New Coop - Looking for Ideas

[Benderb15]

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.

View attachment 1725074

Thanks for the ideas. That is a nice simple run! What size is that? How many birds?

 

[kmom08]

Rabbit feeders work great for grit and oyster shell! We were originally using only tuna cans with hose clamps, but I had a young hen last fall laying soft/no shell when she began laying. I thought maybe she wasn't seeing the oyster shell. I had a couple of exta rabbit feeders and they work great, water drains out the bottom when it rains.
As far as waterers the metal ones keep the water cooler in the summer, but you can't use apple cider vinegar in them. I keep a plastic one for use with vinegar.
I really like the little Giant plastic ones (sold in 3 gal, 5 gal or 7 gal) because it fills from the top, I can reach my hand and arm in to clean the inside well, and the base comes off for easy cleaning.
I'm not a fan of the waterers that you have to fill then tip over, but I do have a small 5 quart one I use for vitamins/probiotic when needed.

Also keeping the waterers up on the big cement blocks helps keep it so much cleaner.

 

[Benderb15]

Rabbit feeders work great for grit and oyster shell! We were originally using only tuna cans with hose clamps, but I had a young hen last fall laying soft/no shell when she began laying. I thought maybe she wasn't seeing the oyster shell. I had a couple of exta rabbit feeders and they work great, water drains out the bottom when it rains.
As far as waterers the metal ones keep the water cooler in the summer, but you can't use apple cider vinegar in them. I keep a plastic one for use with vinegar.
I really like the little Giant plastic ones (sold in 3 gal, 5 gal or 7 gal) because it fills from the top, I can reach my hand and arm in to clean the inside well, and the base comes off for easy cleaning.
I'm not a fan of the waterers that you have to fill then tip over, but I do have a small 5 quart one I use for vitamins/probiotic when needed.

Also keeping the waterers up on the big cement blocks helps keep it so much cleaner.

Apple cider vinegar? Do you mean for cleaning?

 

[kmom08]

Apple cider vinegar? Do you mean for cleaning?

I give apple cider vinegar with the mother in their water for gut health basically

 

[blackdog043]

Thanks for the ideas. That is a nice simple run! What size is that? How many birds?

The run is 8 x 25, I have 16 chickens and eleven 4 week old chicks integrating right now. I may have to get rid of a couple, it will be tight. My coop and run are open 24/7 and they free range a few hours daily.

 

[Benderb15]

Rabbit feeders work great for grit and oyster shell! We were originally using only tuna cans with hose clamps, but I had a young hen last fall laying soft/no shell when she began laying. I thought maybe she wasn't seeing the oyster shell. I had a couple of exta rabbit feeders and they work great, water drains out the bottom when it rains.
As far as waterers the metal ones keep the water cooler in the summer, but you can't use apple cider vinegar in them. I keep a plastic one for use with vinegar.
I really like the little Giant plastic ones (sold in 3 gal, 5 gal or 7 gal) because it fills from the top, I can reach my hand and arm in to clean the inside well, and the base comes off for easy cleaning.
I'm not a fan of the waterers that you have to fill then tip over, but I do have a small 5 quart one I use for vitamins/probiotic when needed.

Also keeping the waterers up on the big cement blocks helps keep it so much cleaner.

Thanks for the rabbit feeder idea! I didnt find one at the feed store that was workable for me but I did find this "mineral feeder" that works perfectly! I hung it up in the coop and filled half with grit and the other half oyster shell.

The run is 8 x 25, I have 16 chickens and eleven 4 week old chicks integrating right now. I may have to get rid of a couple, it will be tight, my coop and run are open 24/7 and they free range a few hours daily.

I raked up some of their mess from my gardens to start the litter. It's mostly some dirt, mulch, leaves, and pine needles to start. I think I'll just add a little at a time. I left em in piles. Make the girls do some of the work !

I also added done play toys and a dust bath station for them ! They were in for the night by the time I finished and tomorrow is suppose to rain for the bulk of the day. I'll open them to the run anyways but I dont know how much they will explore it will be raining hard tomorrow.

I attached some more pictures of my progress.

And of course my favorite girl that never leaves my side!

 

[Alaskan]

Thanks for the rabbit feeder idea! I didnt find one at the feed store that was workable for me but I did find this "mineral feeder" that works perfectly! I hung it up in the coop and filled half with grit and the other half oyster shell.
View attachment 1726506



I raked up some of their mess from my gardens to start the litter. It's mostly some dirt, mulch, leaves, and pine needles to start. I think I'll just add a little at a time. I left em in piles. Make the girls do some of the work !

View attachment 1726508

I also added done play toys and a dust bath station for them ! They were in for the night by the time I finished and tomorrow is suppose to rain for the bulk of the day. I'll open them to the run anyways but I dont know how much they will explore it will be raining hard tomorrow.

I attached some more pictures of my progress.

View attachment 1726509 View attachment 1726510 View attachment 1726511 View attachment 1726512 View attachment 1726513 View attachment 1726514


And of course my favorite girl that never leaves my side!

View attachment 1726515

It looks very nice!

(Well.... except for the fact that you have chicken wire on the run walls... that gives me the willies)

 

[trumpeting_angel]

It looks very nice!

(Well.... except for the fact that you have chicken wire on the run walls... that gives me the willies)

It does look beautiful. Maybe at least add hardware cloth all around for 3’ - 4’ on the bottom?

 

[blackdog043]

Adding a little at a time will work. When it starts to smell a little, just add more stuff. After you get 3 - 4 inches deep, it will take longer to give off odors. If you can't get tree trimming chips, you could use cypress mulch or pine bark nuggets. I would get 4 bags to add now, then add stuff as needed. Chicken poop on dirt doesn't smell very good.

I use the same mineral feeders, for my fermented feed. I made key hole slots, so I can hang and remove them easy. Although you shouldn't have to remove that one, I thought I would just pass that info on to you.


Will you be locking your chickens inside the coop every night? Chicken wire will not stop predators. If you want to get 1/2" hardware cloth, check amazon or walmart.com, they have the best prices.

What are you gonna use for your run roof?

Get something better to lock your pop door at night, it looks like you have a barrel slide bolt. A raccoon will have that open in a couple seconds. A hasp lock with a carabiner or spring snap clip will work.

I use 2 of these on my run door, my pop door is open 24/7.

 

[aart]

Need more cleats on the ramp to roosts, 4-6" spacing work best.
Might also want to put the low end up on a 16" concrete block, or something, to reduce the steepness.

What is the purpose of the board just above the ground in the run?

Nice dog, always wanted a Shelty.