Learn from My Mistakes...Soon to be Corrected! Pens/Sunlight, etc.

[Ellie]

Looks Great, Cynthia. Beautiful day you are having. The coops take a lot of work, don't they? Well, it looks to me like it sure paid off.

Your brood will be happy in this set up.

 

[magsrags]

I like you ideas........ and the sunshine really does help keep things nice and dry after "fowl" weather. I am finding out the same thing with a small coop/run of mine. Sun is so low in the winter sky this time of year..... it's sitting in the house shadow a lot and I don't like it. We'll be moving some things round come spring as well.

 

[ruth]

Merry Christmas Cyn - it's funny, DH and I also spent the day planning out a new coop/run area for our chickens. We need a breeder pen where we can separate them to breed purbreds. I have Marans that are now laying and want to breed them and I will also want to breed some of my other breeds and of course the peafowl when they're older so it was time for a new pen. I go outside today to find DH digging post holes and sinking 4x4s around one of the old outbuildings. It will make a great new coop and breeder area - also gets lots of sunshine and it's located in our orchard so it will be a nice spot for them. I was kind of surprised he picked today to start on something I've been talking about for awhile but it was a nice warm and beautiful Christmas day and it was just he and I here today. Everyone else comes Saturday for a huge family gathering all weekend.

I agree that moving your pens to the back where it's nice and sunny is a good idea. Your area is beautiful and I know your birds enjoy all those leaves and the nice bugs that can be found by digging around in them.

 

[speckledhen]

It was the nicest day we've had in ages here, too. Seemed just the day to get going on a project outside. Good luck with yours!

 

[BeckyLa]

I know what you mean. Every time I look out window to see how the chickens are doing I see things I wish I had done differently.

One thing I am questioning is that I always set up my coops so the birds can get underneath. It's cooler in the summer, they get out of the rain, and hide from predators. Works great. But, they also like to dust bathe in the nice soft dirt and sand under there and, of course, always right next to the support blocks. Just last week we had to reset the smaller coop, 4x4, and now I'm looking at having to do the same with my 8x8. It's an old kid's playhouse that was put together in 2 parts with the seam down the middle. Now the floor/wall seam is separating and bedding is falling onto the ground because the support blocks are shifting.

Just one thing to think about when giving, as you say, earthmovers access to the "basement."

Oh, I am also wondering, since they move the big heavy wet leaves downhill, once the pens are moved what happens when said leaves start piling up against the fence on the down side??

 

[speckledhen]

Oh, I am also wondering, since they move the big heavy wet leaves downhill, once the pens are moved what happens when said leaves start piling up against the fence on the down side??

A good question you ask...they already pile up at the bottom next to the livestock fencing, but we are going to raise the height of that fence a good deal. The birds like to dustbathe next to that fence, so sometimes they move the leaves away to get to the dirt underneath. If we have to rake it a couple times, that wont be bad, but at least the dirt and wet leaves aren't going to be next to the building. Our main coop is on treated posts set in concrete, so they can dustbathe all they want under there, no problem.​

 

[BeckyLa]

Good thinking! I've got to talk to dh about concrete (and not blocks). Problem is, I think he breaks out in a rash at the mere mention of the word "project!!"

 

[mothergoose1963]

What a beautiful place you have! Wow! I wouldnt ever leave home! Gorgeous!

 

[speckledhen]

We've lived here longer than we've lived in any other house. Guess we may be here for a long, long time. Will have to build a handicapped ramp some day (DH has back and knee issues and there are 9 steps up to the wraparound porch), but so far, it's not been bad. Low taxes, at least at the moment, and ok neighbors, though they are all much older than we are. We have complete privacy in summer and a good bit in winter and we've put lots of sweat, blood and tears into this place. All the buildings and garden beds, we built ourselves. Planted a few heirloom apple trees, peach, pear and cherry trees, grapes, etc. So, with every project, our roots become more firmly planted. Sometimes, I'd like a tiny bit of pasture and a pond like we had at our cabin in TN, but cant have everything.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

I think your new plan make sence! My first run was some old fence we had and I had to crawl in it. For the winter I tarped it but, it was a pain. This last spring we invested in a dog kennel fence and added some extra small pannels. Then we put a metal roof on it. What a difference. I can walk in it to work and/or spend time with the girls. The rain is kept out-a huge bonus with our clay ground-and for the winter I wrapped it in plastic. The snow slides off the roof. The wind and snow are kept out and they have dirt to bathe in as it didn't get wet this fall so it is loose! Now if we could just get the weather straightened out, all would be happy!