Hatching with 2 broodies

[Sonya9]

Just a thought, if you want to dress so it looks like one coop I would think about some plastic roof panels. They come in various colors and are very light weight, could easily make the two coops "look like one" just by laying them over the two roofs, also nice for covering runs, just make SURE they don't sag else the rain water collects in them.

I have 3 panels over part of their pen to provide cover in part of their run, these panels were super easy to move and attach, they also come in clear and smoke for colder climates (pic below shows extra supports because it WAS sagging under heavy rain, I have since fixed that). I paid about $16 each for 26" x 8 foot panels.




http://www.lowes.com/pd_72765-1115-...=?Ntt=polycarbonate+roof+panel+red&facetInfo=

 

[Teila]

Thank You S9, that is a good thought

As I mentioned, I am not too worried about the cosmetic value, more that the girls get full benefit of both coops. I do know the stuff you mean as I have some over our walkway at the front door.

Were you thinking to put it over the existing roof? With our sub-tropical humidity and occasional tropical downpours, I wonder if putting it on the existing roof might cause a damp, warm area for unwanted moulds, 'dirt' and dust build up etc?

So far, it looks like we may have made the right decision on the remodel. One of the thought processes was that if they had one coop, they may use it more as it would be larger. Pretty much, during the day, no one ever used the coops except to lay an egg and just for sleeping. When I went out to check how everyone was doing with the new layout earlier, LuLu was sitting in the Ranch on one of the little perches, soaking up the rays coming in through the side

Who knows, they may even realise they can go in there during a down pour and I might get to remove the 'not so pretty rain shelter' which would also give them more room.

Today, Cilla laid her egg in the Ranch section. She had never really bothered even going into the Ranch much and now, for the first time ever, she has laid her egg someone different to her favoured Chateau nest box. I am thinking that is definitely a tick in the 'approved' box

 

[16 paws]

Good job Teila,
That was a lot of work. I am glad Cilla gave her egg of approval. I really feel they will all be better off having it this way. Thanks for all the pictures. I love to see what others do for their coops, you always get an idea or two. One big happy family.
Tell your hubby he can have tonight off now....
Marie

 

[Teila]

Thank you 16 paws, I do believe it is going to be a hit with the girls

Cilla had to give it her egg of approval; as you can see, she supervised the whole thing

LuLu is definitely loving it! Seeing I call her hubby's chicken because he picked her out of the batch, it is only appropriate that she seems to be loving his work the most. When I just checked again, she was playing around, running between the two coops and exploring while everyone else was taking a snooze.

Hubby doesn't quite get the day off; he is outside working on his computer while supervising a free range on this beautiful, sunny day and I am inside doing the housework. Actually, that does sound like a day off to me

 

[16 paws]

Thank you 16 paws, I do believe it is going to be a hit with the girls

Cilla had to give it her egg of approval; as you can see, she supervised the whole thing

LuLu is definitely loving it! Seeing I call her hubby's chicken because he picked her out of the batch, it is only appropriate that she seems to be loving his work the most. When I just checked again, she was playing around, running between the two coops and exploring while everyone else was taking a snooze.

Hubby doesn't quite get the day off; he is outside working on his computer while supervising a free range on this beautiful, sunny day and I am inside doing the housework. Actually, that does sound like a day off to me

Yes, I forgot to say that Cilla is a very skilled and hard worker! Out there all day directing this and that. I bet she told all the others everything was her idea and you and hubby just implemented it
Seems Lulu is having a ball with the new digs

 

[tommysgirl]

Teila "To Sir With Love"Came on the radio yesterday and my thoughts wandered to you and your brood :

No time to do a proper hello and greeting I am off to pick up my new chicks. Only 4 hatched but Godiva will be a happy girl tonight when she has babies at last. Here I was worried that she wouldn't be able to cover all that hatched...heck She could cover 4 times this amount.

 

[Farmer Viola]

Yes, I forgot to say that Cilla is a very skilled and hard worker! Out there all day directing this and that. I bet she told all the others everything was her idea and you and hubby just implemented it

hahaha

you all crack me up!!

Teila I really enjoyed all the photos you posted, I looked at them in detail. The new combination ranchateau looks wonderful, and I can tell that the ladies love it too. very nice work

 

[Farmer Viola]

Just a thought, if you want to dress so it looks like one coop I would think about some plastic roof panels. They come in various colors and are very light weight, could easily make the two coops "look like one" just by laying them over the two roofs, also nice for covering runs, just make SURE they don't sag else the rain water collects in them.

I have 3 panels over part of their pen to provide cover in part of their run, these panels were super easy to move and attach, they also come in clear and smoke for colder climates (pic below shows extra supports because it WAS sagging under heavy rain, I have since fixed that). I paid about $16 each for 26" x 8 foot panels.




http://www.lowes.com/pd_72765-1115-...=?Ntt=polycarbonate+roof+panel+red&facetInfo=

I really like the roofing you used, I also have a dog kennel set up as one of my chicken houses lol. Except I did not use those roofing panels (very smart of you), we just wrapped the entire kennel in a heavy-duty tarp. At the time it was for chicks, so it needed to cover all the holes in the fencing. We also cut a window in the tarp for ventilation. hard to describe but it works for us I would like to get some roofing panels and removing the tarps once it is housing big chickens (they're 8wks now)

 

[Sonya9]

I really like the roofing you used, I also have a dog kennel set up as one of my chicken houses lol. Except I did not use those roofing panels (very smart of you), we just wrapped the entire kennel in a heavy-duty tarp. At the time it was for chicks, so it needed to cover all the holes in the fencing. We also cut a window in the tarp for ventilation. hard to describe but it works for us I would like to get some roofing panels and removing the tarps once it is housing big chickens (they're 8wks now)

The chicken coop is to the left, the wood structure. The dog kennel was something I had in the yard, so I lined it with hardware cloth as a "secure mostly snake proof and predator proof area".

I did spend a LOT of time looking at prefab chicken coops. I even bought an electric poultry fence (that is now sitting in the shed, never used). I have 6 house dogs, some of them large very very prey driven, so they helped me when deciding what sort of coop would be suitable.

 

[Farmer Viola]

The chicken coop is to the left, the wood structure. The dog kennel was something I had in the yard, so I lined it with hardware cloth as a "secure mostly snake proof and predator proof area".

I did spend a LOT of time looking at prefab chicken coops. I even bought an electric poultry fence (that is now sitting in the shed, never used).

oh yes, I see it now! we use the kennel as the house itself, hence the solid tarp walls. my husband a carpenter professionall so he has to build everything himself, he would never allow me to get a prefab coop unless it was free or something LOL. so he bought this kennel for $70 on craiglist, it was the same dimensions as the coop he was going to build but the materials for it would have been $160...and we thought we could always use the kennel afterward, as a run for chickens or as an actual dog kennel if we ever get a dog!

an electric fence is something we have also debated. why did you decide against using it if I may ask?