My Coop Design Idea

[Jaybee337]

I used SketchUp to design my coop. I wanted to make something that was completely my design. I take DIY to the extreme.

I used cedar boards at the bottom to for the contrast.

This is my nesting box.

This is the inside of the coop.

This is my waterer

I have a gutter on the backside to catch rainwater.

This is my feeder. I plan on adding two more once my chickens get older.

I will add cedar boards at the top of coop where it is open.

Would like to hear feedback.

 

[Acre4Me]

Looks great! Your coop/run is attractive!

Water runoff for chickens drinking is not always best. Birds and other critters can poop on roof and it goes directly to the birds. With the current state of HPAI (highly pathogenic avian influenza) this would be a risky choice. The water barrel and where the water points are at is great, but barrel may be better filled with hose or runoff water filtered before it gets to birds.

 

[Jaybee337]

Looks great! Your coop/run is attractive!

Water runoff for chickens drinking is not always best. Birds and other critters can poop on roof and it goes directly to the birds. With the current state of HPAI (highly pathogenic avian influenza) this would be a risky choice. The water barrel and where the water points are at is great, but barrel may be better filled with hose or runoff water filtered before it gets to birds.

I agree with this. I am in the process of putting together a filtration system.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Very nice open air coop! Only thing I would say is to extend the eaves

 

[mowin]

Looks great.

Not sure what your predator situation is, but you might think about changing the chicken wire with HC. Chicken wire is great at keeping chickens in, but not so good at keeping predators out.

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

Looks great. I would suggest hardware cloth instead of chicken wire to keep out rats, mice and small predators. I see a gap around the man-door, you may want to overlap hardware cloth so there's no access points. Extend overhang so rain stays out. Good job!

 

[aart]

I am in the process of putting together a filtration system.

Would be hard to filter out viruses on a gravity system.

 

[MadGardener]

I recommend an overflow for your barrel. If it overflows in heavy rain, you want to make sure it flows away from your run. A hole a few inches from the top with a pipe should suffice, and the pipe wouldn't need to be anything food safe or fancy.

 

[Ted Brown]

I agree with this. I am in the process of putting together a filtration system.

As @aart indicated above using a filter to remove viruses is not possible in a gravity fed system; the CDC confirms this.

Whlle viruses vary in size they are all much smaller than bacterias which is what common water filters are intended to accomplish.

Lots of references online to explain and confirm this.

UV light systems do kill viruses and are available for use in a water supply system.

 

[MasterofNone]

We haven't even begun building our coop yet, so I am zero help. But I have been haunting everyone's coop threads to learn. Just wanted to say, your coop is beautiful!

And thanks to all those making suggestions about rain barrels, runoff, chicken wire v. hardware cloth... I learn so much from just lurking.