Official BYC Poll: What Do Your Chickens Live In?

[Reecerhead]

We built a three part system for our chickens. (We have 16 hens and 2 roosters. All are buff orpington). Part one is an old van we gutted and modified to be their roost/house. We have lots of predators around here so free ranging them was not an option. I wanted them to be safe. We kept the front part of the van for storing their food etc. We used small heavy gauge wire on all the windows screwed down securely. We can still close them if necessary. We painted the whole thing with a white rubberized coating to deflect the sun. That was a fine investment. All vehicles should be painted with this stuff! We live in a very hot and humid climate. That roost is cool all day long! We have had to keep them in there on occasion all day long because of hurricane weather. We lay down heavy plastic floor mats on the bottom followed by tarps which we cover with pine chips, DE, barn lime etc. We built several roosts with 2x4’s. When it comes time to clean, we just drag the tarp out and go dump it on compost pile. We have had no signs of predators as of yet... knock on wood. The second part is the chicken tractor made of PVC pipe. It is 9’x18’ and is partially covered with a tin roof. All sides except for the bottom is covered with chicken wire. It has two openings. One door is for them to enter and exit each day and the other is to roll part three... the nesting box up to. The chicken tractor has two large PVC pipes attached (with lids) to put their feed in each morning. Also attached is the nipple watering system that holds 1 gallon of water. I keep this filled up throughout the day. The nesting box is on wheels and sports three compartments that we keep filled with pine shavings along with a mixture of herbs and DE. We have 2.5 dedicated acres for the chicken tractor and just keep moving it around accordingly. We use orange plastic construction fence and plastic posts to get them from the van to the tractor each day and vice versa. We have raised chickens now for almost nine months. Back Yard Chickens have been a huge resource of information. Thank you! My chickens thank you too!

 

[daisygurl41]

When keeping chickens, one of the most important things you need to consider is the kind of home you make for them. A chicken coop, chicken run and nesting boxes are essential for happy, healthy hens. So we would like to know: What Do Your Chickens Live In?

Place your vote above.

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By the way, don't forget to enter our Coop Page Contest for a chance to win one of several GREAT prizes!

(Check out more Official BYC Polls HERE!)

We have an Eglu chicken coop. It has an enclosed run and an attached moveable fence. We also free range the chooks during the day.

 

[abpatchy]

I keep my chickens in a breeding club here in Germany. Unfortunately I don't have a garden to keep mine. I breed Sulmtaler for show.
The coop was already built when I took over the plot. I have a stone building with a room for supplies. The rest is coop seperated into 4 stalls. Each stall has it's own door and run with a total of approx. 4300sq ft. I can seperate into 8 runs if I want to depending which door I open or close.
At the moment I am building rooster pens to be able to keep roosters away from hens outside breeding season. As well as keeping them seperate so they don't fight. I could also use these stalls for breeding small groups or quarantine.

 

[eggsandhens]

Mine have a coop + an enclosed run + free range (the run is for winter etc)

 

[Maggie13]

I chose "OTHER" since I have a chicken tractor not a stationary coop.
The girls free range unless there is snow on the ground They will not put a toe on it so even though they have the option they stay in the tractor run most of the winter.

 

[CHlCKEN]

I have too many predators to let mine loose

Me too. I have 21 acres of space to keep a free range flock but the predators here are just horrible. I’ve got raccoons, bobcats, coyotes, weasels, hawks and opossums on the prowl. I’ve lost too many birds to those animals I’ve certainly learned that the only way I can keep chickens and ducks is to have them in secure coops and runs.

 

[jeapa]

My coop is inside the run so my chickens have 24/7 access to it. I open the run door every morning and they have 1/2 acre fenced yard to free range in.

 

[nicolekathryn]

Ours live in an enclosed run with an integrated raised coop. No letting them in and out - they freely access the run. We've started letting them free range more than we used to but it's complicated with the dog. She's a puppy and I don't trust her with them yet, and it's hard to supervise the chickens with a dog on a leash.

 

[BoogieWight]

The chickens we have live wherever they feel like it for the most part. We do have quite a few coops, but they are mainly just easy places to gather eggs. We used to have a massive aviary before a tornado ruined it. But we have never put any away unless it served a purpose (breeding, injuries, incubated chicks, selling, and the like). It is a very rare occasion for an adult bird to choose housing, and never had one do it permanently.

 

[Tashua]

Ours live in an enclosed run with an integrated raised coop. No letting them in and out - they freely access the run. We've started letting them free range more than we used to but it's complicated with the dog. She's a puppy and I don't trust her with them yet, and it's hard to supervise the chickens with a dog on a leash.View attachment 2698018View attachment 2698020

Awesome coop/run ! Love the name too
Having raised many a puppy and with kittens / chickens / cockatiels etc - now is the best time while she’s a puppy - will defiantly take some extra work & patience ,but in the long run it will be worth it . She will be their protector ! Just yesterday my “herding cat” (I call her ) watching over the girls free ranging managed to deter a hawk attack !
her name is Sassy Ass and she thinks those chickens are hers now !!
Anyway food for thought , your definitely the better judge in your situation than I could ever be .