thanks for the advice - hopefully it will be simple as it sounds
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Agreed!
Hopefully we will be done with our renovations this weekend. Nothing fancy, but just about anything will be a step up from what they have
Will be posting before & after pics - guess i should look at making a page for the project instead of flooding the thread, lol.
Our plan thus far is 6x8 ft coop with brick/sand floor (sitting on the ground, of course!) and deep straw, facing south. Walls will be 6' high, top 12" will be open on the N & West sides. E & S top 12" will be constructed as "open" but will be covered with carpet scraps to allow air to pass through with no draft (to block the SE winds in the winter). Single slope roof, will be about 7' tall at the front (South) side, just under 6' at the back wall. Installing a skylight panel of corrugated PVC roofing material in the center, standard roofing with shingles elsewhere. Their pop door will open into a chainlink dog run, Eastern half of the run will be roofed & wrapped in plastic for winter weather.
Putting their food & water inside the coop - hopefully that will keep our water more liquid-like and less ice-like.
3 Nesting boxes (12" from the floor) on the opposite end from their roosts (highest at 3').
No additional heat.
I've read elsewhere that chicken wire should not be used, is that the rule for our ventilation areas as well? Not sure what type of predators to expect - only have seen sparrows and neighborhood cats so far.
I do have a timer controlled floodlight system in the run - is it better to have it in the coop? They put themselves to bed when the sun sets - even when my lights come on about 45 minutes before dusk.
Needless to say - what little bit of backyard i did have is now claimed by our hens!
Hey Sis, good to see you!
