Our Chicken Coop.....

[MAC1969]

Almost finished.....


Hello from Spring, Texas

I have raised chickens before, but this is the first time that I have helped build a chicken-coop, and it has been an interesting endeavor.
When I was raising chickens, (several years ago) it was in Northern Arkansas, my neighbor had an old horse barn that he was not using.....one of the stalls, I turned into a coop.
But recently, my boyfriend and I decided to start raising chickens. We looked at many designs and came up with this. He had an existing deck and we are utilizing it.
Going to finish the inside with OSB plywood and use sand for litter. I decided to paint it a neutral color (the outside) and wonder if I should paint the inside as well????

~~ It is not finished, but a pic of the moveable PVC coop. We have a lot of predators, (cats and dogs) so we can't let them free-range. Going to add wheels and enclose one of the ends with chicken wire and the other end with a hinged-door so the chickens can climb on the ramp to the coop....when it's bed-time.

Let me know what you think.....any suggestions would be great! Thanks.

 

[Mister B]

I like your run. If you had a way to seal the back end, you could "load chickens" then move it to different places in the yard, then move it back in the evening so they could roost. you could attach a milk crate or two in a corner for egg laying. Also, you will need a ramp to let them get back into the coop. I don't know how high that is, but mine was about 4' up and I had a Barred Rock hen get hurt jumping out of the coop one day.

 

[MAC1969]

Both the stationary coop, (on the deck) and the pvc-coop-run are not finished. We were trying to come up with someway to enclose the ends and prolly will totally enclose one end, and the other end....enclose it with some kind of door access. Didn't think about a nesting box in it, but throughout the day....when I am moving the run....I guess the chickens will need to deposit their eggs.

I'm wondering.....how many times do hens lay eggs in a day??? Also, when they go back to their coop at night....I will have them a ramp to climb up.

 

[Mister B]

Usually once. I think it's like once per 25 hrs. What are you using for fencing on your PVC run?

 

[RoadkillStewie]

Current config is poultry wire... Haven't decided how to put access door on yet, so both end may be wood..or wood/wire.
to that end, haven't placed hardware cloth for the lower edges yet.

Also debating an enclosed ramp to 'load' the birds into the run, or putting a small run as part of the coop...with a door to pass from run to mobile-run.

...current plan is to finish skinning the nesting area, forming the boxes then putting hardware cloth over the eaves/roof line and way to seal off the eaves in case of bad weaher.

 

[MAC1969]

Yes, dear... (RoadKillStewie is my boyfriend for everyone that doesn't know it)

.....and, "skinning the area"? Why didn't you just say...finish the nesting boxes, because your not going to skin anything until the chickens are old enough to pluck.....just sayin'

And, I hope you are not thinking about about making the, "enclosed ramp" permanent??? Not so sure if the run on the outside of the coop would be a good idea. :/

I also read on someone's blog where they had mint placed by the eaves/windows to help the smell and even cut some up in the water bowl, but we are still going to use the waterer nipples???

 

[MAC1969]

updated pics....