My First Coop ... need lots of help and advice

[Apopka Cluckers]

Hello,

I am a new member and wanted to get some thoughts on my first coop. A friend and I built this from wood that was laying around the property. The only money I have in it so far is the money for the nails, hinges, and latch.

I feel like I just want to keep adding to it. I look at it daily and think of what I can do to make it better for the girls and boys. These pics are a few weeks old. I now have a hanging feeder that I made from a post I saw on here and I am planning 2 of those PVC pipe feeders for the future.

I still need to build a run which I want to come off of the left side of the coop and it will be 20'X 18' and 6' high. I need suggestions for construction and placement of laying boxes and a roost. The coop is 10X10 and there are 8 birds in there right now. I do plan on getting at least 10 more hens in the spring. I have 5 hens and 3 roosters in there right now.

The page also contains pictures of the puppies as they were uploaded to the same page .. sorry

http://deodar.multiply.com/photos/album/13/Chickens_Coop_and_Puppies

Thank you,
Patrick

 

[Animallover606]

cute and awsome pics

 

[mama3chix]

Good job on the coop, and

,you'll love it here

 

[LynneP]

Is it possible to cover your wire with 1/2" mesh hardware cloth- keeps out predators and mice. Also, in a wind/rain storm you might want more protection. During our last one it was so bad in the run that if I had let them out the birds would have been bashed to death. We added snow boards and some vinyl shielding at the time with great success. Trying to see how floor is constructed...it's a lot of work isn't it?
You are a displaced northerner- from? Wondering if you are Canuck...

 

[JennsPeeps]

Welcome, Patrick!

Looks like you've got a nice start on the coop. Congrats!

BYC members love to offer advice, so let us know if you can give you any! lol

What breeds of chickens do you have? You might want to narrow down the roosters, as they'll fight as they get older. Do you intend to let them raise chicks (

).

Nice to have you! jenn.

 

[Apopka Cluckers]

LynneP,

I was thinking about covering the wire in the front with something. We are in a rural area and the predators that I can see are raccoons, pack dogs, cats, and coyotes. The dogs do a very good job of keeping everything out of the yard but I think you are right for the covering.

The floor is just whatever was on the ground covered with hay. I find most people like shavings over hay but I didn't read that until I had laid the hay down.

We are in Central Florida and the storms usually run the same way everytime which is why the opening points south. We have had a few light rains and nothing yet but we haven't had a bad storm yet.

You would be correct. I am actually born and raised in Montreal. Couldn't have chickens in Montreal.

Thanks for the great advice.

 

[Apopka Cluckers]

Jenn,

Thanks for the welcome.

I don't know what they are. I got them from a friend who told me that two of them were araucanas but from reading it doesn't seem like they are. I guess I will find out when they start laying.

I don't know how to thin the roosters but people are telling me to just process them for food.

I started with these chickens for the production of eggs but I will tell you something that I found out really quickly ... they are addicting lol. I just want to keep going and adding to the coop and to the flock. I find myself wondering what I can do to make the little birds happier. My wife finds that a little disturbing lol

 

[Rufflemyfeathers]

Living in Astatula Florida have our chicken coop wire front facing southh..on one end of mine from the directions weather comes the end is boarded up plywood and wire..just front facing south florida open too.



Quote:

 

[JennsPeeps]

Quote:
Heh... that's what I was getting at. LOL You could also (if you do want to get rid of them) try craigslist or freecycle.

Chickens are soo addicting. This board is full of great enablers... erm, I mean "supporters" who understand their appeal. Get ready for your friends to roll their eyes at you, but we never will!!

 

[halo]

Very nice job, I like it. You might want to run some hardware cloth inside of the wire front; raccoons will come by, lure them over, then grab them and pull them right thru the wire. Nasty creatures. The half inch hardware cloth prevents that. Also being in Florida, I find most of the storms come from the west, so if thats facing south you should be fine. How big of a run are you going to attach to it?