Getting ready to move and completely renovate my coop.

[Ruler of the Roost]

So lessons were learned in my first attempt at coop and run building. I put it way too close to the house for one. You know, bugs and smells. Two, I need more space. Three, I need to do something about the water issue. I’m spending way too much time constantly cleaning their waterers cause the water gets so nasty so quickly. So I’m researching water filtration and auto-replenishment so that I never have to clean and fill water again. I’ve observed their behaviors as well, over this last summer, and I’ve got to do something about the heat. I’m planning on ditching the coop I built and buying a second run identical to the one I have. After I move the run further away from the house I’m going to convert the existing run in a coop/shaded area and butt the new run up against it to serve as the actual run. I’m planning on adding nesting boxes and built in perches to the new run as well as fans and heat lamps. I’m also going to grow a chicken specific self-watering/fertilizing garden for the birds to pick at. So, if anyone has advice on what plants to grow, or on self watering and feeding systems for the birds, I’d be appreciative. I want to have all my chickens counted before I jump into this project. Thanks in advance.

 

[Penpal]

As for the plants, dandelion, purslane, lambs quarters, pigweed. You know, the stuff you rid of. They are high in nutrition and the chickens love them.

You need to put in your location. Putting the coop in a shaded area as you are planning could take care of all the heat problems. They also like to have a bush they can sit under.