New Coop - Looking for Ideas

[Sequel]

I use woodchips and leaves.

 

[aart]

I have a built in heated nipple waterer. Not sure if nipplers go bad often?

The nipples in my waterer are 5 years old...but they are inside so out of the sun. I think they are pretty tough.

As for the grit, is it a schedule or just random?

Random.

 

[blackdog043]

Do you always open you run no matter the weather? Do you have a different option for feed inside the coop if this happens?

I have two 7 gallon bucket no waste feeders, with 4 elbows in each one. I have one in the coop and one in the run. Same with my horizontal nipple waterers, one in each location. One is 14 gallon and the other is 5 gallon(might change the 5 gal to 14 gallon soon). The only reason I have them inside and out, is options for the chickens. My coop and run are open 24/7 and the whole run has a solid roof, so it's protected from the weather.

I have a built in heated nipple waterer. Not sure if nipplers go bad often?

The nipples should be replaceable, if they start giving you problems. Do you have a picture of the waterer?

Thank you! That brings up another question. What is the general consensus on run material other than full sand?

I have deep litter in my run, it works great, doesn't stink or draw flies and gives the chickens something to scratch and dust bath in. Chicken poop breaks down into the deep litter. To start deep litter get untreated, not dyed wood chips. Tree trimming wood chips work good, make sure they are aged 6 months. When and if available, add some yard and garden waste, leaves, pine needles, small pieces of tree limbs, straw...You want a good mixture of stuff so it stays loose and does not compact. If your is uncovered the water will filter down into the soil, just like a mulched flower bed. Every so often you will have to add more stuff as it breaks down.
This is a picture of my run after I added yard/garden waste.

 

[Benderb15]

The nipples should be replaceable, if they start giving you problems. Do you have a picture of the waterer?

This is my current waterer. I also have a metal 5 gallon one that i used last summer before replacing with this one for the winter season. South of buffalo in ski country can get pretty cold/snowy so the heated one is a necessary addition.

My old one i was using:

I have deep litter in my run, it works great, doesn't stink or draw flies and gives the chickens something to scratch and dust bath in. Chicken poop breaks down into the deep litter. To start deep litter get untreated, not dyed wood chips. Tree trimming wood chips work good, make sure they are aged 6 months. When and if available, add some yard and garden waste, leaves, pine needles, small pieces of tree limbs, straw...You want a good mixture of stuff so it stays loose and does not compact. If your is uncovered the water will filter down into the soil, just like a mulched flower bed. Every so often you will have to add more stuff as it breaks down.

Do you ever shovel out what is in there to make room for more? Did you start low and work your way up or do you just add regardless of the height?

I use woodchips and leaves.

Fresh leaves and grass clippings - or do you let it all dry out before adding? I'd hate to plug them up with fresh clippings. Especially from my fields. The acre around the houses and barns are mowed often. The 2 acres next to my house i mow once it gets about 6-8 inches, leaving about 4 inch clippings. Are these to long to add? My fields are hayed by a local farmer that i give to him free of charge so i could probably ask for a bail or two of hay every cutting if i wanted.

 

[aart]

This is my current waterer.

I'd just unplug it....or make another.

BTW please don't edit out the user names in your quotes, so we know who you are responding to or questioning.

 

[Benderb15]

I'd just unplug it....or make another.

BTW please don't edit out the user names in your quotes, so we know who you are responding to or questioning.

I'm sorry about that, i wasn't using the actual quote button. I was just copy and pasting the line i wanted to quote and typing the bracket commands. I will use the buttons going forward for the alerts!

 

[blackdog043]

Do you ever shovel out what is in there to make room for more? Did you start low and work your way up or do you just add regardless of the height?

I started with about 4 inches of wood chips, then added stuff as I got it. It's about 8 - 10 inches deep now. I haven't cleaned any out in 2 years, I can still walk under the run roof. When I can't I'll have to take some out.

 

[blackdog043]

You can buy horizontal nipples on Amazon, if you ever need to replace those or you can make another one.

 

[Benderb15]

I started with about 4 inches of wood chips, then added stuff as I got it. It's about 8 - 10 inches deep now. I haven't cleaned any out in 2 years, I can still walk under the run roof. When I can't I'll have to take some out.

Is the base of your coop deep enough to support that? Or does it overflow through your fencing?

You can buy horizontal nipples on Amazon, if you ever need to replace those or you can make another one.

Thanks. I wasn't sure if commercial bought waterers like this one could be replaced.

 

[blackdog043]

Is the base of your coop deep enough to support that? Or does it overflow through your fencing?

Some goes through my fencing, as it breaks down, but not a lot. It's all 1/2 inch hardware cloth. I have industrial shelving racks all around the bottom of the run also and the hardware cloth is attached to that.