Little Coop in the Big City

[Chambertin]

Cant post pictures, AGAIN... server connection issues and dont even know if this will post.

oh well, try again tomorrow.
Thanks for the comments. As anyone I'm a little too proud of it when I shouldnt be and a little too humble when I shouldnt be.
For the moment I'm dusting it with sand to help absorb the watery poops and will find a better solution later.

4-5" deep of wood chips just isnt practical in this area. However if the roof holds out like I want it to I may go back and attempt it.
Problem is there's no compost bin on the 19th floor. I need something that can be up next to my bedroom window.
A little sand, wind and broom works well thus far.

 

[Chambertin]

Finally as promised pictures from the elevator equipment roof looking down.

 

[perchie.girl]

I really love your ingenuity...

For litter you can use shredded paper. Run the newspaper through a paper shredder. Compost it and use it for planting veggies. If you cant do that then you can put the poo in the trash just like you would kitty litter.

They will still need a patch of sand for dust bathing and eating for their own health.

The highest concentration of poop happens at night when they roost. Check out the Poop Hammocks thread. Use the shade cloth and make hammocks to catch the poo.. It Dries very quickly this way.

Here is a great blog on chickens and an article on Poop Hammocks.

http://communitychickens.blogspot.com/2011/07/clean-keeping-of-coop.html#.UJjA-YZUJrM

You will still have to wash down the concrete but it will help cut it all down.

deb

 

[Chambertin]

Great idea about the shreaded paper. I'll be using that, I have plenty of old tests and other junk papers from school.

I made poop trays under the roosts and its working like a charm. 90% of the night leavings go there, in the day its a mix between the coop and the "run" our balcony. With some sunlight it just sweeps away. Still have to scrape and wash the floors every so often, but its easy daily maintence.

In the picture I added you can barely see the concrete stones in the back, there's a good size sand pit in there. Also have one out in the "run." Just wish they liked it more than dust bathing in the food. Silly girls.
Going to be adding the nest boxes and some more roosting soon. The girls are getting big and the two rows are becoming crowded.

You can see the once ample space is starting to fall behind the requirement.

 

[Chambertin]

Details to come on another roost expansion and the adding nest boxes, then the feeding and watering system will go in.
Once I figure out what it will look like. hehe.

For now heres a picture I took with my phone to show off just where this little coop is.
I'm standing on where they will have the subway station in 2 years, so if you ever come to Shenzhen you can get out of the subwawy at Guimao station and wave to my birds.

and a smaller clear picture.

One more funny thing:
The day may belong to that rooster and his chickens,
but the night belongs to the Turkeys~

Sorry its so out of focus, but its hard to get turkeys to sit still for a long exposure.
They love to perch up there and catch the night breeze as they sleep.

 

[cknkids]

Very cool! Thanks for sharing this very different chicken experience.

 

[mg15]

Chambertin,
We have roosts with the poo board underneath.
Filled with sand, so I scoop out the poo with a cat litter
scoop. It works good. I will have to get sand that is not the
play sand, it gives off too much dust. So I will get the next size up sand.
You certainly have taken on quite alot of work for yourself.
From your picture I am not sure who I am talking to. ?
Very interesting in what you have done.
Thanks,
mg

 

[Little Peep]

Amazing! Don't let them fly off

are they modeled hoydens? they sure do look like em!

 

[Chambertin]

They are, motted Houdans. A couple dumb ones did take a leap, but all the other ones had good enough vision to know it wasnt a good idea.
A couple silkies mixed in too.

 

[Backyard Bob]

Did they fall all the way down?