New Coop Progress!

[Chickaroo!]

Yeah!! I talked to the DH and he's gonna lower the boxes. AND he suggested somehow make a brooder for the top of them with some sort of slanted roofing to prevent roosting on top of it

Either I'll get him to make little perch in front of them or some sort of ramp.

 

[Chirpy]

You've done a fantastic job on that coop! Your chickens will love it.

Yes, you can move the chicks out there right now with bedding on the floor. We are at the same point in our addition and moved my six week old chicks out three days ago. My husband will just work around them while finishing the coop (or we'll take them out when he's working in there).

Definitely move the nest boxes down much closer to the ground. And, to help keep your chickens from starting to sleep in them I'd close them up until they are ready to lay eggs. Others already stated the importance of having the roost(s) higher and away from the nest boxes. The issue, as LynneP pointed out, is not that they can't get up into the next boxes but that it can hurt their feet/legs to jump back down. That's also why you should have a lower roost as a ladder going up to the higher roost - so they can jump down on to the lower roost to get to the ground and not hurt their feet.

 

[Chickaroo!]

Thanks Chirpy! I saw someone else's coop on here and sent the link to my DH and titled it: My dream coop, and he went for it!! He's outside right now putting a light sage green stain it. We got linoleum (sp?) for the floor and he wants to put that down before putting the chicks in. Maybe we'll get to that tomorrow.

 

[Chirpy]

Perfect! You'll be really, really, really happy you put down the linoleum. It has made cleaning so much easier.

 

[LynneP]

There's always something! We've been working on ours since February, and we're down to a netting we need to install on the outside edge of the eaves of the run...

When we started I asked a lot of questions about roosts, and we settled on the flat side of 2x4's. If you find yours a little narrow they could be upgrades by installing bigger perches between the rungs. Isn't it FUN!

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
well , I am going to stop preaching about the perches or roosting bars , hubby use to raise african grays , and he said chickens will perch like regular birds . he will be adding 12 more roosting / perches , because he says if they are wider , they will be pooping all over the perches . I guess he is right . LOL Time will tell .

 

[Chickaroo!]

This is the coop of my dreams....it's beautiful
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=48229

Ours is modeled from that one. Later, when we have more $$, the DH is gonna put a front porch on with a little porch light. We're going to add the run soon. Ours will have a simiular shape to it like the one in the link. At least, that's the plan!

 

[Chickaroo!]

Okay, here's an update pic:

We got all of the outside walls painted. We have to add the trim, which will be an off white and paint the front door burgandy. Of course, it still needs windows and we got a small attic type fan for it too that needs added. Oh yeah, and the little chicken door/ramp.

 

[DouglasPeeps]

Beautiful! I LOVE the color!

Keep the pictures coming!