draft/rain covers for vents that allow airflow

[frog522]

Thanks on the coop compliment. Having no experience with building whatsoever (do Legos count?

) I spent alot of time designing the whole thing myself. I incorporated alot of nice features from ideas I adopted from other members here on BYC. I have been meaning to put together a BYC page documenting every step of my design and build...I'll get around to it eventually

if anyone is curious on seeing. I focused my design on being easy to use. My routine right now involves opening the popdoor from outside the run and letting the girls directly into the run to eat and then cleaning the poop boards. The whole thing only takes 5 minutes at most! I kitty-scoop the poop in the run at least every 4 days if not everyday. Put feed in their gravity feeder once a week. Refill water twice a week. So easy, I love it!

I live over here in west San Jose. Chicken limit is maximum 6 hens without permit, no roosters beyond 2 months are permitted, and chicken housing must be at least 16 or so feet from any neighbor dwelling. I added the rain guards because during the rainy season we can get heavy rain and winds (but of course nothing like the gulf coast states). I'm thinking the rain guards I put in should be able to block about 95% of the rain. The last thing I want is to find out the coop is soaked after 48 hours of rain.

 

[carrlr]

Awesome coop!! It looks more securable than my house. LOL!! My coops vents are designed somewhat like yours.

 

[frog522]

Thanks! I figured if I was going to undertake this chicken raising project/responsibility, I should do it right to the best of my ability. There is a ton of information here on BYC especially how to keep your birds happy (and alive). Not to say bad things can't happen but being aware and taking the necessary safeguards should help.

I have two secure points (latches) per door, including a keyed padlock on each door (two human doors, popdoor, run door). I've heard many unfortunate stories about racoons and I kept those critters in mind while building my coop as the #1 enemy to guard against in terms of the design of my coop.

It really helps because I bought one of those four-pack padlocks at that hardware store that are all identically keyed. Makes life super easy.

I love BYC!

 

[WisconsinChickenWhisperer]

Quote:
I have 3 rectangular vents in my coop, as well as 2 trailer house windows for light. I was just thinking that maybe those plastic heat deflectors you can buy at the hardware store would work for rain/wind protection on the vents?

 

[frog522]

I never thought I'd be making this update. Yesterday I noticed some smudges on my rain guards and didn't really think anything of it. I was drawn to them today because it looked like their were more smudges than yesterday. Then I noticed what look to be very small hand prints about the size of a quarter or half-dollar, including some marks that look to be close parallel scratches. What do you think it could be that has a hand print of that size?

I think there may be something testing my coop security during the night even though I've never heard anything. Scary! I'm glad to know that I've taken as many safety measures as possible. I'm going to beef up my external eggbox latch.

I just finished windex'ing all the rain guards. Any new smudges or prints will certainly not be mine. If anymore marks appear, I'll be getting a live trap to catch this unwanted visitor. I am feeling a bit unsettled that my "Coop & Run" thread somehow is turning into a "Predators" thread.

Protect our defenseless birds!

Small smudges and parallel scratches:

Lots of smudges, some probably mine, but way more than yesterday:

 

[elmo]

Quote:
Great! That was the one thing that caught my eye: the simple lift up latch on one of the access doors. I was going to suggest that wouldn't keep a racoon out, but a padlock certainly will!

 

[elmo]

Here's a picture of my vent chain arrangement:

I can use the loops on the chain to adjust the opening exactly to the degree I need.

 

[Noymira]

Quote:
I would guess that those are raccoon prints.... Make sure your girls are secure!

And by the way, I love the vent covers!