Hello There...
I am new here, but have lurked off and on for years. I have a coop that we converted from dog run panels, old chain link fencing, and an old playhouse. All materials were either on our property, or from either neighbor on both sides, oddly enough.
It housed our 4 hens a few years ago, but I have since started a new flock at a ranch I lease down the road a few blocks.
The front of this coop is the one kennel panel with a gate, the sides and back are of chain link and metal posts salvaged from the neighbors who wanted to chain link gone from their yard (score!) My husband put plywood over the top to provide shade and protection. We did have raccoons visit once and try and take one of our hens, but it was because we left the gate open at night and that bagger climbed into the henhouse. Thankfully, she lived through that ordeal. Other than that, since the henhouse (playhouse) door has a latch, and there is hardware cloth over the window openings, no other raccoon problems. There is chicken wire around the bottom of the chain link to prevent raccoons from grabbing the chickens through the chain link fence.
Inside, there was a shelf for the nest boxes, a closet rod roost, and a divider curtain to separate the roosting area from the feed storage area. The floor is linoleum tiles with pine shavings spread out. I used to keep a bale of alfalfa to toss them a flake now and then to scratch around in, but they would sneak past the curtain (bedsheet+clothespins) and sometimes lay their eggs on top of the bale.
I decided to come on here because I currently have a problem with my new Marans eating eggs. I have 3 Ameracaunas who have been laying beautifully, and introduced 4 cuckoo Marans this year, and the egg eating started when the Marans got about 3 months old. They are now about 5 months, and have started to lay too, but someone is eating those eggs as well. I used to have a nice little side business at work selling eggs, but I can't collect any lately, due to this egg eating problem.
Rather than get rid of my Marans, I am looking to build a roll out nest box and perhaps this will keep them from eating the eggs, and also prevent any rodents from getting them as well. I'm still not sure it isn't the new hens plus squirrels or rats getting the eggs. I figure building a roll out box is cheaper than video surveillance...!!!
I've seen some really neat dog panel chicken coop ideas on here. Thanks to all who posted pictures!
I am new here, but have lurked off and on for years. I have a coop that we converted from dog run panels, old chain link fencing, and an old playhouse. All materials were either on our property, or from either neighbor on both sides, oddly enough.
It housed our 4 hens a few years ago, but I have since started a new flock at a ranch I lease down the road a few blocks.
The front of this coop is the one kennel panel with a gate, the sides and back are of chain link and metal posts salvaged from the neighbors who wanted to chain link gone from their yard (score!) My husband put plywood over the top to provide shade and protection. We did have raccoons visit once and try and take one of our hens, but it was because we left the gate open at night and that bagger climbed into the henhouse. Thankfully, she lived through that ordeal. Other than that, since the henhouse (playhouse) door has a latch, and there is hardware cloth over the window openings, no other raccoon problems. There is chicken wire around the bottom of the chain link to prevent raccoons from grabbing the chickens through the chain link fence.
Inside, there was a shelf for the nest boxes, a closet rod roost, and a divider curtain to separate the roosting area from the feed storage area. The floor is linoleum tiles with pine shavings spread out. I used to keep a bale of alfalfa to toss them a flake now and then to scratch around in, but they would sneak past the curtain (bedsheet+clothespins) and sometimes lay their eggs on top of the bale.
I decided to come on here because I currently have a problem with my new Marans eating eggs. I have 3 Ameracaunas who have been laying beautifully, and introduced 4 cuckoo Marans this year, and the egg eating started when the Marans got about 3 months old. They are now about 5 months, and have started to lay too, but someone is eating those eggs as well. I used to have a nice little side business at work selling eggs, but I can't collect any lately, due to this egg eating problem.
Rather than get rid of my Marans, I am looking to build a roll out nest box and perhaps this will keep them from eating the eggs, and also prevent any rodents from getting them as well. I'm still not sure it isn't the new hens plus squirrels or rats getting the eggs. I figure building a roll out box is cheaper than video surveillance...!!!
I've seen some really neat dog panel chicken coop ideas on here. Thanks to all who posted pictures!
