New person: Coop construction thread

[aart]

Aart, we never changed much about the poop handing situation, it works out ok for us. We have since installed a third row of roosts so the largest group of chickens hover their butts right over the nest boxes when they sleep. I scrape it down once a week with a plastic putty knife onto a board on the floor, and I can slide the board right out through a low and wide door into the wheelbarrow. It has been pretty slick, actually, and we've been able to keep the coop sufficiently yuck free for the last few years.

Flexibility

<thumbsup>

 

[wishingon]

Your coop is awesome!

I will say, you definitely want to get something stronger than chicken wire (the hexagon style). As others have said, it does a good job of keeping chickens in, but predators out-not so much. Also we built our coop with the hexagon wire and with square galvanized wire. The cheap hexagon wire is already rusting and we built it this past spring! So in the long run, you would probably be saving money getting galvanized wire because you won't have to replace it as often

Predators of all kinds have gotten in the parts covered with chicken wire but not the galvanized wire (not yet anyway)!

 

[Sue Gremlin]

Your coop is awesome!

I will say, you definitely want to get something stronger than chicken wire (the hexagon style). As others have said, it does a good job of keeping chickens in, but predators out-not so much. Also we built our coop with the hexagon wire and with square galvanized wire. The cheap hexagon wire is already rusting and we built it this past spring! So in the long run, you would probably be saving money getting galvanized wire because you won't have to replace it as often

Predators of all kinds have gotten in the parts covered with chicken wire but not the galvanized wire (not yet anyway)!

Thanks for the note. I agree. It's not strong. last summer, a raccoon ripped it open and got into the feed. Fortunately, he did not get into the chicken house, but it sure gave me a good scare. Reinforcement is on my list.

 

[FlyWheel]

Looks terrific. If you have raccoon's you will want more than chicken wire. Better to use a heavier welded material. Chicken wire is really only good to keep chickens in - not predators out. Very nice work.

I have news for you, given the chance a chicken can very effectively disassemble chicken wire. I've had to patch it enough times to know, and at the time we lived where there were no predators to speak of, so it had to be the birds. We eventually had to bite the the bullet and fence their pen with 2x4 WW.

 

[Sue Gremlin]

Thanks for the note. I agree. It's not strong. last summer, a raccoon ripped it open and got into the feed. Fortunately, he did not get into the chicken house, but it sure gave me a good scare. Reinforcement is on my list.

Well, looking back on this post, I feel terrible that I never got to "my list". A raccoon tore a large section out of the wire and killed two of my chickens this week. Of course, one of them was my favorite. It also managed to tear the whole tail off of my black australorp, who had a magnificent tail. I know it will grow back, but it's still so sad. And it's not as if she wasn't already nervous.

We are extremely lucky we didn't lose all of our hens, and still have 7 left.

I spent the day stapling up new fencing yesterday. I have more to go, but until I take down the winter panels, they should be safe.

Let this be a lesson to anyone who is reading this: Invest in stronger wire. It's worth it.

 

[Folly's place]

So sorry! Many of us, me included, have learned the hard way about security. Hardware cloth covered with 2"x4" woven wire, stapled with fence staples and then wood strips screwed over all. Did you get that raccoon? He and his family will keep coming back, possibly in daylight!



Mary

 

[aart]

Quote: I hope you don't mean the typical Arrow T50 type staple gun.

 

[Sue Gremlin]

Nah, I don't shoot things. I prefer to keep fences between them, that's on me.

I used a pneumatic brad nailer.

I will redo all of it when I have some time with something like you suggest, Folly, you have an excellent plan there. If I didn't work 60 hour weeks, I'd be in much better shape! I work to support my chicken habit.

 

[bento]

The Coop looks great!

 

[cockrio]

wow it beautiful