Coop!
FINALLY done. Got the OverEZ XL coop put together yesterday (it was smaller than what was advertised IMHO - - was sold as an 8 x 5 but it's really an odd size of 7 x 4 square footage wise excluding the nesting boxes (I don't count that as coop real estate). And the thing was a PITA to put together - - was an "easy 60 minutes" that turned into 4 hours total. I've got another 8 x 8 coop that we're bringing over from our old house across the lot that I'll refab a bit in the next while. It needs to be repainted and refloored but it's alright for a home built job. Please don't judge the dirt - I still need to touch up the paint job and brush off the dirt. I'm probably going to put some hanging poop boards in as well in the near future to help with accumulation.
Run!
The run (obviously!
,) isn't completed yet (it measures 10 x 26, which is a nice 260 square feet - I might get another run in the future when I add on the additional coop, haven't decided). It will have chicken wire over its entirety and reinforced with hardware mesh on the sides, along with around the base. I might do concrete stones instead, haven't decided. Will post updated pics when everything is completed. Also planning on planting some fresh grass in the run.
Brooder!
This is my first "real" brooder as I've always created my own haphazard brooders that never really were great (in your minds eye think birds climbing on the sides, getting out in the garage, so much fun). I am not using the highly dangerous heat lamp that was included. I'm running the plate until the birds hatch just to verify it's functioning as expected. Under the paper towels is a rubber coated grate that will be used after a few days to ensure the chicks have their feet under them, with pelletized bedding. We're going to also screw the feet into the deck to make sure no one/nothing can knock it over. The brooder is on our elevated, fully enclosed with screen deck in the shade, so it should be an ideal place for the babies to live until they're coop ready. I'm outside of Jacksonville, Florida where the summers are not cool, but not intolerable in the shade (Very high 60s/low 70s at night for not long, 80s-90s during the day).
Anticipated pip date starting 5/7, hopeful hatch date 5/10!!
FINALLY done. Got the OverEZ XL coop put together yesterday (it was smaller than what was advertised IMHO - - was sold as an 8 x 5 but it's really an odd size of 7 x 4 square footage wise excluding the nesting boxes (I don't count that as coop real estate). And the thing was a PITA to put together - - was an "easy 60 minutes" that turned into 4 hours total. I've got another 8 x 8 coop that we're bringing over from our old house across the lot that I'll refab a bit in the next while. It needs to be repainted and refloored but it's alright for a home built job. Please don't judge the dirt - I still need to touch up the paint job and brush off the dirt. I'm probably going to put some hanging poop boards in as well in the near future to help with accumulation.
Run!
The run (obviously!
,) isn't completed yet (it measures 10 x 26, which is a nice 260 square feet - I might get another run in the future when I add on the additional coop, haven't decided). It will have chicken wire over its entirety and reinforced with hardware mesh on the sides, along with around the base. I might do concrete stones instead, haven't decided. Will post updated pics when everything is completed. Also planning on planting some fresh grass in the run.Brooder!
This is my first "real" brooder as I've always created my own haphazard brooders that never really were great (in your minds eye think birds climbing on the sides, getting out in the garage, so much fun). I am not using the highly dangerous heat lamp that was included. I'm running the plate until the birds hatch just to verify it's functioning as expected. Under the paper towels is a rubber coated grate that will be used after a few days to ensure the chicks have their feet under them, with pelletized bedding. We're going to also screw the feet into the deck to make sure no one/nothing can knock it over. The brooder is on our elevated, fully enclosed with screen deck in the shade, so it should be an ideal place for the babies to live until they're coop ready. I'm outside of Jacksonville, Florida where the summers are not cool, but not intolerable in the shade (Very high 60s/low 70s at night for not long, 80s-90s during the day).
Anticipated pip date starting 5/7, hopeful hatch date 5/10!!
I'd bet the "8x5" measurement is outside wall to outside wall, not usable space.
