Illinois...

[BReeder!]

I have to build new run and coop this year too. Currently working out plans. What is good building materials (affordable)?
Any critique or inspiration on simple run design?
I am trying to incorporate a room I can separate/quarantine.
View attachment 2040333

Avoid OSB. It may emit VOCs, birds are prone to peck at it, and it crumbles when wet.

I agree on the shed idea. That's what I did. My shed came with the house when we bought it though. The cattle panel hoop coop design like @Molpet has would save money compared to an actual building.

 

[BReeder!]

This is current coop. Neighbor bought carport and left one of the polls out for height so the sides are only 3' high. 8'x20'. Lots of security issues because its piece together.
I want to use more vertical space, no way to do that with current set up. And I am so tired of bending.

View attachment 2040350

You could just raise the poles using galvanized fence poles and some bolts. As for securing it, hardware cloth wrapped around and dug into a foot deep would turn it into Fort Knox.

 

[WhyDoILikeChickens]

Do you know what predator did this??

No. Likely raccoon. I also have lots of possum, skunks, occasional stray cat, coyotes, and fox. Hawks in the area but no way this was a hawk.

 

[WhyDoILikeChickens]

You could just raise the poles using galvanized fence poles and some bolts. As for securing it, hardware cloth wrapped around and dug into a foot deep would turn it into Fort Knox.

So I have high water table and soft soil/clay. With separated poles (not secured) they split and sink requiring patching and repairs. And I'm sure you could tell by the photo this thing is ugly. I'm not picky but I want it to look better and I want to build it once and not touch it for many years.

 

[cavemanrich]

Agree,,,, most likely a raccoon. Do some of your chickens decide to camp outside overnight?? In such a case, yes, a raccoon would reach inside, and grab sleeping chicken. That could be secured with 1/2 inch HC on the bottom portion of whatever type of fencing is surrounding your run. Most raccoons do not come out until dusk.
Have you considered a HOT WIRE on perimeter as added security?

 

[BReeder!]

Agree,,,, most likely a raccoon. Do some of your chickens decide to camp outside overnight?? In such a case, yes, a raccoon would reach inside, and grab sleeping chicken. That could be secured with 1/2 inch HC on the bottom portion of whatever type of fencing is surrounding your run. Most raccoons do not come out until dusk.
Have you considered a HOT WIRE on perimeter as added security?

Here has little ones around. A hot wire would be risky. However, it could be hot only at night with user of a timer or switch.

 

[BReeder!]

So I have high water table and soft soil/clay. With separated poles (not secured) they split and sink requiring patching and repairs. And I'm sure you could tell by the photo this thing is ugly. I'm not picky but I want it to look better and I want to build it once and not touch it for many years.

If you just want a new run, you could simply build a fence. My run is just 6ft picket fence with hardware cloth behind the pickets. For better viewing into the run, a fence made of cattle panels or fields wire covered with hardware cloth would create a screen wall.

 

[homeschoolin momma]

They're easy on the food bill and pretty sweet.

Yes they really are. I have 7lb feeders i hang in the coops. My spitzies (8) I wont have to refill for a week during winter, spring, summer or fall, almost a month. My orps right now (21) a 7lb feeder full in 24 hours! They are pigs!!! Please come green grass and bugs! However, they (spitzies) do like to free range and can get complainitive if locked up too long. They are nice to look at though!
Jack

Jake

On a different note, I snapped these pics for @Faraday40 today after a thorough coop cleaning day. I had the day off and the little ones still had school so.....
Blizzard

Winter trying to lay her egg

Wonkys brother and Bb lav sister

 

[BReeder!]

Anybody ever coax a bird to go broody who is already building a nest and laying eggs in it?

I've created a thread in the duck forum already, but there's limited activity. My problem is that my ducks built a nest and are filling it with eggs, but I fear they will abandon lime they apparently with with a previous nest I recently found filled with approximately three dozen eggs. I'm giving ther ducks time to do their thing and hoping one of them decides to brood the clutch of eggs. The ducks are laying in the same nest, so that's triple the odds I figure. I'll have to reduce the number of eggs of course or the duck will not be able to properly heat the entire clutch - I am thinking a dozen eggs docking fit under a duck fine.

If one of the ducks doesn't decide to brood the eggs, I am tempted to try coaxing one of them by sectioning her off with the best using a silt fence. This would create a smaller pen that would put her in close proximity to the nest at all times and shield her from any harassment from the drake or other ducks, which I hope would put flip a switch on her instincts to brood.

Does this make sense or am I looney? Have you had any success with any bird (chicken, turkey, duck or whatever) coaxing them to brood? While they are not all the same, any experience is appreciated.

 

[Faraday40]

Anybody ever coax a bird to go broody who is already building a nest and laying eggs in it?

I've created a thread in the duck forum already, but there's limited activity. My problem is that my ducks built a nest and are filling it with eggs, but I fear they will abandon lime they apparently with with a previous nest I recently found filled with approximately three dozen eggs. I'm giving ther ducks time to do their thing and hoping one of them decides to brood the clutch of eggs. The ducks are laying in the same nest, so that's triple the odds I figure. I'll have to reduce the number of eggs of course or the duck will not be able to properly heat the entire clutch - I am thinking a dozen eggs docking fit under a duck fine.

If one of the ducks doesn't decide to brood the eggs, I am tempted to try coaxing one of them by sectioning her off with the best using a silt fence. This would create a smaller pen that would put her in close proximity to the nest at all times and shield her from any harassment from the drake or other ducks, which I hope would put flip a switch on her instincts to brood.

Does this make sense or am I looney? Have you had any success with any bird (chicken, turkey, duck or whatever) coaxing them to brood? While they are not all the same, any experience is appreciated.

Yes & No.

The bird must 1st have a broody instinct about them. A Leghorn for example is less likely to go broody but you may be able to coax a silkie.

The number of eggs collected is also a factor. I read a zoo article about how each bird had her egg load number. When the nest reaches that number (or above) then she may decide to sit. Cookie's number is 7 LF eggs. If I give her 8-9 , a couple never develop & those clears get rolled out. When I gave her 6, she somehow stole a 7th from another nest and carried it up and into her nest box. (Yet Cookie- my master broody - has also adopted many chicks and raised as many as 30 chicks at one time.)

Duck are seasonal layers, so you may want them to keep laying and allow a chicken to hatch some duck eggs. They won't notice the extra week.

Your idea of putting a female in a nice quiet area with a full clutch of eggs in a private, darkened nest may entice her after a few days. If she's simply not a broody breed or never went broody before, then it may not work.

I'll warn you that broodiness is contagious. Once one girl starts or the other hens hear/see peeping chicks, they all seem to join in. (Again only those hens pre-disposed to broodiness.) What works well for me is waiting until I have a broody and then setting eggs in the incubator. The incubator allows me to watch the hatch and label chicks and I keep the hen broody by slipping only a couple eggs under her. If the broody hen's eggs and the incubator all hatch at the same time, there's no problem with the hen adopting all of them.