Increasing the usable space in my coop and making it safer from digging predators

[Nicole01]

Increasing the usable space in my coop and making it safer from digging predato

AWe are up to 20 currently, I have a 3-4 boys to rehome, but we were not expecting to have more then 2-3 hens. Our coop is 12x5x9 with 3 roosts and shelving. Our run is 22x5x5, but we free range. Our run is converted into part of the coop during the winter. We added roosts in the run and we cover with very strong plastic. The ground never freezes even though theres ventilation at the top and they still take dust baths. This year we might just board it up for the winter and add extra lights. I like the plastic for the natural light.

Here's our run. Our coop is inside our garage and we do heat it all winter with a radiator heater.

You can add onto the run to make more space. It worked for us by covering it up. It gets up to -30 some days and the plastic has worked well.

The more roosts you add, the more space they will have. . All my roosts are 2x4's that removable. They sit in joist brackets.

 

[BoiseChik]

Thank you for the pics Nicole01. I have heard the idea of covering the run with clear plastic during the winter. I will definitely do that! How do you attach your plastic? I'd like to not hurt the outside of my coop.
Also, you mentioned lights... Do you use regular light bulbs or heat lamp bulbs? What I will have when my hen house is all done, is basically two adjoining hen houses, connected by a removable door. Both spaces will be basically 3' x 3' x 3' square cubes that have nesting boxes that stick out the sides, and roosting posts inside. I want to keep the hens comfortable, free from drafts and laying through the winter.
Also, we let our chickens free range our backyard when we are home. Does this work in the winter also?

 

[Nicole01]

Increasing the usable space in my coop and making it safer from digging predato

AU

Thank you for the pics Nicole01. I have heard the idea of covering the run with clear plastic during the winter. I will definitely do that! How do you attach your plastic? I'd like to not hurt the outside of my coop. Also, you mentioned lights... Do you use regular light bulbs or heat lamp bulbs? What I will have when my hen house is all done, is basically two adjoining hen houses, connected by a removable door. Both spaces will be basically 3' x 3' x 3' square cubes that have nesting boxes that stick out the sides, and roosting posts inside. I want to keep the hens comfortable, free from drafts and laying through the winter. Also, we let our chickens free range our backyard when we are home. Does this work in the winter also?

We attach wood planks/boards across the top to sand which the plastic in. It works best that way. I use a halogen light and I use a radiator heater inside the coop. Our coop is also fully insulated, so the heater stays on the lowest setting. It stays about 60f in there.

I don't free range in the winter. There are plenty of roosts in the coop and run.

The coop alone fits 20 full sized chickens on the roosts. Here's the inside of the coop. The heater comes out in the summer.

Nest boxes

I don't have a photo of inside the run though. I need to take one.

Our feeder is outside the coop that holds 100lbs feed at a time. There's a tray on the inside cut through the wall that saves a ton of space.

The inside tray. Sorry for the poor quality photos

 

[BoiseChik]

Update! The newly remodeled coop is almost done! All it needs now is the ashpalt shingles installed. The old and new hen house are connected by an opening, but he have it boarded up for now, with two different age groups living in each side. I won't integrate the ages until they are the same size.


The box coming home in the truck. So exciting...


The roof sitting behind it and the nesting boxes, not attached yet


Attaching the wire bottom, to make it safer from predators




our boys decorating the inside with markers (so the chickens have something to look at) ;-}


drawing eggs - of course!






Almost done! New nesting boxes in front, and access door in back.

 

[BoiseChik]

Last Update! The window and roofing is installed! Finished!