Is this terrible or brilliant??

[lillyahoo]

That's a great idea - I even have some leftover ridge vent from getting a new metal roof on the house this spring!

 

[SouthernGymMom]

I would suggest you plan some kind of tub with sand, or dry dirt, or something so they can dust themselves & keep their feathers clean.

 

[NatJ]

I would suggest you plan some kind of tub with sand, or dry dirt, or something so they can dust themselves & keep their feathers clean.

If the pen is on a garden bed, the chickens should be able to dustbathe just fine in the garden dirt.

If bedding is added frequently, it may become deep enough the chickens can't reach the dirt underneath, but I think that would take quite a while.

 

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

Such an interesting and eager idea...I hope it is off the ground enough for you to reach in. I have a hard time with the low to the ground coops kneeling and crawling.

 

[Floof]

If the pen is on a garden bed, the chickens should be able to dustbathe just fine in the garden dirt.

If bedding is added frequently, it may become deep enough the chickens can't reach the dirt underneath, but I think that would take quite a while.

I'm thinking to layer in varied materials as needed: leaves, garden bed soil, pine chips, paper shredding, etc. Generally I try to use whatever is cheap/available. I'm having an umbilical hernia repaired so won't be able to lift anything heavy or do much flexing/twisting of my core. I'm going to be relying heavily on my kids (4 and 14) for the chicken chores. The 4yo likes the egg chores and I'm resorting to bribery for my 14yo

Hopefully we'll all survive

 

[SouthernGymMom]

If the pen is on a garden bed, the chickens should be able to dustbathe just fine in the garden dirt.

If bedding is added frequently, it may become deep enough the chickens can't reach the dirt underneath, but I think that would take quite a while.

I'm thinking to layer in varied materials as needed: leaves, garden bed soil, pine chips, paper shredding, etc. Generally I try to use whatever is cheap/available. I'm having an umbilical hernia repaired so won't be able to lift anything heavy or do much flexing/twisting of my core. I'm going to be relying heavily on my kids (4 and 14) for the chicken chores. The 4yo likes the egg chores and I'm resorting to bribery for my 14yo

Hopefully we'll all survive

My chickens have been through a lot & seem pretty resilient. We've had hurricanes (most recently Ida, but several over the years), falling/crashing trees that torqued their run, flooding, crazy thunder & lightening, very loud days of tree people trying to get rid of the fallen tree, construction crews over their coop rebuilding a porch & stairs, temps ranging from 100 in the summer to 25 (only a few days) in the winter -- and they are still trucking along. Happy as can be. They don't lay much when things get crazy, but they bounce back when it calms down. I'm thinking yours will be just fine, too. Hope your surgery goes smoothly!

 

[Chicks Flowers n Tomes]

It seems you could add wheels to make it easier to move when it’s time. If you make it where they’ll lift off the ground out of the way that would keep it from predators getting under. If you have the kind that dig you’ll need at least hardware fencing on bottom of it. Basically this is a tractor. .

 

[FeatherlegsMomma]

Omlet coops can be ordered with automatic doors on the larger version.

 

[Floof]

Omlet coops can be ordered with automatic doors on the larger version.

I have 34 hens and 2 roosters to accommodate and those things are insanely expensive for what they are.

 

[FeatherlegsMomma]

Yes, but you might be able to get the automatic door separately and make it work with whatever coop you have.