Here's My Coop Plan but a Few Questions

[Kiki]

No...well...kinda
Fake leg, foot did break off...
Just another day in paradise

Ok..well hopefully you have extra screws/bolts around and can re attach your foot.
It's gotta be a pain to walk with out it.
God luck!

 

[missy1971]

Wanted to put this in here about roost, a friend who was watching a vet show said the vet told his patient who had a chicken with a sore on his foot, that roost need to be different shapes. Like a round one, a one 2x4 sitting flat and another sitting talk direction. Think I might try that with the one inside my coop

 

[rodewarrior]

Wanted to put this in here about roost, a friend who was watching a vet show said the vet told his patient who had a chicken with a sore on his foot, that roost need to be different shapes.

Just makes sense, I like my tennis shoes for walking, boots for working, and dress shoes for...umm...taking up space in closet

lol
I'm putting in a great variety including the branch that came out of my tree

 

[Patinas]

Wanted to put this in here about roost, a friend who was watching a vet show said the vet told his patient who had a chicken with a sore on his foot, that roost need to be different shapes. Like a round one, a one 2x4 sitting flat and another sitting talk direction. Think I might try that with the one inside my coop

Yes, there does seem to be lots of opinions floating around as to what is the best roost material and size. I've read round is not good for their feet and that 2x4's laying on the wider flat side are best. But, I've also read many people say they are using round dowels, some are using 2x2's and some use 2x4's on the short side. Who knows right!? I guess what works, works! I would imagine if a roost is bothering a chicken it would become noticeable. The key thing everyone seems to agree with is the chickens need to be able to grip it well so that makes plastic probably not an option.

 

[missy1971]

Wanted to put this in here about roost, a friend who was watching a vet show said the vet told his patient who had a chicken with a sore on his foot, that roost need to be different shapes.

Just makes sense, I like my tennis shoes for walking, boots for working, and dress shoes for...umm...taking up space in closet

lol
I'm putting in a great variety including the branch that came out of my tree

Absolutely. I actually took down the top tier of my roost and will be replacing some of the roost in the run and the coop with the other stuff.

 

[Leigti]

Check out the Washington state thread. There are lots of people on there from your area I am sure. They can tell you how they deal with all the rain. I live on the dryer side of the state.

 

[Leigti]

But even on the dry side, it has been very wet this year. So I broke down and finally covered part of my run. I've had chickens for three years and did fine without a covered run until this year. Lesson learned.

 

[Patinas]

But even on the dry side, it has been very wet this year. So I broke down and finally covered part of my run. I've had chickens for three years and did fine without a covered run until this year. Lesson learned.

Yes, we definitely have had more than our fair share of rain this winter, West and East sides of the state! I'll have to find some folks who live on the Olympic Peninsula and see how they deal with all the moisture they get there.

 

[ChickAsThieves]

But even on the dry side, it has been very wet this year. So I broke down and finally covered part of my run. I've had chickens for three years and did fine without a covered run until this year. Lesson learned.

I live in MA, and our run is covered with some sort of clear plastic stuff. It keeps the rain and snow out, and also keeps pine needles and leave from falling into the run as well. I'm really glad that we put a roof on it because it keeps the mud to a manageable level! It's been raining for weeks, so it would be a nightmare without the roof!

 

[Patinas]

Coop Build - Day 4 - April 3rd

Weather broke again allowing building to continue. Our son came up to help out and good thing because I came down with a bad sinus infection and wasn't much help. DH and our son got the fourth wall build and in place.



This is the wall that faces where the run will go. I planned for two windows but realized, if I put a window to the left of the door opening, that it would interfere with where the roosts will be so nixed that window and framed one to the right of the door. So this wall has a door, a window, the chicken door and will have venting along the roof line.

Next they started on the roof.



So here is close to what it looked like near the end of the day. They got all the roof sheeting up and tar papered it. I have been going back and fourth between metal vs. shingle roofing for the coop but at this point I think it will end up being metal. Founds some pretty rusty/red roofing that will match the trim color. Where the roof sticks out over the yard we will build a drop and then the roof of the chicken yard will keep going from that point. It looks a little funky at the moment but will make more sense when the roof frame for the chicken yard goes up.

Next steps are putting in windows, doors, building the nest boxes, vents, siding, putting on the metal roofing and laying the forms for the chicken yard. While I think we've made great progress on the days we've been able to work on it, there is still so much to do and the chicks just keep getting bigger!