awesome in unto itself. Very decorative and functional. Turned out to be high end, what a great find.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07LCRRYQS?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
Overall I hope the girls are happy and I am waiting a few days for the dust to settle so to speak. Tonight with no entry drama and cooler we will see but once they are used to the new roosting bar I am going to place a second fan as shown - same setup . That louvered vent has a fine screen and is awesome, working perfectly in place now on exit hole up high. this should create a nice cross flow with enough to be a draft or blown on the chickens too hard. May have to power them on and off at times, we will see right now it runs 24/7.
So I wanted to do better as these birds get bigger and first thing I felt was these bars were too narrow and
too low. I added 2 bars up high at first as this is a tiny big box coop. But I am a newbie and the new bars were thin, short and sideways in the coop, granted the girls used them every night.
I wanted something wider so I purchased the wood at big box and wrapped it in rope. This is my new roost and first night only 2 girls were up on it - but there was a lot of change and drama so lets see how tonight goes. Here are a few pics - scroll down for the FAN upgrade as part 2 of the project......
above is the new cross beam for support and the new wider roost bar - 2x3 wrapped in rope.
Other side of the coop same setup to hold it screwed to the brace bars at both sides with a screw and fender washer.
Checking the roost bar and making sure no one is going to bump heads jumping up here as this is a small coop. I only have 4 birds so its fine, but still I can lower this if needed. I have 16" height inside at center line. Should be fine.
First Night after some drama outside of me forgetting to open the run door so they could not exit the run when it started to get dark and they were all roosting high in the run loudly I might add.
My Bad from when I closed things off for construction earlier in the day. Sorry Girls. Now on to Phase 2 of the project - while the roof was off and we were in there i figured we need fans. This coop hit 94 the other day so I need shade outside (in the works) but we need air moving to prevent smell and cool the girls, so I went with this fan.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CZRKTBZ?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
Reasons for that fan are primarily it runs on 120V and not battery, that I can mount it inside and avoid water, and it moves a decent amount of air for how quiet it is. This is only 32 dBs compared to some barn rated fans that are moving more air but louder. Two things I needed to be aware of in my design is the girls will not like a large change in air pressure once the coop is closed up. So when we move air in or out we need to be thinking of that or you will see the birds reacting to any pressure gradient similar to you or I on a plane when they pressurize the cabin, only chickens don't have chewing gum to help pop those ears.
Another thing i wanted to be sensitive of is noise, this fan as quiet as it is can be heard on the camera I have setup - I am a stalker when it comes to "Chicken Daddy" and making sure my 4 girls are all good. so I have 2 cams in the coop live now and it will end up with 4 so I can watch the boxes for Broody hens.
Check out the slick vent I got at Amazon! This is awesome in unto itself. Very decorative and functional. Turned out to be high end, what a great find.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07LCRRYQS?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
Overall I hope the girls are happy and I am waiting a few days for the dust to settle so to speak. Tonight with no entry drama and cooler we will see but once they are used to the new roosting bar I am going to place a second fan as shown - same setup . That louvered vent has a fine screen and is awesome, working perfectly in place now on exit hole up high. this should create a nice cross flow with enough to be a draft or blown on the chickens too hard. May have to power them on and off at times, we will see right now it runs 24/7.
