Lessons that I have learned in one year

[kardar2]

Hello All,
this is some information for you new chicken owners. I have had my coop for a year now. And this is what I learned in a year.where my coop sits is all dirt and cleaning out the water containers was a muddy mess and I would drag mud in the house and the wife would not be happy. No matter how careful I tried to be. So I built a self watering system ( I posted a video awhile back if you want to look it up ). The second thing I learned is we wanted to go away for the weekend and the coop was putting a strain on us cause we had to find someone to inconvenience and have them come over and let out the girls and close them up at night. So I bought a a chicken guard door. Man why did I wait so long.... OH yeah the price!... it was hard to swallow paying that much. But man it is worth every red cent. I don't have to get up early on my weekends and I can stay late at a friends house and have dinner. I never gave it a thought of how the coop was going to affect our living style. But now the the only thing I need to do is collect the eggs and feed them once a week. Well of course I do spend time out there with them there girl's if that is what your thinking LOL. So for those of you thinking of getting chickens. Beware those two things will make your life so much easier. Good luck.

 

[marcyflock]

My chicken coop opens into a 16x32 ft walk in run. Making letting chicks in & out no issue.

 

[liaanne17]

This was so helpful thank you so much

 

[flocking-crazy]

Thanks for the info, I'd really like some more info about the auto door, I'm considering it myself winter just started in Australian and this morning 630am it was 6'c I'd pay anything not to have to out in the morning. Are they a one size fits all? What brand did you use? Why?

 

[kardar2]

Thanks for the info, I'd really like some more info about the auto door, I'm considering it myself winter just started in Australian and this morning 630am it was 6'c I'd pay anything not to have to out in the morning. Are they a one size fits all? What brand did you use? Why?

I bought the chicken guard door from www.chickenguard.com they are in Great Britain. I have had mine a week now and love it. The customer service is great. No problem with answering my questions. You can adjust the sensor setting so you can fine tune the time it opens and closes. I bought the extreme model with the 8 pound motor.the only thing I have concerns with is the string the company assured me that it would last a long time. But I think I will swap it our with really thin wire. Here is a video I made.
http://s253.photobucket.com/user/kardar2/media/chicken coop/20150529_161658.mp4.html

 

[tcstoehr]

Thanks for the info, I'd really like some more info about the auto door, I'm considering it myself winter just started in Australian and this morning 630am it was 6'c I'd pay anything not to have to out in the morning. Are they a one size fits all? What brand did you use? Why?

I chose the Ador1 auto chicken door. It seems like the best built and best designed model available. Steel construction, gear driven door, guillotine style door doesn't take space, integrated battery, long battery life, integrated photo sensor, available operating options.

Ador web site

 

[kardar2]

Okay I sure you will love it.

 

[kardar2]

I chose the Ador1 auto chicken door. It seems like the best built and best designed model available. Steel construction, gear driven door, guillotine style door doesn't take space, integrated battery, long battery life, integrated photo sensor, available operating options.

Ador web site

The reason I did not go with that one is 1) installation would be hardeR. 2) if it breaks tearing it apart to get it to work (gears drive) my luck I would be leaving for work and noticing the chickens are not out. And if it broke I,would have a major job putting a another manual door on. So if mine quits. I CAN JUST CUT THE STRING UNSCREW IT AND SHIP IT BACK.

 

[RichnSteph]

I wish I knew a year ago what I know now...... We're about to move our current coop out of the way and build a much larger one in its place. I only wanted about 5 chickens and we're up to 17 now (down from 22 since I've put some in the freezer) and I know our 7x5x7 foot tall coop is no where near big enough for them. Oh and we'll probably be hatching our some more soon so I'll need room for them. I should have poured a slab and set up a 10x20 coop in the first place so I'd have room to store our feed and supplies in a little sectioned off area of it. We are for sure getting an automatic coop door this time around also. It's a pain to get someone to come take care of them if/when we go out of town and I hate getting up before dawn on the weekends.


If I'd only known......

 

[kardar2]

I wish I knew a year ago what I know now...... We're about to move our current coop out of the way and build a much larger one in its place. I only wanted about 5 chickens and we're up to 17 now (down from 22 since I've put some in the freezer) and I know our 7x5x7 foot tall coop is no where near big enough for them. Oh and we'll probably be hatching our some more soon so I'll need room for them. I should have poured a slab and set up a 10x20 coop in the first place so I'd have room to store our feed and supplies in a little sectioned off area of it. We are for sure getting an automatic coop door this time around also. It's a pain to get someone to come take care of them if/when we go out of town and I hate getting up before dawn on the weekends.


If I'd only known......

yep! but you will be thankful that you bought it LOL good luck