Looking for suggestions wrt coops from all of you chicken pros out there :)

[krowl]

Ok, took some quick pics - here's mine:

View attachment 551553

The back part was the original 5x10 built similar to the Wichita Cabin coop.

The Front with the water fount is the addition - with a chicken out door to their chicken playground.

The original front coop door had to be lifted - very heavy and had to brace a ladder under it, so we changed it to an entire front opening - so much easier to access. Around back the door is full width but only about 1/2 to 3/4 of the coop height - a back breaker to clean from that side - and only used to access the gals on their roosts at nite or to totally change the sand in the coop.

Had to apologize, pic taking interrupted a fun bath time

Thanks so much for the photo!!! I appreciate it, you do sand? Thats what I was thinking of doing, do you like using sand over the other options??

 

[sunflour]

I love the sand, but I'm in Georgia and my coop/run do not get wet.

I started mine on sand in the brooder - they ate shavings so made that decision quickly. And we have a nearby source of builders sand.

I use it in the run and coop. Had tried everything else in the nests, but they ate it all, so even the nests have sand.

It works for me - it dries poops so there's no smell, easy to sift and throw into a bin or non-chicken area compost. If I do get something wet, like water fount spills then add some PDZ - and it takes care of that.

 

[wynn4578]

I had read about the deep litter method, you like that method best? I was looking into river sand (I think that's what I was reading about) Does the bottom of your run for your permanent coop have mesh against the bottom of the ground of the run or is it flat against the ground...

It works well for the coop I use it in. It wouldn't work at all for my portables. The coop I use it in has a concrete floor side 8 inch sides. Think garage type foundation. We built it to use the deep litter because we had read so much about it. To be honest I'm not the biggest fan but that's just me. It's nice when your just turning or adding but you make up for the work saved when it comes time to tear it out and start fresh. Maybe I do it wrong. Lol.

Edit: my runs are dirt floor. The wire goes around the bottom of the runs down about 12 inches then out about 16 inches or so to keep predators from digging.

 

[Noaskye]

Removable poop trays, walk in pen, either a wall that opens on a small coop for cleaning or a walk in coop. Large enough pen, mine is 6 x 20 for 7 hens. They like to hang out on stuff so some varying roost bars. I'm new but so far now that mine are living outdoors I'm thankful for the above. We used Rubbermaid bins for poop trays which have worked out great for now but may need to revisit when they are big. For now it makes for easy cleaning.

 

[krowl]

Removable poop trays, walk in pen, either a wall that opens on a small coop for cleaning or a walk in coop. Large enough pen, mine is 6 x 20 for 7 hens. They like to hang out on stuff so some varying roost bars. I'm new but so far now that mine are living outdoors I'm thankful for the above. We used Rubbermaid bins for poop trays which have worked out great for now but may need to revisit when they are big. For now it makes for easy cleaning.

Thank you for the feedback!! This definitely helps!!!