My bday was last month and I told dh I didn't want anything but this coop. So he started it at the end of August and we put it in place today. Here's the completed coop (you can see our old prefab in the background-it is waaaay too small).
more pics including interior ones and some in-progress pics, plus some descriptions, on my byc coop page here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=65884-new-chicken-coop
The chickens were very cautious but with some food-bribes most of them finally went in. However, one nutty australorp decided she didn't want her feet touching the evil shavings (we had sand before, and pine pellets before that) so she flew in the pop door, which freaked out all the other chickens that were in there, who all proceeded to try to fly out the windows. Failing, of course, since there are hardware cloth coverings plus glass on them. Luckily the wire is inside so they didn't touch the glass. So anyway, come dusk, no one was interested in going back in. We had already closed up the old coop and they all paced back and forth in front of the old pop door, waiting for it to magically open, like it does in the morning (thanks to dh). Finally our two EE pullets braved it and went in the big, scary, new coop. They hopped up to the roost, moved to the supports (they are used to narrower boards for a roost) and settled in. Several others peered inside but quickly went back to pacing. Once it was getting pretty dark, dh went in and put them in the coop through the pop door. It took some effort since even in the moonlight, some were still pacing. Once they were in did they get on the roost? Nope. They all piled in the corner (except for our two genius EEs). So he went in and one by one, set them on the roost. When I went to check on them a couple of hours later, they were all squeezed onto the two supports and half of the roost. Their old roost was about 5' long. This one is about 9.5' long. Our chickens are cuddlers, for sure. I sure hope they get the idea tomorrow-I'm not sure how long dh will have patience for catching chickens.
more pics including interior ones and some in-progress pics, plus some descriptions, on my byc coop page here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=65884-new-chicken-coop
The chickens were very cautious but with some food-bribes most of them finally went in. However, one nutty australorp decided she didn't want her feet touching the evil shavings (we had sand before, and pine pellets before that) so she flew in the pop door, which freaked out all the other chickens that were in there, who all proceeded to try to fly out the windows. Failing, of course, since there are hardware cloth coverings plus glass on them. Luckily the wire is inside so they didn't touch the glass. So anyway, come dusk, no one was interested in going back in. We had already closed up the old coop and they all paced back and forth in front of the old pop door, waiting for it to magically open, like it does in the morning (thanks to dh). Finally our two EE pullets braved it and went in the big, scary, new coop. They hopped up to the roost, moved to the supports (they are used to narrower boards for a roost) and settled in. Several others peered inside but quickly went back to pacing. Once it was getting pretty dark, dh went in and put them in the coop through the pop door. It took some effort since even in the moonlight, some were still pacing. Once they were in did they get on the roost? Nope. They all piled in the corner (except for our two genius EEs). So he went in and one by one, set them on the roost. When I went to check on them a couple of hours later, they were all squeezed onto the two supports and half of the roost. Their old roost was about 5' long. This one is about 9.5' long. Our chickens are cuddlers, for sure. I sure hope they get the idea tomorrow-I'm not sure how long dh will have patience for catching chickens.
