New Coop Progress

[JenWatts]

I bought a deer stand/shoot house that will need customization. And I'm building a 24x24 run around it, inside my fenced backyard. I'm putting hardware cloth on the sides and galvanized fence ontop.
Building a nestbox, I think, will be the most difficult part. Thoughts?
I have a little time. The chicks are approx 4 days old.

 

[50-45-1]

Good start!
What are the dimensions of the dear blind?

 

[50-45-1]

I would put the people door of your coop, up front next to the entrance to the enclosure.
The chicken door would be to the back side of the building.
Then you dont have to walk through the enclosure to get to the coop to gather eggs and feed every day.
That beautiful grass will soon be gone after the chicken have their way with it.
Once it's gone it might be a yucky place to walk in.
Just what I would do.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Nice start!!

I think the wire top on the run is going to be the hardest part. You will need posts and framing to hold it up.

 

[JenWatts]

Good start!
What are the dimensions of the dear blind?

4x6x6

 

[JenWatts]

I would put the people door of your coop, up front next to the entrance to the enclosure.
The chicken door would be to the back side of the building.
Then you dont have to walk through the enclosure to get to the coop to gather eggs and feed every day.
That beautiful grass will soon be gone after the chicken have their way with it.
Once it's gone it might be a yucky place to walk in.
Just what I would do.

That's a smart idea. I had planned on putting stepping stones - like a walkway. When I sit on my back deck, I want to be able to watch them. I think the coop would block most of my view if I move it upfront. Very smart idea though, so I'm considering it.

 

[rosemarythyme]

That's a smart idea. I had planned on putting stepping stones - like a walkway. When I sit on my back deck, I want to be able to watch them. I think the coop would block most of my view if I move it upfront. Very smart idea though, so I'm considering it.

Eh, I think that can go either way. My coop fully sits in the run and I generally use the further away run door to access it so I have to walk through 1 1/2 runs to get to it, but it's not really a big deal as long as you don't have a mud issue or substantial snowfall to deal with.

 

[50-45-1]

4x6x6

I would put ladder roosts on one end, then use the other end for nest boxes and feed.
Make sure the roosts are higher than the nests.
My husband built my nest boxes with sloping lids to discourage roosting ( and pooping) on top of them. Or you could build external bext boxes. Those are handy to gather eggs from the outside.
Are you located where you will have cool snowy winters?

 

[50-45-1]

You might find some really good interior and exterior design ideas if you spend some time browsing through the Coop Pages of this website.
Some of the stuff folks have figured out is ingenious.

 

[JenWatts]

I would put ladder roosts on one end, then use the other end for nest boxes and feed.
Make sure the roosts are higher than the nests.
My husband built my nest boxes with sloping lids to discourage roosting ( and pooping) on top of them. Or you could build external bext boxes. Those are handy to gather eggs from the outside.
Are you located where you will have cool snowy winters?

I am in Mississippi
We get snow every 4 or 5 years and only for a day.
I want to build an external nestbox with a lid access on one of those windows - add a little platform and ramp to access it. - and put an internal nestbox on the floor under the platform. Roosts on the opposite side.
I plan on hardware cloth covering the other windows - then possibly attaching hinged plexi glass or plywood so I could lower them over the hardware cloth in the winter to keep the cold out.
These are my thoughts at least.