NEW COOP!!! Modified resin shed

[hollymh]

Got a new coop!!! So happy, the girls are still iffy about it and we have a few skeptical girls at night who aren't sure how to get back in! We got a resin shed off craigslist for free and added vents around the top, it had two installed in back already and a door on the side for them to go to the run, soon we will add a whirlybird and a window but so far its soooo much better, we went from a 4x5 that was only 4ft tall and not predator proof merely resistant, to an 8x6! The total cost was $29 and that was to build the floor. I will be adding sand as my litter but for now it's shavings.

I did generic wood nesting boxes with the slanted top and a wooden roost bolted to the floor.
I used all scrap wood from my previous coop to eliminate additional costs

 

[iwiw60]

Gosh, I'm no expert by any stretch of the imagination, but from looking at your pics there's no windows??? Maybe it's just too dang dark in there and that's stopping them from wanting to go in?? Just a thought!

I notice your roosting bars....awfully steep!

 

[hollymh]

Gosh, I'm no expert by any stretch of the imagination, but from looking at your pics there's no windows??? Maybe it's just too dang dark in there and that's stopping them from wanting to go in?? Just a thought!

I notice your roosting bars....awfully steep!

The angle of the photo makes the bars look steep I am also on the ground outside which is a full foot and half lower than the coop bc my yard slopes, they are not, in my initial post I mentioned that we are adding a window, as it's a work in progress. There are vents that allow light and aeration along the top however you cannot see them in the photos... In all of my research I have found that aeration is key in any coop regardless of climate so that is what we made out foremost goal to accomplish. Thanks for the input though

 

[Hokum Coco]

Got a new coop!!! So happy, the girls are still iffy about it and we have a few skeptical girls at night who aren't sure how to get back in! We got a resin shed off craigslist for free and added vents around the top, it had two installed in back already and a door on the side for them to go to the run, soon we will add a whirlybird and a window but so far its soooo much better, we went from a 4x5 that was only 4ft tall and not predator proof merely resistant, to an 8x6! The total cost was $29 and that was to build the floor. I will be adding sand as my litter but for now it's shavings.

Here is my coop it is 4x8 and I have kept as many as 24 birds in it all winter with no problems and no run. My nest boxes are milk crates on a shelf (shelf are 2' apart.

Watering
For along time I used heater tape around a bucket with chicken watering nipples. It worked excellent. However me being me I neglected to change the water as often as I should. This is what it looks like and it thermostatically controlled to come on at just above the freezing temperature. You would have to wrap it to suit your particular application if it is viable for your set up. It is available at Home Depot in Canada.

Last year I switched to white rubber contains the wife found somewhere. The freeze solid every night but the ice just pops out of them in the morning and I replenish them with fresh warm water. They have black ones at the feed store that are similar but large than mine.

The chickens congregate around them like people having their morning coffee. The only draw back is my yard is pepper with small ice bergs the size of the buckets


My Coop is a salvaged 4x8 metal shed here are a few tips and a quick look at my set up.
My floor are planks with a layer of tin for rodent proofing. On top of the tin I have a piece of vinyl flooring cut one foot longer than the length and width of my coop (roughly). Six inches squares are cut out of the 4 corners of the vinyl flooring. This allows the friction fitted flooring to travel up the walls six inches around the perimeter of my 4x8 salvaged metal coop. Shovel out the heavy stuff into a wheel barrow. Pop out the vinyl flooring hose it off pop it back in.
Easy Peasy!

Bedding
I have used all types of litter for coops.

I have not tried sand (sand gets good reviews on this site).

Of all the things I tried to date wood pellets have been the best. (I tried wood pellets as a last resort when pine shavings were not available.) They are super absorbent and swell up and eventually turn to saw dust. The droppings just seem to vanish and turn to dust when it comes in contact with wood pellets .

Replace my litter and clean my coop every October after I harvest my garden.


Works for me in my deep litter method.

I do add to pellets from time to time.

I have anywhere from 10 to 24 birds housed in my 4x8 coop.

Through the winter months the pellets froze harder than concrete with -40º temperatures. The poop froze before it could be absorbed by the pellets and there was like a crusty layer of poop in certain areas where they collectively took aim (no smell, messy feet or flies @ -40º). Come April things started to look after themselves.

Nest boxes
In my nest boxes I fold a feed bag to fit (nest boxes are 1 ft³). When a bag gets soiled; fold a new one; pop out the soiled; pop in the new.

POOP BOARDS are the "BEST" addition yet. Handles well over ½ of the poop in my set up keeps ammonia smell in check 3½" below roost excellent for catching eggs laid through the night (roost are in cups for easier removal and cleaning). I recently friction fit a piece of vinyl flooring over my poop board.it makes clean up even easier; Pop out; Scrap; Hose; Pop in.

Winter months even easier flex over compost bin DONE!

Easy peasy!.

.






Edited by Hokum Coco - Today at 5:48 pm

 

[hollymh]

I will definitely be using the feed bag in the nest boxes idea! I plan to install a poop board after we get all our other stuff done, Im also going to try wood pellets the shavings done seem to cut it maybe on top of the sand, I for sure want to try both

 

[Hokum Coco]

Delete.

.

 

[hollymh]

My feed bags are somewhat water proof made of a nylon mesh. In winter when the poop freezes it easily peels off. In summer you can leave them out in the sun and the poop dries and flakes off. I have a spring at the end of my property and I give them a rinse from time to time.

Easy Peasy




.

yep, I have similar bags! It's such a great idea!