My 1st Southern Coop

[Jx2inNC]

For what it is worth, I never intended to spend more than a couple hundred dollars on this thing...but convincing myself to "do it right the first time" is nickle-and-diming me to death!

I'm sure it won't be anywhere near the most expensive coop on here, by any means I wouldn't think, but lumber and nails/screws/brackets can add up, let me tell you!

 

[write2caroline]

Okay just have that airlifted over to my place - you will need more room anyway - it isn't half as big as you need it to be and this one will just be in the way!

Wink ' Wink!

Is is working????

Beeeee UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU TEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUULLLLL Coop so jealous!!!!
Caroline

 

[chseeads]

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My suggestion and opinion is come and build me one when you're done.

 

[Jx2inNC]

ha ha yeah right!!

thanks guys!!

glad everyone likes it so far, makes us feel better about how much it has ended up costing

-Julie

 

[Jx2inNC]

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Thanks Caroline!
It'd actually be nice to make a living building chicken houses.

Too bad mine is nowhere near perfect enough for someone to pay good money for it!

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My suggestion and opinion is come and build me one when you're done.

Hey, if you were close by I'd be glad to help.
I enjoy doing stuff that is constructive, and this has been enjoyable (other than the times of frustration

).
As confused and overwhelmed as you may feel going in, it isn't that bad once you get your feet wet!

- Jared

 

[I'mACountryGirl]

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Welcome to chickening!!!!

 

[Jx2inNC]

I'mACountryGirl :

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Welcome to chickening!!!!

I think that sums it up!​

 

[bigstack]

What type of fencing are you going to use? Just remember "CHICKEN WIRE IS FOR CHICKENS!" LOL It won't keep anything out! It just keeps the chickens in. I used 2x4 welded wire for mine. Then i just ran a 24 inch piece of chicken wire along the bottom inside to keep them from pecking the electric fence. I learned the hard way that old STRONG electric fencing will kill a chicken. I had 1 lay its head on the hot wire! It fried its brains! I felt so horrible!!!

It is an old weed burner that don't pulse off and on. But it keeps the dogs and animals away! LOL And YES! it hurts!!! LOL I also layed old cross ties all along the bottom of my run along the outside edge. I had 13 just laying beside the burn pile. so I figured why not!

Your set up really looks GREAT! Congrats!

Good luck and God Bless!

 

[elmo]

That's a beautiful coop and run you've got going there. It's going to be spectacular.

Just a thought: instead of burying wire, consider laying an apron or skirt of wire flat on the ground on the outside of the perimeter, but attached to the bottom rail. Predators who dig will dig right at the fence, hit the apron, and give up. They won't think of backing up a foot or two to find the edge of the apron. On the other hand, a predator who digs but hits wire will tend to try to dig deeper, so if this is your method of deterring predators you might have to dig down pretty deep yourself to put a wire barrier down there.

I hate to dig in our clay soil, so I used the apron method.

 

[Jx2inNC]

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Well, we were given a good size roll of 1/4" welded wire, so....
...I thought about using the 3' (or however high it is) welded wire from in the ground to as high as it would go and then using hardware mesh (the galvanized I presume, does anyone use the colored plastic/fabric?) from under the top few inches of the welded wire all the way to the ridge piece at the top of the roof (for the non-roofed area).
How do you think that would work?

I'll test out my security construction skills first and step it up a notch if that just isn't cutting it!
Thanks again for the ideas and reassurance. I really appreciate it.
God bless you too!