Getting my 1st Coop - Now I'm Full of Questions! (Picture)

[snowydiamonds]

I'd add a perch above that low "shelf" as birds love to perch as high as possible, its only natural for them, then it'd be "finished" properly Personally, I'd put in two perches, one lower than the highest and not immediately beneath the highest, or the pooping will drop onto that lower perch.

 

[the simple life]

I noticed that the perch was low too, but then I thought it was because of the slant of the roof that maybe it couldn't go up too high, don't know. Ya should be able to make it a little higher though I think.

 

[Mom2Cool]

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Yes that was the other thing "different from where I'd made my purchase...... It didn't say 15 birds. Actually it didn't say ANY amount... And so 1st thank you for the commentary on the amount of birds because I'm new to birds still & I didn't want to say anything BUT that was exactly what I was thinking. Maybe they mean Bantams? I had wanted a flock that would be between 6 to 8 chickens & I'm still new so *everything is still an experiment for me* you know? I have 7 in their now (5 BO pulltes & 1 BO Roo that are 8 wks old & 1 Black Astrolorp pullet that is 4 months old) & I would NOT put any more in there! But then again I'm new and I thought maybe I was being to "mothering"? Yet the recommended spacing for chickens is just as you say & well this coop is only 4 X 6. I felt I was really pushing it with the 7 I have in there though I imagine at some point I'll have to let go of the roo. My chickens will eventually all have the entire backyard to free frange & there's a decent size enclosed area off the coop for them to roam in when they're not just out in the yard. But again I wouldn't 15 chickens in there?! I imagine free ranging or not in the winter I'd keep them to the encloused & covered area & I just couldn't imagine 15 birds in there?!

I have this coop & I do love it but I thought the claimof 15 birds & the PRICE was VASTLY different from where I purchased mine. They have the same dollar amount I think on all the different designs & I thought the dura temp where I'd gotten mine was a different price from the Batten Board one and BOTH were *MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE* And then they have a extra $200. price for placing it in the spot you want it as opposed to leaving it in the driveway. I paid a LOT less & that *included* placing it in the yard. For $1700. I think the place I bought mine you could get the 6 X 10 for $1500. Now I don't know maybe since I bought mine they had a rush on them & the price soared or something. All I know is that I'd written for a price quote on the coops being made some where in CA & they wanted some wild price like $1800. for like a 4 X 4 or maybe a 4 X 6 & then delivery would leave it around $3000. some where because it was coming SO far.... And so even the $1500. with it dropped in the driveway is a deal compared to the deal from California. For those of us who don't know which end of the hammer to swing this was a pretty good deal and again I think one could get the 6 X 10 hen *house* for the $1500. they're asking here.
http://www.cedargroveproducts.com/products/pet-structures/chicken/index.php

I swear I'm gonna write & ask for a price quote on the larger chicken house to see.

I will add that the issues with some of the interior things like the roosting shelf I would think they would have known better because it's all Amish that are making these. And yes my *little pullets* have made clear that they'd like to be up higher by roosting on a thin thin screen I have slapped in there using it as a divider. I had kind of thought that the roos was not correct at the start & am now looking for a better set up. Is it better to use something thin for them to grip or is the shelf type thing better? I wasn't all that sure I liked it as a wire thing either but thought a pole across would be better. I'd been thinking to use a rod set up for like a closet??? Is that too thin for them?

 

[Mom2Cool]

Quote:
Yes I was looking to replace the "shelf" too.And actually I could raise it a lot higher. I had almost been hoping to find a old ladder to hang from the inside thinking that there's be more than 1 bar to hang from & if it's hanging I can adjust the hight as I need to. I'd also thought to use a bar/rod from a close closet but I'm not sure how thick it needs to be for them to grip? Do they need something the with of the shelf? I have a fence rail I could use too.

 

[TheNewMrsEvans]

We used a closet pole in our first coop, but it seems like a 2x4 is recomended by all around here...i'll do that in the next coop

 

[Mom2Cool]

Quote:
Well frankly I've got a 2 x 4 in there right now & *all 6 Orpingtons* prefer to sit at the top of the *thin metal screen frame*. It's the most bizar thing you've ever seen. I think tomorrow night I'll have to get a picture of this to post here it's just too funny. At least I shored it up today so it's not falling over anymore but heavens you'd think they'd prefer a 2 x 4 to a thin piece of metal.... I'm thinking of maybe going & getting one of those wooden accordian gates & screwing that in a bit higher so they're not able to fly over & then just blocking off the bottom. This way if I want to I can leave it open a bit to see if they'll get along & if they're having issues it wouldn't be a project in the night to get a divider back up for them I can just use a latch of some kind. I'm gonna have to get to the hardware store tomorrow.... & I'd thought that clothes closet bar would be a real nice perch. I imagine it would be easier to use the 2 X 4 & they don't roll like if I'm using a broom handle or a dowel.


LOL I'm sorry I thought this was from a different thread and so I guess I should at least explain the screens in the coop are a make shift divider for my austrolorp & my 6 Buff Orpingtons I had 3 screens that were torn or replaced for 1 reason or another & I'd thought it would make a good divider in the coop so I could put the BO's out there & yet keep the Austrolorp from lacing into them.

And it was working great until the BO's decided they was to roost at the top of the screens.... LOL I've put several different kinds of roosts in there & they still opt for the screens..

go figure...

 

[cmom]

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Thanks, but it's not needed... The wedding is off!

I stopped at my cable company's local office to get my service switched to her house. They said they don't serve that town. There is a little cable company that serves it, but they don't have internet. I could get DSL from the phone company, but I've been living exclusively off a cell phone for six years, and she has for about four, and the phone company won't let me get DSL without a regular phone line... So $40 DSL nearly doubles in price.

Is there any company that's not out there to gouge you to death nowadays?

Nemo, apparently have a cell phone. I live way out and have broadband with my cell phone company and the cost is about the same as cable.