Need Constructive Ideas I'm New to all this!

[HunterUSArmy]

Hey I'm Chris I'm from south west Georgia and I have started my journey into self sustaining farming have always wanted chickens and now I am a proud owner of three two week old RIR pullets! I'm building my first coop and I need ideas and constructive criticism please!

 

[HunterUSArmy]

Roof is not finished please don't think that's permanent lol

 

[jetdog]

That chicken wire won't keep predators out, redo it with hardware cloth or look for a dog kennel you'll need a wire apron to keep anything from digging into the run, alot of people build covered runs with 2x4's and hardware cloth.

 

[HunterUSArmy]

 

[6of6chicks]

Welcome to chicken keeping! It's quite an adventure, let me tell you!

I'd put hardware cloth on the coop too. Looks like you've got chicken wire on the window? Pretty much anything can tear through that like tissue paper. When you're doing the hardware cloth apron for the run make sure to do the coop as well. All sorts of things would love to dig a tunnel right up into your coop!

How big are the gaps between the slats of wood? You might want to put up an inner wall of plywood. Without it you have a nice toehold for a raccoon to pull or chew the wood straight off. They are astonishingly strong and clever. If the gap is more than 1/2 inch you will also get snakes in your coop. I had a 2 1/2 foot snake squeeze into my run through a 3/4 inch gap.

On a side note - thank you for your military service!

This civilian appreciates you more than you know!

 

[4 the Birds]

Hey I'm Chris I'm from south west Georgia and I have started my journey into self sustaining farming have always wanted chickens and now I am a proud owner of three two week old RIR pullets! I'm building my first coop and I need ideas and constructive criticism please!

Welcome and good ideas posted so far. For sure replace the tarp with some type of tin or plywood sheets anchored and angled to drain rain water. High winds will throw that tarp off pretty quick. May need better run fencing if you have predators in your area. You need a roosting bar in the coop and a few nesting boxes. Looks like a good start!

 

[HunterUSArmy]

Awesome ideas this little building my dad and I actually built twenty years ago when I was three and it is still in great condition the spaces look huge in this picture lol but I guess the light coming thru over exaggerated it cause they are maybe like as fourth of an inch but I will cover that just in case! Thanks for the tips just adding to it as I go this is my first rodeo with chickens ! Y'all are the ones with the experience and I'm more than appreciative for any and all advice! I using t bar and double chicken wire right now just as a base I guess you could say I plan to build a larger run around it with 2x4s and the hardware cloth then when complete take out the bars and chicken wire and wala! My rir pullets are still very young so I put them in there for little while to let them get use to it and exercise and play under my supervision then I return them to there temporary home in my baby pool I rigged inside screened in porch hey don't judge cause it works lol
Thank you for your support Benn a infantryman in the army for three years and still serving as a infantryman in the army national guard now!

 

[4 the Birds]

Awesome ideas this little building my dad and I actually built twenty years ago when I was three and it is still in great condition the spaces look huge in this picture lol but I guess the light coming thru over exaggerated it cause they are maybe like as fourth of an inch but I will cover that just in case! Thanks for the tips just adding to it as I go this is my first rodeo with chickens ! Y'all are the ones with the experience and I'm more than appreciative for any and all advice! I using t bar and double chicken wire right now just as a base I guess you could say I plan to build a larger run around it with 2x4s and the hardware cloth then when complete take out the bars and chicken wire and wala! My rir pullets are still very young so I put them in there for little while to let them get use to it and exercise and play under my supervision then I return them to there temporary home in my baby pool I rigged inside screened in porch hey don't judge cause it works lol
Thank you for your support Benn a infantryman in the army for three years and still serving as a infantryman in the army national guard now!

Thanks for your service and good luck!

 

[HunterUSArmy]

Thanks 4 the Bird my birds ain't living in it yet not till I'm finished and they are little older but I plan to use plywood and some tin! Working on a perch as we speak luckily only predators that are in my area is mainly the neighbor's dog whom snatched up my barred rock pullet last night cause she broke thru my screen door on porch and ran off with her I live right out side town.we have coons foxes etc but not to bad that I have noticed in my area but hey I'm willing to bet when they figure out chickens are there they will start showing up but we will be ready! Btw if I have any typos etc it's autocorrect on my phone it's aggravating lol

 

[4 the Birds]

Thanks 4 the Bird my birds ain't living in it yet not till I'm finished and they are little older but I plan to use plywood and some tin! Working on a perch as we speak luckily only predators that are in my area is mainly the neighbor's dog whom snatched up my barred rock pullet last night cause she broke thru my screen door on porch and ran off with her I live right out side town.we have coons foxes etc but not to bad that I have noticed in my area but hey I'm willing to bet when they figure out chickens are there they will start showing up but we will be ready! Btw if I have any typos etc it's autocorrect on my phone it's aggravating lol

Sorry about your pullet! Yup... dogs can get through chicken wire and screen doors pretty easy. We have 7 dogs and the chicken/goat area is fenced off from them with no climb horse fencing. The goats are in with the chickens so the run has to be sturdy and also horse fence. Goats love to lean and nibble at things!