Oregon

[iwanaplae2]

I have been contemplating putting used gutters on one of the coops to catch rain water etc.  And I hear you about the clean water dish!  I end up gathering them all up and putting them in the kiddie pool with a bit of bleach.  Unfun!

We will be puting a gutter on the back of our coop for two reasons. 1. We designed the coop with a slight pitch (6' in the back, 7' in the front) so we will need to keep the the rain from washing the foundation away in the back. And 2. I want to eventually install a rain barrel to offset the cost of water. Although my DH doesn't see the point in it lol

 

[Sonja73]

Jelly is beautiful!

love that color.

Thank you! It is going to be hard come Spring to decide who to cull out. They are all filling out and looking good!

 

[Sonja73]

We will be puting a gutter on the back of our coop for two reasons. 1. We designed the coop with a slight pitch (6' in the back, 7' in the front) so we will need to keep the the rain from washing the foundation away in the back. And 2. I want to eventually install a rain barrel to offset the cost of water. Although my DH doesn't see the point in it lol

The rain barrel is the way to go I think. All my coops are on stilts, to keep the predators away. I should say most of them are. Anyway, I am not looking for an elaborate system like some of them I have seen. ><

 

[M-I Chicken]

We will be puting a gutter on the back of our coop for two reasons. 1. We designed the coop with a slight pitch (6' in the back, 7' in the front) so we will need to keep the the rain from washing the foundation away in the back. And 2. I want to eventually install a rain barrel to offset the cost of water. Although my DH doesn't see the point in it lol

Thank you for this. I need to think about a gutter before our PNW winter. I've a new run with a covered and sloping roof. I've was thinking I'd up plastic sheeting on the back so the splashing doesn't become a muddy nightmare - but a gutter is better idea. I need to jump into action. My fall list is long:
new roof over coop, cover the dirt run floor with sand, insert coving over the hinge on the nest box to prevent rain leaks, build new roosts and last but not least finish the trench around the coop/run and insert chicken wire and back fill with rocks for predator proofing.

This rain outside has me thinking

 

[iwanaplae2]

Thank you for this. I need to think about a gutter before our PNW winter. I've a new run with a covered and sloping roof. I've was thinking I'd up plastic sheeting on the back so the splashing doesn't become a muddy nightmare - but a gutter is better idea. I need to jump into action. My fall list is long: new roof over coop, cover the dirt run floor with sand, insert coving over the hinge on the nest box to prevent rain leaks, build new roosts and last but not least finish the trench around the coop/run and insert chicken wire and back fill with rocks for predator proofing. This rain outside has me thinking

That's quite the list! lol We did the chicken wire when were were building it.

Then buried it with all the dirt we dug out.

Boy I'm glad we did! I thought about doing sand in the run. I've read several other people have done it. But I'm just gonna stick with the dirt. When wetter weather starts I'll spread out straw. But you see, I like to pile lettuce and other produce in the run for them to dig through. With the dirt I can just leave it in there to compost, and attract bugs...another treat for the girls

 

[Karenmyrrh]

I guess I am next to switch over. I wanted to see how yours did first, lol. So, I have read that you just take a 5 gallon bucket? Anyone have pics of their systems are good websites to go to? Oh and here is a picture of Jelly today. Out of Peanut butter and him, Jelly is by far the friendliest, as you can tell. lol.

What a beautiful girl that jelly is!! I'm so jealous of your gorgeous girls. Hopefully my next house comes with lots more room for chickens! And for the watering system... Oh my goodness. So much better. Just not having to clean and fill those... Such a huge deal! http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005ZX7GYK/ref=mp_s_a_1_9?qid=1377230700&sr=8-9&pi=AC_SX110_SY165 This is what I bought.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Watering Systems:

I have rather a lot of birds (cough, cough), so I bought some of the Little Giant Automatic Poultry Founts for my big coops.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/330817563401?hlp=false&var=

The fount comes in different sizes and there is also a shallow flat version for chicks. The one issue I had was that they leaked a lot at first, but I solved that by replacing the interior valve with reclaimed tire valves I got for free from the local tire shop (the manufacturer's website is sucky, but I found answers here at BYC). The fount is easy to remove for cleaning -- yes, you do need to clean them regularly, but that is way easier than cleaning any other waterer I've tried.

I found the founts work great for chickens and turkeys, but aren't so hot for ducks. The larger size can be adjusted to make the water deep enough for ducks, but then of course it gets very dirty. I still haven't cracked the nut on duck water.

I had to install water lines from the garden hose spigot to the coops. I knew zip about plumbing before I started, but decided to work with Pex pipe because it is flexible and comes in rolls. I ran a main line to the coop shed, then put in splitters to the coops. There is a shut off valve after each split. I ran the water line clear through the coop and out the back wall into the pasture/run. I put a hose bib shut off valve at the ends of the line so I can flush the lines and also so I can attach a garden hose out back if I want.

It wasn't a tough project except for the learning curve. They even sell "snap on" fittings for pex pipe.

Obviously this system isn't going to be much good during cold snaps, but I can drain the lines and use the hanging waterers for the few frozen days we get each year.

 

[Karenmyrrh]

Thank you for this. I need to think about a gutter before our PNW winter. I've a new run with a covered and sloping roof. I've was thinking I'd up plastic sheeting on the back so the splashing doesn't become a muddy nightmare - but a gutter is better idea. I need to jump into action. My fall list is long: new roof over coop, cover the dirt run floor with sand, insert coving over the hinge on the nest box to prevent rain leaks, build new roosts and last but not least finish the trench around the coop/run and insert chicken wire and back fill with rocks for predator proofing. This rain outside has me thinking

Great coop. That really nice!!

 

[Mickey Lou 04]

Bantychickenluv which fair did you show at?

I ask because I just showed at Douglas county fair.

 

[Suzierd]

Bantychickenluv which fair did you show at?

I ask because I just showed at Douglas county fair.

Mickey did you see any Silkies at the fair? I didn't get the chance to check it out his year. Last year they didn't have any.