looking for coop, run/garden ideas

[jim022659]

hi, my name is jim and first some basic info. I live in the city of cleveland ohio, which recently passed a new ordanance allowing 1 chicken or other small animall per 800 SF of land ( which means 6 ), and I own this home and am an avide gardener. planning on having 4 to 6, 4 by 8 raised bed gardens. and I have always wanted to but never have had chickens. the hens must be 5 feet from property lines which still leaves a 19 by 23 foot area. yada yada..

anyway tring to come up with an idea for building a coop were it can be easily moved from garden to garden each year, or just 1 coop with 4 doors ( 1 each corner) to allow them out to poop freely in a different garden each year ( chicken poop is the best fertilaizer). get worms bugs or what ever. I have seem several tractor coops that could work and one plan that will work if I want to do the 4 corners thing and build a permanant structure. but I wonder if the 4 doors would confuss then like they do My dog? ( I removed the fence and it was weeks B4 he realized I didnt need to open the gate anymore. LOL.)

I plan on getting my first 2 chicks about feb or march and want t o get there new home rady by november so any and all suggestions will be welcome, and I am afraid this new hobby is gonna get addicting I can see it allready. is there a meeting around for chicken addicts????

 

[spotstealer]

Hi Jim, I have six birds in a 4X6 coop. Most folks that build tractors (mobile chicken coops/ runs) find the to be cumbersome once they finish building a coop large enough for their birds. There are several designs floating around here, there are some that are sectional that make it easier to move. I'll include a few pics of mine, but it is really not mobile without a forklift or four strong people

 

[Cetawin]

I will have to dig up a picture of what I made and used back in 2008. But I framed a square with 2 x 2 the size of my bed and I believe were 5 feet wide and 40 feet long.....so the frame was 5 x 5. I covered the sides with chickenwire and hardwire cloth. I made a top also covered with wire and hinged it with a latch...the bottom was open. I put the girls in it each day with food and water, closed it and let them poop and turn the soil over for me. The next day I moved it 5' down the bed and so on until the 40' length had been done, then we moved to the next bed and so on.

Just an idea....that way you can build a permanent sturdy, predator proof coop for night and let the girls play furing the day...shade is easy...cover the top whole or in part with a tarp, dark sheet or whatever.


Good luck to you.