Insullated Chicken Coop Wanted and Suggestion for Chain Link Roof Lift

[ChickensLove]

Hello Chicken Lovers, I am fairly new to this site, so I hope I am posting in the right area. Posted previously and included my location and my thanks to the individuals that contacted me. Still looking for someone to build (or finish an existing) an insulated chicken coop. If you read my previous posts, it read that it has been very frustrating for me to hire the right person to build a coop. Hired one person and the build was done incorrectly and not the materials that we agreed upon and that I paid for. Ended up with the original coop and a very sub par coop, so hired another person who said they had decades of carpenter experience. He took apart the newly built coop in order to use some of the materials. Long story short, the first existing coop now has patches of siding on it. Everything was done very poorly and my project sits unfinished. Due to the poor job, now the existing coop panels are falling and my concern is that it may collapse due to the extra weight of the siding patches. The coop is now covered with tarps to help keep the chickens warm and dry but the panels that weren't patched are now coming apart. Poor things don't even have a roosting area. Is there anyone in or near Longmont, CO with coop building experience who is honest, takes some pride in their work and isn't going to over charge me just because they think they can? I love my chickens (3) but sometimes wonder if I was meant to have them. I think it would be difficult for me to find the type of home for them that I would wish. I feed them almost all organic items. Organic variety of finely chopped greens, a super large mix of different types of chopped nuts/seeds/grains, worms, calcium, grit, spring water, etc... If there is such a person, please let me know. Never thought I would ever have chickens but have found them to be such wonderful and loving creatures. Be kind to your chickens and animals. They count on us! My best to everyone and sorry for the long post. Thank you. PS Any suggestions on how to raise one side of a chain link fence roof so that water and snow doesn't bow it down?

 

[sylviethecochin]

I doubt you'll be able to find anyone to do this on short notice. BYC is somewhat low on area-specific people, but you could try posting in the Colorado thread.

At this point, I would look on Craigslist, Facebook, or your local feed store for a coop, with hopes of finding what you want next spring instead. There seem to be several coops that look fairly good in your area (at least on Craigslist), and it's far better than having your coop collapsing on you in the middle of winter, possibly on some of your chickens.

You don't really need an insulated coop. Your annual highs and lows seem to be about the same as my area's, and what I really need is ventilation. Chickens are very hardy animals. What hurts them in winter is the moisture and ammonia buildup. The moisture comes from their breath, and it needs to be able to leave. Otherwise, it can build up and the chickens can get frostbite. The ammonia comes from their poop. I can't clean out my coop as often as I prefer in winter, so I try to bed it down as thickly as possible to absorb the stuff, using ashes to lower the pH so that the ammonia breaks down more quickly. Some people highly recommend Sweet PDZ as a really absorptive material.

I hope the advice above is helpful, rather than annoying.

 

[newshound]

lancasterchickencoops.com I rhink is the site for very nice Amish coops and they deliver....it would be over $1000 though....as for chain link roof....ours just collapsed....on my coop....but the coop seems fine. I am aggravated. We had about 6 inches of wet snow, then it rained and froze. First snow.

 

[newshound]

It may at least give you some ideas. I was at the place personally and looked at coops. http://lancasterchickencoops.com