New to Chickens working on a coop design ...please give advise...

[pigeon-posthens]

oh hi, its pigeon-posthens here. Yes just a thought but, how would the floor 'earth area' be kept fresh and all the grass is gone when it all turns to mud and slush, or are you going to use some wood chip or even bark. What are yougoing to use...
many thanks

 

[Barred Rocker]

Old Crow, your design is excellent, especially the second updated one. I wouldn't change a thing. I think you should try your inovations and see how it works. The only way you're going to know is from experience. You can ask for advice from well intentioned byc'ers but the best lesson is experience. I've raised chickens for over 40 years and learned a lot and certainly picked up some new ideas and things I never knew here but I've learned the most by just doing it and if it works great if not try something else. Good luck with your coop.

 

[Old Crow]

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Well it looks like a 2' x 6' area and nearly 4 ' tall

2' off the floor for water and food to be under

 

[Old Crow]

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I'm going to teach them to wipe there feet at the door .....

No really considering sand and good drainage for a medium in the run area .....

 

[chookchick]

Hi Old Crow--it is obvious that you have spent some time lurking here on BYC! Two more suggestions--I would make the dropping board a bit wider and pull the roost out further from the wall than it appears in the "inside" view. I built my roost 1' out from the wall and made the drop board 2' wide. I am going to move the roost out to 15" and make the board 30" wide. Their poops seem to end up a bit further from the roost than I had planned, and those "squirty cecal poos" are making a mess on the back wall. Hopefully those changes will clean things up a bit.

The other idea regards your feeder--if you want to fill it from the outside, there are several feeder made of 4-6" PVC pipe that are shown here on BYC. The cap could protrude out of the wall, but the feeder would be safe on the inside. I am thinking of trying that also. You will want to keep any feeder and waterers off of the floor (level with back of chickens).

I have a nestbox that is halfway outside my coop, and I love it! Super easy to check for kids and moi. If you make an outside access you will need to latch it also.

Overall I think your ideas are great and can't wait to see the "built" photos.

 

[newchicksnducks]

Hey Old Crow - great design. And how original...actually thoughtfully planning the coop BEFORE you bring home the chicks! LOL! Too many of us have done it backwards I agree in making the droppings board wider...it's amazing how wide spread they leave the droppings. And I assume the roost is a 2x4 w/the 4"side flat. I'm from northern Ohio, know what kind of weather you can have. The larger roost makes it easier for the birds to tuck their feet under their nice warm feathers. It also makes it easier for them to roost w/o having to grasp a small board all night long. My nest box is inside the coop...no problem collecting eggs, lets me check out the coop at the same time. It's elevated off the floor almost 2 feet...plenty of room for the chickens to use the floor space. You might want to make the top of your chick area slanted...otherwise you'll have chickens on top using it for a roost and making a mess of the top. (where ever they sit, they poop!) Think carefully about the number of chickens you want vs the space you have. I have 15 chickens for 8x8 coop...thinking I probably have more girls than I should for the winter. I've heard they don't like to go outside that much in the snow, so most of the day (and night) will be spent inside. While technically I meet the min requirement (4 sq ft/chicken = need 60 sq ft and have 64 sq ft), when they are all milling about inside, it doesn't seem that roomy! It's amazing how fast they grow...when they were young it seemed like we had room to spare:/ Good luck, keep tweaking the plans, and you'll have a wonderful time next year with your chickens

 

[Germaine_11.20]

I was going to say the same thing about the waterer. It will get filthy on the floor. Other than that

 

[Old Crow]

Any one have any experience with these ?

I just found these and they have a lot of promise .... small compact less potential for contamination could manifold a few in ......

http://www.strombergschickens.com/images/founts/adcup_adbrk_l.jpg
http://www.strombergschickens.com/image … _web_L.gif

 

[windtryst]

Very nice, I like the first on best. Cover the run!! I did and it is so nice, no one likes to walk in wet, soggy poop.... I love my covered run

 

[possumqueen]

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They look pretty nice. I've been looking at some nipple waterers that go on the bottom of a hangup container. Good for keeping out mosquitos, which are a HUGE problem in my neck of the woods.

The only objection I can think of for the stromberg waterers would be the water lines, in Michigan, in winter.

The rest of your set up looks swell! You will OF COURSE post pics of your progress, Old Crow. We all need to see those so we can ooh and aah, and comment and criticize. It's a requirement on this website, you know!