Give Me Ideas! *Pic Heavy* Updated 5/8/11

[Connorrm]

Okay, so here is my "coop" I fashioned out of my old rabbit building. It's stainless steel cooler panels (Stays above freezing in winter and super cool in summer), rubber membrane roof and concrete floor. Dimensions I measured from the inside - 17.5 feet x 8 feet x 9 feet tall in the front and 6.5 feet tall in the back. I have the roof sloping so snow/rain runs off.

So, you can see my small roost. It goes up the wall about four feet into the air and is about 2.75 feet wide. I only have a dozen chickens. 7 straight run sp. sussex, and 5 laying (assorted red) pullets. I expect to be eating half the sussex that are roos.

Pic from the Side:

Pic from Front Door: (you can see the window in the door, it slides up to allow air)

Pic of backwall - you can see where I cut out for an air conditioner....I figured I'd expand it and put a box fan in there? And cover it with hardware cloth

Roost pointing towards door and concrete floor

Here is the roost again, showing the fourth wall being my two bay garage (Hey, I wanted to not take anymore free panels

And, it's vinyl )

So, what would you guys do to this coop? Open to any thoughts I have about six weeks before my chickies move into it

What would you use on the floor? Would you add lighting?

For the run they pretty much are getting a 12 x 10 x 6 dog kennel. I'm also going to let them free range supervised when I'm out mowing, gardening, or tinkering. Oh, and ignore the linoleum scraps. I just redid my kitchen floor and put them out there to see how it would look.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

You are going to need additional ventilation, and light for sure

 

[Ms.Frizzle]

Personally I like to have the roost as far away from the door as possible, with the nesting boxes fairly close so I don't have to walk to far. I know, *lazy.* I see your extension cable, if you're going to use that for a heat lamp/light, you're going to want to make sure it is flush against the wall. I say might aswell use sawdust for bedding, you can rake it out as long as you stay on top of the cleaning.

 

[KansasBoy]

You've got a lot of work ahead of you to put in ventilation! Those panels will be rough to cut through!

 

[chickengrandma]

Your girls need flat, 2 x 4 roosting platforms - with the 4 inches being the spot they can sit on. I thought they would like a "stick" like a parrot or bird, but they don't. They need a nice flat surface to sit on. Their toes aren't really meant for curling and hanging on.

I would suggest pine shavings for the flooring - to allow for cleaning out.

And, yes, I would suggest some more lighting/ventilation. Once the summer comes you are going to want to open it up for them (and for you).

What a big, beautiful are you've given them! They are going to love all the space!

 

[mommto3kiddos]

I agree lots more ventilation needed.. And I agree with the PP to move the roost far away from the door! Maybe add something under the roost (poop board) for easy cleaning!!

Other than that add some bedding to the floor and enjoy.. I wish my coop was that roomie, your chickies are going to LOVE it!!

 

[Connorrm]

The stuff actually isn't bad to cut at all. It's a thin stainless steel filled with a semi hard (about the consistency of a softwood like birch) foamy center. A saws-all gets right in there!


Where should I add the ventilation? And in what form? I can cut windows out of pretty much any panel. Would I cover them in Hardware cloth, and let the breeze do the rest?

The extension cord was just there from me using the power tools

there are a couple of strip fluorescent lights on the ceiling which I didn't even think about taking a picture of, lol.

Good idea about moving the roost back farther - and I'll swap out the roosts - I always had that image of dowels and branches that they would love. I have a lot of extra lumber laying around. Also - GREAT idea for a droppings catcher underneath!

So glad I'm posting this 6 weeks early! More ideas?

Edit: Also need to think of good next box ideas!

 

[Connorrm]

Hoping to make some modifications tomorrow. It's going to be rainy, *blech* It's waterproof in there, just dreary. At the very least I'll get the nest boxes made. You all said to have them at least 30" off the floor?

How hight up can a chicken go?

 

[CoyoteMagic]

If you can give the roof a bit more of an overhang you can put them right under it and the rain won't blow back in. It's big enough you could put the roost at one end to give them more room during bad weather.

 

[Connorrm]

Quote:
I'm assuming you mean in the front? I thought about cutting out a portion of the back and having external nest boxes....but the coop is sooo large, there's really no benefit to that. Also, a couple posters said to put the roost in the back. I think that was a great idea.