Large Open Coop with Covered Run Design & Build with Costs and Pics

[Missceegee]

I am not pleased with the roosts. They crowd the front two. Today I am tearing it down and redoing it all with poop boards and 20’ one wall and 10’ on another. Changing the nest box wall and lowering bc I’m tired of them laying underneath it. They’re gonna be single file making my life easier if medication is needed or whatever. Hopefully. Photos to come.

 

[Missceegee]

The holes on left are where the rollaway next boxes were in roll out configuration. This will get hardware cloth now. The marked up picture shows the red where the poop boards will go at 30-32” with roost bars centered 8” above. I’ll add more metal panels to the outside on this side to block wind. Though I think I’ll leave even more open up too.

The green is the new next box location stacked. I’m switching the roll out to roll in because I have to go in for straggler eggs anyway and it saves me cutting the metal siding. I will have a large best nest box under two mediums. Some kept laying under the box before so i figured i would lower it. I will add two plastic nest boxes over there somewhere too for birds who don’t like the community one.

I want to block off the bottom of the 10’ side for chicks, rooster jail, broody birds, etc, but have not convinced the hubby.

 

[Missceegee]

We worked 10-7 today. We got the old roosts out along with a lot of the bedding, removed the nest boxes and switched the roll out trays. We built poop boards at 30” and removable roosts at 38” and I built a ladder. We may change it but it will work for now. Tomorrow we will figure out how to install the nest boxes and determine how much exterior metal siding we need. I am going to fence off an under area at some point.

 

[Missceegee]

I have to make some ramps tomorrow. They aren’t a fan of the ladder I threw together Had to help many up but they’re up. They do not like the part in front of the open hardware cloth. Covering that is a priority for tomorrow.

I LOVE THE POOP BOARDS WITH PDZ already on night one. I heard a snick or two today and decided to put vet rx on everyone while also giving meds to two for bumble foot, and putting nuStock on the roosters butt. It is easy to tell if poop is normal with the board. Also easy to medicate without a hassle with everyone in single file. Of course they crowd the corner.

 

[Missceegee]

We got the two pieces of metal up but lowered it for even more ventilation. 30 hens and 1 roo made a GALLON OF POOP overnight. I will be putting a 5 galling bucket out there! New ramps and clean up of outside still to be done.

 

[Missceegee]

I have used rollaway community nest boxes from the start but many of my newest additions won’t use them. So yesterday I made a 6 hole milk crate design with a stand and they took to that right away. I added back in a lowered community box today on a 6” stand. The community boxes are for 20 and 40 hens respectively and the 6 hole should cover 24 so theoretically my 30 have more than enough space. Here’s hoping the egg eaters choose the roll away and all choose boxes of some sort over the ground and poop board.

 

[Missceegee]

The next project is to fence off the short 10’ side under for broody birds or bossy roo or babies. We will see how that goes when I make a plan.

 

[ChicFil- A]

I first bought a double a frame cedar tractor and fence (Feb). It’s so hard to move. Then built the mobile Cluck Wagon just a couple months ago. Wrong floor and not tall enough for me inside. So here’s hoping I like this better. My per egg cost is astronomical.

That’s so funny!!! Because I understand.