How often do you renovate, paint, redesign, reconfigure your coop/run?

[Spartan22]

It seems like every 3-6 months I have to reconfigure, add, remove something with my coop. Is it just me or is it an ongoing construction inside and out of my coop?

In October I had to put up strong clear plastic tarp all around my run to prevent cold air and snow blowing in. But since this is a wet windy muddy winter, just couple of weeks ago I had to reinforce replace the bottom parts with fluted rigid opaque panels secured w/ wood trims to keep them dry. This spring I have to paint the entire outside, since I left it natural wood color for couple of years.

 

[N F C]

It's not just you...chickens seem to equal projects

We started with just 3 chickens and everything was fine. Then added 16 more several months later...needed a larger brooder, added on to the coop and had to improvise a way to keep them separate until everyone got used to each other. Had to add another opening so they wouldn't all jam up in the same doorway, eventually had to add more nesting boxes, build another feeder, increase the size of the covered run. Then one girl went lame and couldn't be returned to the flock, so we had to build her a little place of her own (complete with private run). Etc, etc, etc...

But DH enjoys building things so I really lucked out with it all!

 

[N F C]

Forgot to add...one of the BA's became really broody so DH built a broody buster. And he also built a "sick bay" where I could keep those recovering from illness or injury.

Probably forgetting more but I think you get the picture!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Normally when we build our coops we have certain management techniques and such in mind. We make plans. One way to make Mother Nature laugh is to make plans, she sure gets a kick out of that.

You cannot anticipate everything that will happen. You have to be flexible. One of my standard recommendations is to build big enough to allow you to be flexible. Sometimes your goals change, like you decide you want more chickens or maybe a hen goes broody so I’ll give her some fertile eggs. Or you need a broody buster. Or you need somewhere to isolate a chicken. Or, or, or.

Eventually the changes do slow down but when you start out it can be pretty constant.

 

[aart]

Normally when we build our coops we have certain management techniques and such in mind. We make plans. One way to make Mother Nature laugh is to make plans, she sure gets a kick out of that.

You cannot anticipate everything that will happen. You have to be flexible. One of my standard recommendations is to build big enough to allow you to be flexible. Sometimes your goals change, like you decide you want more chickens or maybe a hen goes broody so I’ll give her some fertile eggs. Or you need a broody buster. Or you need somewhere to isolate a chicken. Or, or, or.

Eventually the changes do slow down but when you start out it can be pretty constant.

Ditto Dat^^^

.....and use screws for everything, much easier to change later.
How much you have to change can depend on how well you designed and/or built it..... but, yeah, always be ready and open for change.

 

[thomasboyle]

I have redone my coop 3 times and my run 3 times. The coop had interior walls moved, nesting boxes relocated and an expansion of the duck area. The pen went from PVC framing and chicken wire to 4x4 posts and a metal roof. Each time I learn more and realize what I could do better. I think I finally have everything to my liking. My next project is to move the pen and attach it to the back of my barn, add a duck area and chicken area inside the barn and then tear down the existing coop.

 

[ScottandSam]

Lets just say with 1 year owning a flock of chickens and 2 geese that I see projects threw next year at least. I'm currently expanding the coop for more chicken room and the 2 geese separated. Knowing all while the geese will need the own separate shelters, another run for roosters, still needing a cover chick run, and maybe 2 moveable breed pens. This is just what is in our heads right now and is subject to change.

Scott