Nest Boxes inside or out and Feed Storage?

[Babe77]

sojeo wrote: Now I'm wondering about insulating the coop! How much is that going to cost!

We just purchased our insulation tonight. We need both 16" and 24". We did purchase the Faced insulation (R13) for the walls as they are at different angles (slopped roof, height on one side is 6' and the other side is 8') and the Unfaced (R19) for the ceiling. For an 8 x 12 coop, the cost was only $ 100.00. The unfaced needs to have a vapor barrier (plastic) tacked up also, but we do have some of that here. We then will cover with a plywood to prevent them from eating it.​

 

[Judy]

You can make a water heater out of one of those old-fashioned metal round cookie tins and a "lamp kit," which is just the socket for the bulb, some wire and a plug, and a switch. Need to drill a hole in the side of the cookie tin, of course. A regular light bulb should be enough to keep the water liquid, even up there.

I keep feed in metal garbage cans. Too many bad experiences with critters eating through even the heavy duty plastic containers.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

For me, it was well worth the money for the metal garbage cans! I had the feed in a rubbermaid tote inside the coop, and mice, (ok, it was probably rats, but I'm going to say "mice" for my peace of mind) chewed a big hole in the lid. I shelled out the money for a metal can, and I leave the feed in the bags, and I got a big enough can to fit 2 bags in - 1 feed and 1 corn...
I won't comment on the nest boxes, because you seem to have that all figured out!!

 

[Firework]

Instead of insulating the coop, I have a solar window in mine. It gets to be more than 4o` warmer inside the coop than it is outside!! This can be done buy getting a big old glass window or something and putting it in your coop so the sun can shine in and warm it up. I also have a big slab of rock in mine so when the sun shines in it heats up the rock so that when the sun goes down the stone releases the heat into the coop to keep it warm until the sun comes up the next morning.

 

[sojeo]

Wow! Thanks for all the reply guys! I am just itching to get the coop totally finished!

Ok, you have me totally convinced, insulated walls and ceilings. We plan on using hay bales around the bottom in the winter. We do have 2 almost floorlength double paned windows on one side that gets the morning sun. They tip inwards on small adjustable chains at the top to open and they create a lot of heat in the coop. (Thanks to my very smart and handy FIL).

I'm pretty sure we are going to skip the garbage cans due to the expense and go with the 3 vintage tipout wooden flour bins that I found in the attic of our old barn. They are in perfect shape, made with very heavy wood and one is divided into 4 sections for oyster shell, gravel, BOS, scratch, or whatever else I discover that I will want to store in the coop. DH is going to made me a cabinet to set them in, then the nest boxes will sit on top in a row along the wall. Having an old barn full of stuff is so much fun, I found a whole pile of old heavy window screens that I put together for my brooder (currently in the spot where my bins will go). I am just charging up my batteries so that I can take some pics for you. We planted the window boxes the other day, will look so pretty with nasturtiums and scarlet runners climbing up the hardware cloth covered windows to give them a little shade.

Funny thing this morning, the big girls are hanging around the house more. Found them in our sunporch twice, that's a no no! Last night they were all perched on the garden swing, too cute!

Thanks again everyone!

 

[Gwen]

Can't wait for photos!

How lucky of you to have all that fun stuff to discover. I love those pull-out bins.

 

[Firework]

Excited to see photoes!!

 

[sojeo]

Ok, this was not the best day to be taking pictures as it is cold and rainy outside. Please remember that we are still in the process of building, tweaking, etc. The brooder is temporary, we are going to insulate, still need the food bins, nesting boxes and another roost, plus outside enclosure. But, so far so good! Enjoy!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sojeo/sets/72157620585786467/

 

[Gwen]

Really fun to see. The chickies are cute. Your children are adorable! Love the photo of all the chicks roosting on your daughter's arm.

Neat coop. Nicely done. And your chicks had a deluxe brooder. I don't think I've seen any other photos where people put in little roosts and greens and stuff to keep them occupied. Now I'm getting ideas for my chicks about to arrive in only 2 more days...