Good idea! I have not researched the heated water options yet, but now that the coop is here, it's time to figure out what we want. We're in NJ so it generally doesn't get too cold for too long, but still need it for when it does.Have to admit that I use the heated metal fountain base and it works very well. Before that, I set the whole thing on top of a birdbath heater and that worked well also for several years. As flimsy as the birdbath heater seemed. it always functioned.
I let mine out to wander and this "holographic scare tape" really seems to work. I have 5 foot long sections of it hanging around the perimeter and other spots throughout. Not only does this flash and move, the tape also has the effect of rotating circles on it. I had a hawk come into the run itself two days in a row and kill a bird each time. After putting this up, they have avoided the yard completely. Something about it seems to prevent them from even focusing on a target. Hung near the end of the house it has also stopped the woodpecker from trying to make a hole in the wood.
If you're handy, this has worked well for me for 5 years now:
That looks so nice!!! I use straw and it works great. Flock loves it! Very absorbent and insulated!First time flockers, our new coop arrived on Tuesday. After following along in the chicken world for close to a year, I learned quickly that we'd outgrow a little starter coop in a hot minute, so we decided to "buy it once, buy it right". That said, I'm a backyard chicken keeper in mostly suburban New Jersey - I have a 2 acre plot of land, and our town ordinance technically says I'm allowed to have up to 6 hens, no roosters, no free ranging.
Here's the coop. It's a 6x16 overall footprint. We built a pad for it out of pressure treated lumber, gravel to level - with a full layer of 1/2" hardware cloth under the pad now buried in gravel. Now that the coop is placed, we plan to topdress the gravel with some material that will be more chicken friendly. I'm interested in recommendations. We do have sizeable pile of woodchips from some recent tree work about 2 feet to the right of the end of the run...so that might be a good idea. But definitely open to suggestions.
Thanks!
Thanks! My husband is very handy. I'm sure we could make this.
Don't go cheap on a heater.
I'll make sure to get a good one. Thanks!
