Oregon

[T-traveler]

Javaferret,
I'm outside the city limits of Salem (a little north of Philomath) and have an 8x8 chicken house and a 20x80 run. I have pine shavings in the hen house and sand in the run (the run is covered, however). I haven't had any issues with moisture at all.
One other predator you might consider protecting against is coyote. We have lost 1 chicken to coyotes, but she got outside the yard fence. We have been free ranging for about a year and that is the only loss we've encountered.

 

[javaferret]

T-traveler
Thats great that you are able to free range them with just that one encounter, that's encouraging. I forgot to even consider coyotes, ok one more thing on the list. Do you have your coop raised off the ground? I use to have a dirt floor for mine when in Wyoming, but was much dryer there, and thinking I might not be a good idea for here.

 

[T-traveler]

Yes, the hen house is raised about 20 inches above the ground. Here's a link to the project of building the coop. Having it raised off the ground gives a place for the girls to escape to during the wind and the rain. The south and west sides come down to the ground for weather protection. The north and east sides are open to give them free access at all times.

One of the things I like about the sand in the run is that I can soak it down with a hose on really hot days and it keeps the run about 10 to 15 degrees cooler for most of the day.

 

[dragonflysister]

@T-travelerthat is quite the coop! My son and i built ours out of mostly scrap wood, although my neighbor had some left over vinyl, and we used that in the floor and roof! I used an old wooden ladder held up with shelf arms the fit dishpans perfectly....for nesting boxes! I do love the bulb for frozen water! Is there a bulb in the cinder block??

 

[dragonflysister]

@T-travelerthat is quite the coop! My son and i built ours out of mostly scrap wood, although my neighbor had some left over vinyl, and we used that in the floor and roof! I used an old wooden ladder held up with shelf arms the fit dishpans perfectly....for nesting boxes! I do love the bulb for frozen water! Is there a bulb in the cinder block??

 

[T-traveler]

Yes, there is a 60 watt bulb in the cinder block. It is plugged into a thermostatically controlled socket that comes on when it gets 34 degrees or colder and turns off when it is 40 degrees or warmer.

 

[javaferret]

Wow, that is one amazing coop! Hope mine comes out at least half as nice, will have to integrate some of your plans into my sketches

 

[Corona~Barb]

Yes, the hen house is raised about 20 inches above the ground. Here's a link to the project of building the coop. Having it raised off the ground gives a place for the girls to escape to during the wind and the rain. The south and west sides come down to the ground for weather protection. The north and east sides are open to give them free access at all times.

One of the things I like about the sand in the run is that I can soak it down with a hose on really hot days and it keeps the run about 10 to 15 degrees cooler for most of the day.

Wow T, that is quite the coop! I hadn't considered the idea of using sand to keep the run cooler in summer. Interesting.

 

[TCritters]

Are any of you concerned about the amount of smoke in the air right now and the birds breathing it?

 

[sktlmt]

Are any of you concerned about the amount of smoke in the air right now and the birds breathing it?

Yes a little. Yesterday I went out to feed them and none of them came for food. This is unusual. I looked around and finally found most of them sleeping in the bamboo. 30+ chickens peering out of the bamboo was pretty funny. As soon as the smoke cleared they came out and acted like they had been starved. So far today the smoke is not as bad. And they are all acting normal.