How do I keep the run dry

[Marshmallow1234]

View attachment 2479889

is this an option? get everything from the floor off get the laddery perch roost thing down and replace with a 2x4 going from the door joint to the nesting part. Ontop of the nesting box/hutch thing if its flat top place a water dish and a feeder tray there. a good heavy cereamic dish/ dog bowl is good anything light they can tip and feed goes everywhere.

So you want me to shovel the floor out replace it with straw and then remove the roosting place and replace it with a what? And also you want me to put food and water on the roof

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

Did you say how many chickens you have?

Looks like a small coop and I have seen quite a few chickens in your couple of photos. Maybe room for 2 chickens in there?
.. I think others have suggested this... I would disassemble this coop and reuse materials (so won't cost much to build if money is a problem - source some scrap or cheap tin for roof maybe?) to make a better design with more ventilation. Plenty of coop ideas on byc as previously mentioned. Simple but effective roof to keep them dry and use your tarp on side for wind protection if needed. .. I used free pallets for mine and reused lots of other materials, just needed to buy screws.

..Also if you can't rebuild this coop now, I would sell your chickens and wait till Spring (or when you can rebuild) then rebuild/or redesign your coop and prepare for new chickens to live in a safe and healthy environment where water issues/dampness is not a problem like it currently is. Disease and illness comes from living in these conditions, you don't want that for your chickens.

 

[Cupcake1243]

This set up cannot be for chickens to live inside of! It is really small and definitely not able to fit 3 hens inside of there comfortably....
Any animal that lives in a set up like that is more prone to catching disease and infections alot quicker. Where do they lay? How old are they and how long have you had them? I suggest to start again with the coop, take everything out and start again including making a solid roof. Is there anywhere to put the chickens whilst you could re-do the 'coop' up.

 

[RoyalChick]

So you want me to shovel the floor out replace it with straw and then remove the roosting place and replace it with a what? And also you want me to put food and water on the roof

I think everyone is just having some trouble understanding exactly what your arrangement is and we are just trying to help you and your birds. Maybe a fuller explanation would help.
Is this picture below everything there is? Or is there another structure not shown on the picture?
You keep mentioning that they have a dry coop with roosts - but is this structure what you call the coop? Or is the coop somewhere else?
If this is all of it, then it would be helpful to see a picture or a sketch of your yard so we can help you figure out how to make a place that is OK for chickens to live.
I am just trying to understand so people can help.

 

[Malkaris]

Well yeah the doors always open during the day

Okay, so this is just for the night? They free-range out of there during the day year-around?
And from the picture you have 3 chickens?
Try using the hutch-style "coop" as the nesting boxes, put a thick layer of straw on the floor near the door (see pic), and put a piece of 2x4 as a roost - chickens like to sleep higher than the nest boxes. Maybe one end from the left corner of the wall, to the top off the coop/hutch on the left.

Make sure they have access to fresh water during the day (you only need one container probably), and food.

See attached pic.
(I appreciate this looks a lot more like lalalandchickens 's post than I intended! )

 

[Marshmallow1234]

Did you say how many chickens you have?

Looks like a small coop and I have seen quite a few chickens in your couple of photos. Maybe room for 2 chickens in there?
.. I think others have suggested this... I would disassemble this coop and reuse materials (so won't cost much to build if money is a problem - source some scrap or cheap tin for roof maybe?) to make a better design with more ventilation. Plenty of coop ideas on byc as previously mentioned. Simple but effective roof to keep them dry and use your tarp on side for wind protection if needed. .. I used free pallets for mine and reused lots of other materials, just needed to buy screws.

..Also if you can't rebuild this coop now, I would sell your chickens and wait till Spring (or when you can rebuild) then rebuild/or redesign your coop and prepare for new chickens to live in a safe and healthy environment where water issues/dampness is not a problem like it currently is. Disease and illness comes from living in these conditions, you don't want that for your chickens.

Yeah but they aren’t sleeping in there. They are sleeping in the coop which is dry. I’m adding more holes for the coop but I don’t have time to rebuild another coop. That place is not where they are staying and they free range. I have 3 chickens

 

[Marshmallow1234]

I think everyone is just having some trouble understanding exactly what your arrangement is and we are just trying to help you and your birds. Maybe a fuller explanation would help.
Is this picture below everything there is? Or is there another structure not shown on the picture?
You keep mentioning that they have a dry coop with roosts - but is this structure what you call the coop? Or is the coop somewhere else?
If this is all of it, then it would be helpful to see a picture or a sketch of your yard so we can help you figure out how to make a place that is OK for chickens to live.
I am just trying to understand so people can help.

View attachment 2480052

You see there is a coop at the back that’s the coop!!

 

[Marshmallow1234]

Thanks,

Okay, so this is just for the night? They free-range out of there during the day year-around?
And from the picture you have 3 chickens?
Try using the hutch-style "coop" as the nesting boxes, put a thick layer of straw on the floor near the door (see pic), and put a piece of 2x4 as a roost - chickens like to sleep higher than the nest boxes. Maybe one end from the left corner of the wall, to the top off the coop/hutch on the left.

Make sure they have access to fresh water during the day (you only need one container probably), and food.

See attached pic.
(I appreciate this looks a lot more like lalalandchickens 's post than I intended! )

Okay, so this is just for the night? They free-range out of there during the day year-around?
And from the picture you have 3 chickens?
Try using the hutch-style "coop" as the nesting boxes, put a thick layer of straw on the floor near the door (see pic), and put a piece of 2x4 as a roost - chickens like to sleep higher than the nest boxes. Maybe one end from the left corner of the wall, to the top off the coop/hutch on the left.

Make sure they have access to fresh water during the day (you only need one container probably), and food.

See attached pic.
(I appreciate this looks a lot more like lalalandchickens 's post than I intended! )

thanks thsi is probably the most helpful. I’m very confused other ppl say different stuff and it’s too much words. Also the coop has 1 nest at the corner left and the rest just straw. You want me to remove those roosts and add 2x4 idk what’s that but ok.. and I’ll just add more straw at the door area

 

[Marshmallow1234]

Thanks,




thanks thsi is probably the most helpful. I’m very confused other ppl say different stuff and it’s too much words. Also the coop has 1 nest at the corner left and the rest just straw. You want me to remove those roosts and add 2x4 idk what’s that but ok.. and I’ll just add more straw at the door area

And no they don’t use it I said it’s basically useless we don’t even use it maybe only when it’s snowstorm or windy and hailing. They just go outside everyday and they are smart if they see predator they run in the coop.

 

[AntiqueB]

A 2x4 is a piece of wood 2" deep by 4" wide. Sort of like the wood used to make the door of your run, but thicker.