I need help from experience. PVC feeder and water placement questions.

[aim0474]

I wasnt sure about putting this here or in the feeding area. LOL

I am wanting to do something like this for my small coop (this isnt my coop, just a random photo I found online that has what I am looking for).



This is my coop:



My first question is, is it really a good idea to put the food under there? Other than cleaning it, what other problems would I be missing.

Second questions, where am I going to put my water? LOL I do not want feed and water that they can spill all the time.

I am hoping that I can put the feed tube under the house and then put some water nipples on the side near the end of the ramp.

I really have no idea what I am doing though.

Thanks!

 

[wamtazlady]

I had a coop exactly like yours. I also put the food under the coop area to make sure it stayed dry. I used a small bucket and vertical nipples in the summer for water. It hung in the corner opposite the coop. Eventually I added on another run and was able to put the water in there. By the way, that coop is big enough for 2 regular size hens. Any more would be overcrowding, especially for winter. There is no ventilation with that coop. You need to add that even with just 2 hens. I never used that coop for winter. It was only used for young hens for a limited time. The coop is also poorly constructed. The second year it began to fall apart. With some rebuilding I am still using mine but only for chicks.

 

[aim0474]

Thanks for the info!

I am planning on adding a small round vent cover as ventilation on one side of the coop. I didnt want to add 2 as I was worried about a cross breeze in the winter.

This coop has held up 3 years now from it previous owner. It is still sturdy but if it starts to go I will build something.

I have 3 girls and I think they will be ok for now. Again, if they out grow it I will build somethung bigger. They also have an 15 foot x 3 foot run that they will have access to. I am building it right now and I am taking the extra time to make sure they are secure in it.

This will be their dust bath area.

 

[wamtazlady]

The problem with 3 chickens is what they call chicken math. In other words, you know how many chickens you want. You know how much room you have. Then, someone talks you into taking one or you see such a cute chick at the store. Suddenly addition is a major problem.

For example. I built a coop for 12 birds. It's 6 feet by 8 feet. Then late last year sister in law had 4 partially grown chicks and no place to put them. So they were added to mine. They did okay last winter with no fighting. I was doing well this summer. The 3 roosters became dinner, a few hens were given away so now I was down to 10, nearly perfect. Then one of my hens got loose right after the last rooster was put down. She hid very well. Then a couple weeks ago she presented me with 10 chicks. So, it might be a bit crowded this winter. The roosters will become dinner as we figure out the sexes.

Chicken math. Seems addition is used way more than subtraction.

 

[aim0474]

I can see how chicken math would be a problem! Especially since I love our girls. LOL But I live in the suburbs so I really only have room for 3. And since no one I know actually has a rooster, for me to get a chick i wpuld have to order online or drive to the other side of town.

I definitely have a 1 in, 1 out policy.