If I'd only known, this is what I would've done different thread

[frog522]

I'm still working on getting the coop made. There are alot of lessons learned so far but an easy one off the top of my head...I wouldn't have bought a new $39.99 10-gal reptile tank to use a brooder for my two chicks. They grew out of it so fast. My solution was getting a large rubbermaid container (around 2'x3') and a made a hardware cloth cover for half the price of the 10-gal tank.

Another one is I read the suggested way is to get a coop ready before getting chicks. This would be the ideal way to go but I did the opposite!

I am still having to put the girls in the rubbermaid container every night (since I am STILL working on the coop) but they don't seem to mind. Honestly, if I didn't have these pullets right now and attempted to build my first coop I probably would have quit already. It's been alot of work but I've been working hard at it to get them a functional predator-resistant (predator-proof hopefully) coop to live in! It's keeping me motivated!

 

[CompostQueen]

Quote:
Which feeder/waterer design do you use?

 

[newchicksnducks]

I would have designed my run to have a welded wire and corrugated metal roof. My chickens 1.) Don't like to go outside in the snow. A solid roof over a portion of the run would be great in keeping some of the snow out of the run and 2.) welded wire on the remaining portion of the run would have kep the fox and hawk out of the run, saving 2 of my pullets.

 

[Finn's Mom]

I would have saved the money I spent on feeders and just went straight to the pvc pipe variety I found here. We had the 4 inch pipe and all I did was buy the joints and straps to hold it in place. My chickens and guineas took to them right away, they hold a lot of food, take up very little square footage and there is very little waste compared to the traditional variety! AND I wish I'd been more confident and purchased the bigger coop right off rather than a smallish one, another smallish one, and then the big one.

It's been really great to learn something completely new here -- thanks BYCers!

 

[darkmatter]

Quote:
I foresaw that problem; my coop has angle-iron as the threshold of the door. I'd remembered the grandparents coop with the rat/mice chewed holes that started at the door threshold crack.
What I would have done in the first place was have the run adjacent to the garden to let the chickens do my cleaning/tilling and fertilizing during the fall/winter. (I've since enlarged the run and it shares a fence with the garden with a "pop" door to let them in)

 

[ray2310]

Made my coop twice as big. You can run out of room with chickens real fast.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
Ditto that! I'm currently building our 3rd coop!

 

[wsdareme]

If only I had known that I would have a lap full of chickens eating a hard roll, I would NOT have worn shorts. LOL!! I hate blood -- especially when it's my own! Their little toenails are SHARP!!

 

[AllTheseCreatures]

Quote:
I saw people who had their feeders and waterers hung from chains, so I found a used frame from an old porch swing and hung the feeder up off the ground. Then I used the idea for the push-in water nipples in a bucket which I also hung from a chain. I plumbed a piece of PVC pipe into the lid of the bucket to run outside the coop so I could fill up the bucket without having to move it or drag the hose into the cage.

It's wonderful!!! No more wasted food or dirty water.

 

[dahlia333]

Would have bought a house with a bigger yard so I could have a bigger coop and more chicks!!!