My 1st Chicken Coop & Run

[LKShepherd]

Hello, I am new to the forum and just created my 1st coop. I created a video to show you all, and perhaps get some other ideas or suggestions. What do you all think ?? Any improvements or ideas are welcome!!

I had posted this yesterday into another forum and gotten some neat ideas from them which I have since incorporated... Like these:

Hard Wire Mesh fixed that allows the PVC tube for the watering nipples:
( suggested from other forum )

Side 1:

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Side 2:

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"Splash Guard" for the watering system in the coop:
( suggested from other forum )

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Nesting Boxes holes fixed:
( I noticed during film making )

Top Box:

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Bottom Box:

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Outside of the boxes:

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Watering Jug passed its leak test & is now installed:

(that is Zeus, he is our newest addition to the family - Lab mix)​

AND just for fun... my furbabies wouldn't listen to me, and kept running threw the corn field (breaking stalks) so as a timeout (& a test to the fence)... they got placed into the run.... if they can't get out when they would really want to... then they aren't going to get in when we have hens in there

( King -tan- Diamond -black-, then Hera on the right )​

So I am now here asking the same thing.... I love getting ideas and suggestions from others... I think the more creative minds involved I can come up with a homestead that I will enjoy and best yet... my girls will enjoy (once I have them).



Looking forward to any and all feedback

 

[BantamLover55]

Great job on the coop!!! What breeds are you going to get?

- BantamLover55

 

[LKShepherd]

Great job on the coop!!! What breeds are you going to get?

- BantamLover55

Thanks BantamLover55, as of right now, I am not really sure. I am fond of the "Easter Eggers" and the Silkies. But looks like I might be better starting off with the Rhode Island Reds and the White Leghorns since they seem to be more hardy to cold and well, lets face it... winter is coming around the corner. What do you think would be good "1st time chicken owner" I mean I was raised with chickens as a child, but I didn't care for them, just had then chase me around the yard! LOL

 

[BantamLover55]

Easter Eggers are actually fairly cold tolerant and easy to raise. Silkes are cool, but they lay smaller eggs, and they are hard to keep clean! They are quite friendly, though, and they make good pets.

 

[LKShepherd]

Easter Eggers are actually fairly cold tolerant and easy to raise. Silkes are cool, but they lay smaller eggs, and they are hard to keep clean! They are quite friendly, though, and they make good pets.

Great!! So now I just have to figure out how and where I can get them. I have looked on a few sites and many of the chickens I want do it as First Runs.. I want Pullets only to start off with. I am not yet comfortable with having a rooster in the nest fertilizing my eggs and I mistakenly kill a baby chick! I remember my mother doing that when I was little... she cracked an egg into a pan and a ½ developed chick fell out... was pretty gross! Shocked I am not scared away from having my own chickens considering the trauma! LOL

 

[Double Kindness]

You're going to do great!!

My bf built my coop inside an unused dog run. We ended up enclosing it to keep critters out, like squirrel and rabbits. We've been taking care of the racoons too.

How many chickens are you planning on? I have easter eggers and a polish & a rose comb leghorn. And a semi-quieted rooster that's salmon favorelle x wellsummer x light brahma. He's been getting it on with my mixed flock.

Ee & the rose comb leghorn are cold hardy as are favorelle, wellsummer and brahma, but he'll add tufted, bearded and feather footed features to the chicks he sires, if you wanted to do something similar.

Ee's are cold hardy, silkies are not from what I hear. I was told silkies are special, and I covet them too!!

I think we might go the frizzle/sizzle cochin route, but I wanted to keep the myowhayever genetic going to maybe breed silkie ayum cemani?

Hmmm been wanting the same kind of chickens you want. I want to add cream legbars and french marans too, and well, lots of kinds of chickens!!

My thing, being also new to chickens, is have your chicken first aide kit/pharmacy fully stocked with dewormers, antibiotics, mite/lice dust, probiotics, treats, what food you want to feed them, fermented or not? Ventilation. I found they like to have a window to keep on the lookout.

If you're in an area with harsh winters, then heating the water so it doesn't freeze? And for hot summer, they need to cool off. And dustbathing area?? Roosts outside, it seems they like to all get a better view. I have various little areas of stumps gatherer, or leftover roosting poles or chairs with backs are a favorite. Plus chairs, as long as you scrape the chicken poop off, are handy if you want to enjoy chicken tv.. which is my fave channel!!!

I heard the leghorn have a great feed to egg ratio, my polish is a great forager, my leghorn ehh not so much. My ee's & ameracunas are decent foragers. I love thier pretty eggs.

Build your coop tun for more chickens than you think you need/want. Chicken math taketh over my brain!!

Enjoy chickens. I'm crazy happy with my chickens. But I did have one die and it was heartbreaking and sobering, so I emphasize the get all the stuff for chicken illness, routine care before you get your chickens.

 

[LKShepherd]

Thanks so much Double Kindness... im alot like you, so many chickens to choose from. I just want to be sure I do good for them!

 

[Double Kindness]

I'm sure you will!!

Many helpful members are here. I'm a newbie too trying to get this chicken thing right. Lol.

One of my ee's Daisy is my favorite, she's 19 week old buff laced with tufts and beard and is the most feisty and smartest of my flock of 10. She even gives my 11 month old roo a what for at roosting time, and she calls and rounds everyone up when it's time to go roost!! It's very entertaining. Which reminds me, gotta go do chicken chores!!

 

[canesisters]

The only way to get an EE who is definately a female is to get one who is laying eggs. LOL
If the possibility of getting a roo is really a big deal, consider the many breeds and mixes that are 'auto sexing' at hatch.

 

[Double Kindness]

I heard that ameracunas are hard to sex as well as silkies. Someone has autosexing cream legbars on byc if you're looking for cold hardy blue egg layers...