I Finally Have A Chicken Coop! *Pic Heavy*

[Wynette]

Shavings - I have one coop that is 6 x 8, and it takes a full bag of shavings to put a 2-3" layer in it.

One thing they might really enjoy - hang a suet feeder from the ceiling & fill it with nutritious treats such as wedges of squash, or greens - hang it just at head level; they have to work at getting the yummies out, and it will swing back & forth - they love it! Make sure they have grit, though, if you do this.

I will also put empty boxes in a coop - it's amazing how much fun they have jumping in & on them! Move them around each day so they have something "new" each day!

 

[iriefeelin]

Your coop looks great!

Wynette mentioned that hay is not good to use for bedding. Does anyone have feedback about using straw? We just built our first coop and it's on a patio. My husband made a removeable deck for the bottom and we threw some straw on top. Inside the housing we put pine shavings. Is straw a problem also?

 

[kcsunshine]

I put straw down in my run this winter cause I was concerned with the cold dirt floor. It didn't cause them any harm.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Thanks everyone!

Um question: During the day the get on and off of the roost, but at night they don't roost, they all huddle up by the door? How can I start making them roost? Any ideas?

 

[PepsNick]

Yeah, either wood shavings, or you could just put down dirt. Dirt actually stays the cleanest. And the roost bars are adorable--- but cut off the end and maybe put another one in.
But you're coop is lux!! I love it! Jealous already hehe------

 

[PepsNick]

And do you have nest boxes? DEFINETLEY (spelled wrong) get those.

 

[Duramaxgirl]

Mrs. Fluffy Puffy :

We added that so they could have a breez!
Do you think one of those big bags of shavings would cover the whole pen?
Any ideas to keep them from getting bored?

I use 3 bags of pine shavings for every 100 square feet of coop. Works out to about that 3 or 4 inches.
I like your coop! What size is it?​

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Um, under the hay there is dirt ...

I had to clean it out because we had goats/cows in there before the chickens and there was abunch of gunk in there I had to clean. Then I put fresh hay over the dirt.

As far as I can tell the chickens don't eat the hay .. they have food 24/7 so why should they eat dirt? Hehe!

If I can sell some eggs this week then I Might by some shavings, but I dunno ... ?
The coop is about 350 ... 400 ft. It has 30 half grown chickens in there at the moment. How many do you think I could fit in there?

 

[PepsNick]

I saw all the pics--- I'd say about 38 is your max. Do you have a chicken run? Or do they ever free range?
They need to-- especially if you're thinking about more.
And if you don't want them free ranging, you should build a run. (see coop designs, then click large- that should show you some good runs)

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Quote:
I do not have a chicken run. Before we built this pen they lived in a huge dog carrier and they free ranged 24/7. But since we moved them into their new coop they haven't free ranged since. My big chicken pen is right next door to the growing pen and my grown chickens free ranged 24/7 everyday of the week. So I was trying to figure out how I was going to free range the chicks at the same time? I couldn't consider locking up my bigger chickens every other day. And if I free range both of them, then when it's time to roost I will have big chickens in the litte chicen coop and little chickens in the big coop. So I dunno how I'm going to do that?!!?