Hidden Forest Coop

[Jetpad]

I decided to put a french drain around the coop. I discovered that a french drain doesn't have anything to do with France. It's just the last name of a guy that popularized it.

To start out, I dug a trench up next to the coop and went down about a foot. I buried a perforated black tube, covered it with some landscape fabric and then covered it with gravel. The tube is about 20 feet long and makes a "U" shape where both ends empty out on opposite sides of the coop down the hill slightly. As the water comes down the hill, the water flows into the gravel and then ends up in the pipe before reaching the coop (or at least that is the plan).


And here it is looking from the other side.


I pulled up all the pavers and then I had to dig up all the gravel that I had laid down and dig a trench under it.




Here's the trench and drain pipe where my previously nice and level pavers used to be. I just had to make sure that this part of the pipe is higher than the ends of the pipe so the water will flow out of it. That smaller gray tube in the middle has a power cable in it that I buried previously to get electricity to the coop.

 

[vehve]

That should drain it nicely. I put french draining in under my run - the surface of the sand stays dry even in heavy rain.

 

[Jetpad]

Well, I decided I didn't like how I did the nesting boxes so I ripped them out. For one, I didn't need four nesting boxes (which is what fit across the four foot area). And after I started trying to figure out where the roosts would go, I realized I wouldn't have too many places to put the roosts where they wouldn't be pooping in the nest or the entrance to the nests. Here I've removed the storage cabinet and the nests but haven't removed the cabinet or flip down egg doors yet.


Here are the holes to access the new nesting boxes. The top two openings, and the one of the left are nests and the square in the lower right is more of a "utility room" than storage. You can see the white receptacle inside it. I'll probably create something separate for storage.


Here it is all put back together but with a single door.


Here is how it looks when you open the egg door.

 

[Jetpad]

The squares on the egg door fit into the back wall of each nest. I was thinking maybe it'll make them a little less drafty.



A view of the nesting boxes from the inside. I tried to position them in spots that won't be in the line of fire from the planned roosting bars. It also gives the hens a little variety. I'm wondering which one will be the favorite.


If anyone is interested, here are the dimensions of the holes.


This may be a waste of time but I'm giving it a shot. I bought a 2'x3' square of "Pet Turf" off ebay. It's for dog potties but I'm thinking it might make a good nesting material. I cut it up to fit in the bottom of the nesting boxes.


I've cut it to the right shape and I'm about to stick it in the nest. It even has fake brown pieces of grass mixed in with the green.



And here are the nests with the "Pet Turf". Hopefully the chickens won't eat it and won't try to re-arrange it.

 

[chickenmadness7]

Following. I am in the exact same situation as you. I wanted to have chickens but have to do so incognito. I so wanted a kitchy coop and run but instead went for the dog kennel run and coop that resembles a dog house so as not to draw attention. I live on 3 wooded acres and have mine well hidden too.

 

[lightchick]

Love it!

 

[Jetpad]

Following. I am in the exact same situation as you. I wanted to have chickens but have to do so incognito. I so wanted a kitchy coop and run but instead went for the dog kennel run and coop that resembles a dog house so as not to draw attention. I live on 3 wooded acres and have mine well hidden too.

That was a good idea. Nobody thinks twice about dogs.

 

[Jetpad]

I added two roosting bars on one level with a little bridge between them. This is about 9 feet of roosts.






I attached the roosting "H" with wing nuts so that'll it can be removed easily for cleaning.


A view of the roosts from outside with the shutters open (Chicken TV).

 

[Jetpad]

Here are some pictures of the shutters on the coop. There is another pair of these shutters on the opposite side.

Winter Mode with both shutters closed. The pop door and the full ceiling will be the open parts of the coop.


Spring/Fall mode with just the top shutter open.


Summer mode with both shutters open.


To keep the shutters closed, I ended up using a steel rod that fits though a hole I made in the frame and a hole that goes into the shutter. The bent part acts as a handle. There is one rod for each shutter.

 

[ChookRanger]

The coop is really shaping up, I can't wait to see it finished.