East Texas Coop and Run

[pappy1264]

Great area! And love the electrical box with the dimmer....wish I had thought of that, would make it a LOT easier! lol

 

[wwdubose]

Cool build!

Why are the nesting boxes in the run instead of the coop? Nice nesting boxes<envy>

So funny how they look like they drop dead after running around!

I bought the nesting boxes at an antique warehouse because they looked cool and had a nice vintage look. Bought them more for decoration in the run, but will also be an outside nesting option for the girls if they so choose. The coop will have 4 nest boxes as well that will be accessible from the back side of coop.

 

[wwdubose]

Great area! And love the electrical box with the dimmer....wish I had thought of that, would make it a LOT easier! lol

Thanks! My original intent was to lower and raise the clamped lights on the two posts I installed, but once I saw that the clamps would not hold them in place well, I went with the dimmer and just left the lights in one spot.

 

[wwdubose]

Got the back wall of the coop framed last night. There will be four external nest boxes in the opening at the bottom and a window in the center. The long narrow opening at top will be a vent.





Chicks are one week old today! One of our two Australorps.

 

[austyn_stephenson]

I can't wait to see what it will look like!!

 

[wwdubose]

I can't wait to see what it will look like!!

Thanks! My flock of girls can't wait to see either!

 

[wwdubose]

I finished building the external nest boxes today which completes the framing of the coop. I couldn't make up my mind whether to have it hinge open from the top or the front, so I designed it to open both ways. The top access will make collecting eggs easier while being able to access the boxes from the front will simplify periodic cleaning.

 

[wwdubose]

Chicks will be 5 weeks old on Wednesday and are quickly outgrowing their 3'x4' brooder. The coop is almost finished and I hope to move them in a week or two. We had one of the Red Star chicks developed pasty butt and was in need of first aid last night. It was a good patient. It is spending a couple of days in isolation while the swelling goes down.

Australorp and Red Star chicks at 4 1/2 weeks of age.

4 1/2 week old Red Star chick recovering from pasty butt

One of our three Buff Orpington chicks at 4 1/2 weeks

 

[Alaskan]

Super sweet chicks, and the coop looks great too.

 

[wwdubose]

06/18/2013

The inside of the coop is almost finished and we should be able to move the girls in by the weekend. They will be 9 weeks old tomorrow.

Pictured below is one of our three Buff Orpington's, Attie, keeping my better half company.

Due to some injuries, Peggy (victim of feather picking) and Molly (vent issues) have been separated from the others for a few weeks. They have become inseparable.

The entire flock foraging for food yesterday evening.

06/23/2013

The interior of the coop is finally complete! The girls tried it out for the first time last night. They went from a 3'x4' brooder box to a 6'x9' coop. Wanted to share a few pictures before the girls moved in. It will probably never look this nice again!

Vintage door and two hinged stained glass windows I purchased off ebay.

Pop door on the left and a solo external nest box on the right.

Poop tray is 22 inches deep and 33" from floor to lip. Front roost bar is 4" high and centered roost bar is 12" high.

Tilt out windows on back and side walls with large vent openings the length of the each wall. Also four additional external nest boxes on back wall. I am using Stall Dry in the poop tray (was the cheapest locally available option) and sand on the floor.