My First Coop + Run

[rossco17]

Hello everyone.

I've been on here looking at photos of chicken coops for months and now that mine is almost completed, I thought I'd share. I've been spending all my free time working on it as we are soon headed out for vacation and our six chicks will be 6 weeks old when we leave. So I need to get them out of the brooder (cardboard box) before then. The coop is 6'x4' and the run is 10'x6'.

This is my first attempt at building anything structural and it was a lot of fun. I still have plenty to do: seal the lumber, roll out blackjack #57 on the floor and tray, hardware cloth, run door, latches. and more, I'm sure. I'm planning on using sweet pdz on the poop tray, and a combination of sweet pdz and pine shavings on the floor. I'd be interested in anyone's thoughts on that plan. Thanks!

 

[8MerryHens]

Coop and run are looking good! I am also new to chickens but started using Sweet PDZ after reading about it on BYC and love it. My pullets (13 weeks) are in their temp home (a secure 4 x 10 ft run under the coop) until the coop is done. I put roosting logs on the top half of a dog kennel with boot trays under the logs with Sweet PDZ. No smell, no flies, and so easy to clean up - just use a kitty litter scoop to sift out the droppings. I don't find it to be dusty as they only walk in it as they move to their roosts at night or to perch during the day when taking a break from roaming the yard. I plan on using it in the coop in the poop trays. So I think you have a great plan!