Open/Fresh Air Coops

[jewelg]

We call them the M*A*S*H units! Mobile Avian Sectional Housing.

This is how we put the roof on them. They are very light when the walls are not attached. But when put together, 60 mph on top of the hill did not blow them away.

These are AWESOME!

 

[jewelg]

I love how you did this shade cloth - what's is it connected to under the roof line? Does it roll up when you're not using it and store under the roof line, or does it slide over like drapes?

 

[Eddie the Yeti]

I am in Colorado springs, CO this is basically an open coop with a small coop inside. Most of the time the adult chickens stay in the open part, the roost on the rafters (6 feet high) even my fat buff orpie girls can fly up there they go in the coop to use the nest boxes and they hid in there during a couple of hailstorms that tore up the plastic roof. there were 9s at the most in here and that is way too many for the little coop but they can all cram in when the ice starts to fall. ground is just dirt and there are some low perches too, 30 Pound feeder on the wall and 3 gallon waterer on a heater that activates when the temp gets below 35 degrees.

 

[jewelg]

I am in Colorado springs, CO this is basically an open coop with a small coop inside. Most of the time the adult chickens stay in the open part, the roost on the rafters (6 feet high) even my fat buff orpie girls can fly up there they go in the coop to use the nest boxes and they hid in there during a couple of hailstorms that tore up the plastic roof. there were 9s at the most in here and that is way too many for the little coop but they can all cram in when the ice starts to fall. ground is just dirt and there are some low perches too, 30 Pound feeder on the wall and 3 gallon waterer on a heater that activates when the temp gets below 35 degrees. View attachment 2234269

Hi, Eddie! I'm about to be a first-time chicken owner and we're making our coop plans. Your set up is pretty similar to what I'm thinking about doing here in Los Angeles. I'm planning to make an open air enclosure as the run, and put inside it a pre-fab coop until we build our own. I have a few questions. Do you put your hens into the small coop at night, or just close up the open air enclosure and let them go where they want? Do you have roosts or nest boxes in the open air section outside of the small coop? Thanks!

 

[Eddie the Yeti]

Hi, Eddie! I'm about to be a first-time chicken owner and we're making our coop plans. Your set up is pretty similar to what I'm thinking about doing here in Los Angeles. I'm planning to make an open air enclosure as the run, and put inside it a pre-fab coop until we build our own. I have a few questions. Do you put your hens into the small coop at night, or just close up the open air enclosure and let them go where they want? Do you have roosts or nest boxes in the open air section outside of the small coop? Thanks!

I leave the door to the little coop open for them but they rarely go in there. Each roof joist has a ceiling rafter at 6ft high, the chickens root on those. That was no by design, they just do it. The sides of the coop are all under ground level, about 18 inches on the up hill side and about 4 inches on the downhill side plus there is old sheet metal from an above ground pond buried down about another foot or so to keep stuff from digging under The entrance is a storm door. I actually upgraded it from the one in the picture but it closes very securely to keep predators out. You can buy a kit that is designed for building a shed for the metal braces for the rafters or just make your own. The kit makes it easier. I got them from Fingerhut. The coop was originally a green house, 12 feet longer and 3 1/2 feet taller with a koi breeding facility in it. I cut it down and enclosed it that is why, if you look close you can see that the whole thing leans to the left a bit. Make sure you use the heavier 1 inch square metal cloth instead of regular chicken wire if you have predators. That is all I can think of, the idea is just to make it strong and safe and give the birds a few options. Mine use the low perched=s during the day and the rafters at night, they rarely go in the coop except to lay. I also used the coop as a brood box by adding a red heat light. I never put food or water in the coop unless it is being used as a brood box. Hope that helps.

 

[jewelg]

I leave the door to the little coop open for them but they rarely go in there. Each roof joist has a ceiling rafter at 6ft high, the chickens root on those. That was no by design, they just do it. The sides of the coop are all under ground level, about 18 inches on the up hill side and about 4 inches on the downhill side plus there is old sheet metal from an above ground pond buried down about another foot or so to keep stuff from digging under The entrance is a storm door. I actually upgraded it from the one in the picture but it closes very securely to keep predators out. You can buy a kit that is designed for building a shed for the metal braces for the rafters or just make your own. The kit makes it easier. I got them from Fingerhut. The coop was originally a green house, 12 feet longer and 3 1/2 feet taller with a koi breeding facility in it. I cut it down and enclosed it that is why, if you look close you can see that the whole thing leans to the left a bit. Make sure you use the heavier 1 inch square metal cloth instead of regular chicken wire if you have predators. That is all I can think of, the idea is just to make it strong and safe and give the birds a few options. Mine use the low perched=s during the day and the rafters at night, they rarely go in the coop except to lay. I also used the coop as a brood box by adding a red heat light. I never put food or water in the coop unless it is being used as a brood box. Hope that helps.

Yes, definitely helps! Thanks so much for the reply.