I wanted to share my coop.
I have this room that is built onto my barn. It's sectioned into 2 parts, so it's really 2 rooms. Used as a tack room by the people that lived here before us who had horses. We have alpacas, so I've been using it as a vet room. Medical supplies, the alpaca scale etc. I actually only used 1 of the rooms.
It's got a good roof, insulated walls, tile floor, Lights, electrical outlets, & windows. There is a door that enters from my yard and another that goes into the barn. I decided to just frame in a section and add a gate. The one window is now the chicken door to their run. The run is just until they get older. Then I'll open the gate and they can have access to the alpaca areas.
I had very little materials, and even less money to spend on a coop so I had to use what ever I could find on the property. The only thing I bought was the chicken wire.
The brooder box started out in this area and then I just cut the side out and let them gradually have the whole pen. When it got really cold at night I put a little radiant heater in the room and kept it nice & toasty.
I have a 2nd batch of chicks coming tomorrow and I'll do the same in the adjoining area and eventually combine the 2 areas. I can change things around very easily as the chicks get bigger. There are still a lot of things I want to do to it. Add permanent roosts, the nesting boxes, a ledge or shelf on either side of the window, and may change the ramp setup.
What I love the most is that I have set up some camping chairs inside the room, but outside the fenced in part, and I can sit and watch my girls. I have really enjoyed many hours relaxing and watching the chicks grow into chickens. I have been able to see what works and what doesn't and gotten to know their different personalities and behaviors.
I don't think many people get the chance to hang out in their coops.
The Coop
Brooders awaiting
The Run
Any suggestions about what else I could do to make it better would be appreciated.
I have this room that is built onto my barn. It's sectioned into 2 parts, so it's really 2 rooms. Used as a tack room by the people that lived here before us who had horses. We have alpacas, so I've been using it as a vet room. Medical supplies, the alpaca scale etc. I actually only used 1 of the rooms.
It's got a good roof, insulated walls, tile floor, Lights, electrical outlets, & windows. There is a door that enters from my yard and another that goes into the barn. I decided to just frame in a section and add a gate. The one window is now the chicken door to their run. The run is just until they get older. Then I'll open the gate and they can have access to the alpaca areas.
I had very little materials, and even less money to spend on a coop so I had to use what ever I could find on the property. The only thing I bought was the chicken wire.
The brooder box started out in this area and then I just cut the side out and let them gradually have the whole pen. When it got really cold at night I put a little radiant heater in the room and kept it nice & toasty.
I have a 2nd batch of chicks coming tomorrow and I'll do the same in the adjoining area and eventually combine the 2 areas. I can change things around very easily as the chicks get bigger. There are still a lot of things I want to do to it. Add permanent roosts, the nesting boxes, a ledge or shelf on either side of the window, and may change the ramp setup.
What I love the most is that I have set up some camping chairs inside the room, but outside the fenced in part, and I can sit and watch my girls. I have really enjoyed many hours relaxing and watching the chicks grow into chickens. I have been able to see what works and what doesn't and gotten to know their different personalities and behaviors.
I don't think many people get the chance to hang out in their coops.
The Coop
Brooders awaiting
The Run
Any suggestions about what else I could do to make it better would be appreciated.
