Newbie Coop!

[OhioChkMom]

First coop! Hello from Ohio. Here is what we have so far. Still need some last minute items but we have chicken wire and we will bury it on the outside. We are locking our girls up at night in the coop so they won't be "out". Do you think the chicken wire is allright? Couldn't find hardware cloth in our area. Well, not the kind that had the rubber coating on it. When we do, we will reinforce but for now . . . ok? And all doors are padlocked. For varmit and naightbors reasons. Actually had a neighbor say, "Latches can come undone." And we live in the country, don't know what her problem is. Suggestions for roosting poles would be great! More pics to come . . .

 

[mikecnorthwest]

Looks great. Please post more pics when you can. As for the locks, unfortunately they are sometimes necessary, even in the country. I live in the burbs and have a lock on mine. Not that I anticipate any problems but you never know when a prankster might decide to have fun with your chickens. A lock is cheap insurance.

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

wow, looks nice.

How many chickens do you have and what kind?

 

[mrsengeseth]

my set up is similar, a lock is a really good idea.

 

[ducks4you]

We Lock up EVERYTHING, when we're gone (we live out in the country on the edge of small town.) When we're home, I sometimes leave the tool shed and the machine shed unlocked--dogs(in the house at night) bark at everything.

BTW, really cute coop (it's simple and inviting.) If I was a chicken, I know I'd want to live there.)

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

Wonderful coop and run. Welcome to BYC's from the Pacific NW.

You don't need to use plastic covered hardware cloth. Any hardware cloth will do to help keep the chicks from sticking their heads through the chicken wire. The hardware cloth also helps to keep dogs or other daytime preditors from breaking through the wire.

Are you looking for roost ideas for in or out of the coop?

I built a ladder type roost out of 2 x 4's but they don't like it because it's low to the ground, so I put in a left over piece of 1/2" plywood shelf that is 6" x 10' four feet off the ground on shelf brackets 3-4" from the coop wall that they just love.

All ten climb all over each other to get their favorite spot next to their favorite chick for about 10-15 min every night.

Out in the run, I put up large branches (little trees) propped up on rotting stumps full of bugs that they just love to roost on in the morning when the suns coming up and night as the sun is setting.

 

[The Zoo]

Sweet Cheeks one of my EE's looks like your chicks with the black head and white body! Are those EEs?

I love the idea of the 'natural' roosting poles. I will have to look for some on my hikes.

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

Yes - they are EE's and both roos. The feed store I got them from has discovered that all of the 'pullets' they ordered from Privett, most of the 25 EE's ordered in that shipment have turned out to be roos.

I'm a little disappointed because I wanted the blue/green eggs BUT hey, they are really great chicks, very colorful and one of the two roos is very sweet.

I need to take an updated pic. Their sickle feathers are just gorgous.

 

[briana1975]

Looks good. and ....

from Michigan.

 

[OhioChkMom]

Thanks for all the feedback and welcomes! I think we have RIR and not sure what they other ones are. I will post a pic when I get them all in there. Will the hardware cloth rust over time? That is DH's biggest thing and why we looked everywhere for coated wire. He wants it to last. I will post more pics of the coop in a few days. Hoping to finish it up this weekend.

Inside roosting poles ideas .. . do they like the ladder and how many of them will go on one pole or 2 x 4?