Minnesota!

[Rhetts]

Yours is sort of like mine, I have a small feed room in front of and separate from the birds. I have to enter the bird area to get egg, which is no problem unless I trip and fall at which time my birds would devour me.

I use a heated fount so I only have to change water every couple days, I have a heated fount outside too. I mainly go into the coop to let the birds out and lock them up collecting eggs at the same time. I have thought about an timed hen door, but I kind of like the idea of being forced to go outside and open the coop or I would sit on my butt all day. I know me.

This guys coop has a foot x foot box running the whole length of the coop and you open the "box" from the outside, Which is nice but I would worry about the boxes being too cold in winter and too hot in summer not being a part of the main coop air flow.

I know I am explaining it poorly. sorry for that.

I think I know what you mean. The nest boxes are on the outside of the coop right? Yeah, I don't really know how well that would work for our winter climates. But to each his own I guess.

I have not gone with heated founts yet. I don't know how I feel about it yet so I just bring out warm water every few hours when its really cold like it has been. Water freezes up in a few hours. I don't mind going out either. i love to spend time outside watching the birds and it gets me off my buns too!

That is funny about the birds devouring you! I JUST said the same thing to my husband about the turkeys and geese cause I biffed it outside on some ice and I said it was a good thing they weren't around or I would have been a gonner for sure!!

 

[duluthralphie]

I think I know what you mean. The nest boxes are on the outside of the coop right? Yeah, I don't really know how well that would work for our winter climates. But to each his own I guess.

I have not gone with heated founts yet. I don't know how I feel about it yet so I just bring out warm water every few hours when its really cold like it has been. Water freezes up in a few hours. I don't mind going out either. i love to spend time outside watching the birds and it gets me off my buns too!

That is funny about the birds devouring you! I JUST said the same thing to my husband about the turkeys and geese cause I biffed it outside on some ice and I said it was a good thing they weren't around or I would have been a gonner for sure!!

That is too funny. I fell on my Arse last night locking the coops. I stepped down and next thing you know I am kissing the ground. Hurt my back, elbows and knees, luckily I have a prescription for ultram and flexural because of a bad back. So I just drugged myself up and slept it off, It helped a lot.

I told my wife this morning it is a good thing I could get back up or the birds would have pecked me to death. If I ever have a heart attack in the coop I am sure the coroner will rule " He could have survived the heart attack, if not for the thousands of peck wounds".

 

[Rhetts]

Originally Posted by duluthralphie


That is so true!! LOL!

 

[Dandelioness]

I've considered retrofitting our nest boxes for outdoor or second inner-room access, just having a slide or hinged back that I could lift. Maybe a little insulation (between plywood, because we all know insulation is one of their favorite treats) if the access panel was toward the outside & something to stop the draft, maybe overlap the panel a little bit. Combined with a rollaway feature, it might be really nice! But I do like to go into the coop and check on things a couple times a day. They say the best thing to make a garden grow is the gardener's feet. I'm not sure what that means with chickens, but I'm sure there's a witty adage just waiting to be coined...

 

[Rhetts]

I have to say one of my favorite threads on here to look at was the nesting boxes one. There were SO many good ideas and creative!! I was super impressed!!

 

[lalaland]

yeah, I like having to go into the coop. It lets me see who is hanging out, gives a chance to notice if someone is off, etc. I always thought the little kick boxes that are nest boxes with hinges that you reach from the outside might work perfectly well in warmer climates - but not too warm - think of a hot summer day with the nest box in the sun heating up.

only thing is, sometimes when I get home late, it is dark and cold, and I don't want to go inside and change into chore clothes - so I go into the coop to count hens and collect eggs - and danged if my work coat/boots/pants don't take a beating. More than once have shown up at work with chicken sh***t on my pants. or jacket. or shoes....

 

[Cluckies]

I have nest boxes on the outside, they are insulated and on the north side of the coop. I have had a few frozen eggs this year, but only because I cannot get the eggs until I get home from work at around 4, and only on very cold days, probably less than 10 degrees. On the weekend it is fine as they are not out there for 10 hours before I can get them. If you click on the "My Coop" link under my avatar and scroll to just about the bottom you can see them.

 

[duluthralphie]

That coop is way too nice and clean.

My chickens live in a slum, I guess.

I thought they had it good until I saw your coop.

 

[cmom]

I wonder if you could use a hot seat like ice fishermen use under the nesting material like maybe carpet remnants to keep the eggs warm? Just curious. I was curious if the heat would penetrate the remnant if that was what someone would use when a hen/pullet goes into the nest box to lay her egg. When a fisherman sits on it, it will keep his bottom warm.

 

[duluthralphie]

SHOCKING MORNING!

I stuck my little toes outside and pulled them right back in. Not a day to run to the coop without a jacket.

I looked at my thermometer and was in shock, it said 6 below!

I knew it was lying to me, so I checked my IPhone weather app and it said only 4 below. I need a new thermometer and maybe a new IPhone. I was getting use to the mild winter!