Fencing Help

[AmyJane725]

Assuming there's no existing drainage issues with the location, some form of deep litter is what I'd recommend. Ideally you'd layer chunky aged wood chips with organic matter like dried leaves, short cut grass, pine needles, garden trimmings, etc. In the Pacific NW there's no shortage of this type of stuff. The wood chips provide the drainage, the rest of the stuff breaks down and can either be used for compost or if left in place helps amend the soil underneath and keeps it healthy.

You're saying I should put all that stuff inside the coop, or just outside in the run? Because my run area already has all that stuff on the ground, minus the pine shavings and chicken poop, lol.

 

[paneubert]

I don't care about garden soil. I just need the poop digested and to not run out of space for all the dirtied bedding.

Then you want wood chips for the run and shavings/flakes for the coop.

 

[AmyJane725]

Then you want wood chips for the run and shavings/flakes for the coop.

Sorry for the stupid questions. I'm assuming the flakes/shavings for inside the coop should be pine? And do I need to put pine chips down in the run, or is it fine if it's just the normal ground? There's grass and moss and tree debris and sticks and stuff. Do they need chips in the entire run (15'x18')?

 

[rosemarythyme]

There's grass and moss and tree debris and sticks and stuff. Do they need chips in the entire run (15'x18')?

You'll need chips if mud/puddles start becoming an issue. The chickens will destroy the grass and dig around in the dirt. If the natural tree debris there is sufficient it might be enough without any extra help. But if you start having mud or stink issues the wood chips will help cut that down.

 

[aart]

Sorry for the stupid questions. I'm assuming the flakes/shavings for inside the coop should be pine? And do I need to put pine chips down in the run, or is it fine if it's just the normal ground? There's grass and moss and tree debris and sticks and stuff. Do they need chips in the entire run (15'x18')?

I use pine shavings in the coop, and a poop board.
Wood chips/chunks in the run, doesn't really matter what kind of trees.

 

[feathermania]

When we were designing/building our coop/run, we checked out all of the free and low costs sights for our area. We found someone who was getting rid of a huge deck which had untreated planks and a treated base so we picked up all of that material. That allowed us to use the treated base as corner posts, etc. and it really helped cut down on our costs. We also removed an old fence from our property and used those on the outside of our coop. We used welded 1 x 2 inch wire, hog wire, chicken wire and hardware cloth. The hardware cloth goes up 2 feet from the ground and 1 foot out under the ground (repel diggers). Chicken wire and 1 x 2 inch wire on top (roof of run that is uncovered) and down all of the sides and hog wire from ground up about 4 feet high around run. We wanted ours to be predator proof because we go out of town occasionally on weekends. Oops, I forgot, we also live in Western WA.

 

[AmyJane725]

How does the design of this coop look to you guys? https://www.mypetchicken.com/catalo...el-Roof-Chicken-Barn-9-12-chickens-p2483.aspx

 

[feathermania]

Hm, I didn't even ask about a gate. That would be a good idea. Our entrances in the past have just been where the ends of the fencing meet and we bent the loose wires into hook shapes to secure it. Kind of ramshackle.

Oh, that's how some neighborhood dogs got ahold of one of our hens and killed it. We had them in a temporary run that was uncovered and the gate was extra fencing that we just bent in and connected to the run. We decided to go overkill on the new run/coop because we didn't want to go through that ever again.

 

[AmyJane725]

Oh, that's how some neighborhood dogs got ahold of one of our hens and killed it. We had them in a temporary run that was uncovered and the gate was extra fencing that we just bent in and connected to the run. We decided to go overkill on the new run/coop because we didn't want to go through that ever again.

Oh wow. Yeah that's bad. I didn't think dogs could get in through that. And if a dog could a coyote probably could too, and I know I have those in my yard. I'm sorry for your loss. Hope the new chooks are doing well. <3

 

[aart]

How does the design of this coop look to you guys? https://www.mypetchicken.com/catalo...el-Roof-Chicken-Barn-9-12-chickens-p2483.aspx

Typical garbage prefab.
Only thing they got right was the roosts are higher than the nests,
but it's small....stated coop size of ~5'x4' includes nests on both sides.
Coop is actually ~3'x4'. SMH. Sorry.