Open Coop

[Melinda35]

I am in central Texas and my coop is open. The only predator I have had a problem with is chicken snakes. I have three sides and a roof covering two of the three roosts that I have. The north wind is blocked and my chickens have been just fine. They are large birds so not sure if that makes any difference or not. I do have a few bantams for the first time this year so hopefully they will do just fine.

Here it is without the roof. I have one door that I can let them out to free range and I just leave it open all day. It is made out of side panels from an old cotton trailer. DH left the wire on the sides so it is very thick wire on sides and just fencing wire on top.

 

[SteveBaz]

Quote:
LILREDCV Very interesting article and well documented!! I always have slept better myself next to an open window. My wife always says your going to catch a draft. No Way!

 

[tdgill]

When I lived in upstate NY I remember mornings waking up to snow inside on the windowsill....lol.

I think most of us have struggled with the concept of good ventilation but no drafts on our chickens. I would guess that not everyone has the best setup they wish they had, with ventilation up high and the ability to open and close and cross breezes etc. Something I came across that REALLY helped me was a suggestion of hanging cloth, burlap, or towel etc in the window. It cuts down on the draft and breeze while enabling me to keep my windows open a bit more than I had been doing.

 

[SteveBaz]

Quote:
Nice Idea and it cuts down on the light too which is great. I read the article posted in this thread about "Fresh-Air Poultry Houses" Fantastic article about production going way up with more fresh air. I sleep better with the window open even if the wife complains I sleep deep with fresh air.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
That sounds like how my my open air Peafowl Aviary is built. Different type of bird but sounds similar to what I had built for them. The only door is to get into the aviary. There is no door from the run to their "coop" air. Everything is OPEN. Louisiana doesn't get that cold but cold enough. I know that a Peacock is way larger than a chicken so they may not get as cold as a chicken. On the nights/days when it's cold, they go into their coop area and roost behind the wall. The wall blocks any wind or rain from getting to them.

Take a look below. We will be building another one just like it and it will be a large grow out pen for chickens. I hatch over 100 chickens a year and I'm need more pens, so this is what I have decided. I love the open coops. I think the ventilation is great. The sand in the run is amazing as well.

Outside View

Door to walk in "coop/roosting" area.

Standing at door looking in area where they roost when it rains or cold (they decide). Their food and water is INSIDE of the coop area.

Inside the coop/roosting area looking at the sand run.

Standing at the other end of the sand run looking towards the enclosed coop/roosting area. No door leading to that area.

Top of run enclosed with wire for protection.

Inside coop area behind the coop wall.

Tree branch that they roost on "inside".

Outside tree branch that they jump on during the day and to roost at night when the temps are good and not raining.

Peas outside in the run during the daytime.

This set up works VERY well. I have not had any problems at all. We are in the process of building nesting boxes for them. They will be a few feet off of the ground and will be attached to the wall on the inside.

I think they love it. They have an option to sleep inside the coop area or outside in the enclosed run. They take full advantage of both options. When it's cold, I know that I will find them inside. When the weather is nice, I know where they will be. Never any predator problems.