Our coop plans

[Intheswamp]

Quote:
God bless you and your girls. My youngest one was homeschooled and I guess she did ok...

We were surpised to find this billboard on US231 coming out of Montgomery. She's in her second year of elementary school teaching and mother of our wonderful granddaughter...and I got a good son-in-law out of the deal, too!!!

Hang in there with the homeschooling!!
Ed

PS...but even bragging on my daughter and my SIL, my granddaughter is still the best return on investment that we've gotten out of the deal!!!!

 

[raimnel]

Ok here's my 2 cents worth.
I like what intheswamp said about extending the run and really likes what he/she said about the water run off. (I be applying that idea) however I would open all doors OUT of the coop. and since your having those poop boards I would put the roosting poles statium like above the chicken door. You'll have 16 ft then. Just thoughts

ETA - the roosts ends above the chicken door, polls all along that 8ft wall

Have fun!! and I can't wait to see pictures when ur done.

 

[Manok-Tao]

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If the gate to the run opens in, you'll have to worry about the height of the door...meaning, with whatever bedding you're using in the coop, imagine opening the door to the inside, shoving bedding or what not out of your way. Opening out might be better... then you could just run a 6 inch board across the front to keep the litter in when you open the door. JMO

Your right the door to the Coop needs to open out. My comment was on the door to the Run that needs to open in. A door to the run opening in eliminates the ole bolting chicken...especially when they are you buddies and get excited when you open the run gate and crowd around the it If it opens in the gate itself and your entering body (legs) block the ole bolter.
Also you'll want a board across the bottom entry way of the run gate 2-4 inches above grade that will allow a fastening (nailing) place for the "material' you've buried to eliminate digging predators
Maybe I'm off here and your planning on deep litter in the run?

 

[JRchickchick]

How about running the gutter into a 50 gallon covered barrel, attach a spigot and run it to an outside waterer for Fall, Winter, and Spring water? Would want an overflow pipe to go into that French drain that was suggested...

 

[sillybirds]

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I strongly agree with Ed. If I were you, and I wanted to keep the storage area clean from dust, I'd put in a large window above the nest boxes rather than screen, and I'd use a solid door between the coop and the storage area. Also, I'd use a board taller than 6 inches at that threshold. I have about a nine inch wide board, and they still kick up litter over it.

You may also consider making your run larger, as your coop could certainly hold more than 12 birds, but then your run might be your limiting factor.

Looks like you've got the makings of a great coop! Good luck.

 

[Intheswamp]

Quote:
If the gate to the run opens in, you'll have to worry about the height of the door...meaning, with whatever bedding you're using in the coop, imagine opening the door to the inside, shoving bedding or what not out of your way. Opening out might be better... then you could just run a 6 inch board across the front to keep the litter in when you open the door. JMO

Your right the door to the Coop needs to open out. My comment was on the door to the Run that needs to open in. A door to the run opening in eliminates the ole bolting chicken...especially when they are you buddies and get excited when you open the run gate and crowd around the it If it opens in the gate itself and your entering body (legs) block the ole bolter.
Also you'll want a board across the bottom entry way of the run gate 2-4 inches above grade that will allow a fastening (nailing) place for the "material' you've buried to eliminate digging predators
Maybe I'm off here and your planning on deep litter in the run?

Maybe I'm not thinking staight yet this morning (was doing bookwork at the office til' midnight<groan>) but my thoughts on the doors opening *into* the coop is what is mentioned above about blocking the chickens from coming out as the door is opened...just seems it would be easier to block them. As for the litter getting in front of the door....removable board tall enough for the litter and the door shortened at the bottom to clear the litter board.

But, like I said, the spiderwebs are still fresh in my brain...matter of fact, I think the spiders are still crawling.

Ed

 

[Intheswamp]

Quote:
Planning on one for my *eventual* coop.

Seems like it'll never get going.

But, a rain barrel is definitely a good idea. I would study over this a little bit before setting it up, though. Being as lots of debris, dust, wildbird poop, etc., can end up on the roof you really don't want to wash this into your chickens drinking water. A diverter or rinser is just about a "must have"...

One simple design of a diverter/roof-rinser uses an upside down "Y" and a length of pvc pipe with a valve at the bottom of the pipe. This works simply by the pipe below the "Y" filling up with the first water coming off the roof (that hopefully has all the dirty stuff in it) and then allowing the cleaner water to "overflow" into the actual drain pipe going to the rain barrel. Window screen or even a finer screen can be inserted in the system to help catch big pieces of debris. Screening over the actual gutter would help keep things even tidier. Not a complete isolation between dirty and cleaner water, though. A valve or clean-out cap (a clean-out cap would be better as it would make cleaning easier) will allow you to drain the pipe filled with dirty water that's below the "Y".

A ready-made diverter/rinser that does a better job can be found here at RainHarvest Systems . This looks to be a pretty good diverter, though cost is around $35 plus shipping. Might be worth considering, though, being as it is a "cleaner" setup than the "Y and pipe diverter". It is basically a floating ball that rises with the water level, eventually sealing off the first (dirty) water from the later (cleaner) water, diverting the clean water into your rain barrel. There is actually a slow-release valve at the bottom of the rinse tube that allows the dirty water to bleed off slowly so that the diverter is ready for the next rain. There is maintenance required (cleaning it out all along). Wow, that sounded like a sales pitch but I don't have any connection with the company...just looks like a good design that I might eventually try (gotta get the coop built first!

).
There's an image of the First Flush unit and a drawing of the PVC diverter/rinser below...hope this helps, Ed

 

[Manok-Tao]

Quote:
Your right the door to the Coop needs to open out. My comment was on the door to the Run that needs to open in. A door to the run opening in eliminates the ole bolting chicken...especially when they are you buddies and get excited when you open the run gate and crowd around the it If it opens in the gate itself and your entering body (legs) block the ole bolter.
Also you'll want a board across the bottom entry way of the run gate 2-4 inches above grade that will allow a fastening (nailing) place for the "material' you've buried to eliminate digging predators
Maybe I'm off here and your planning on deep litter in the run?

Maybe I'm not thinking staight yet this morning (was doing bookwork at the office til' midnight<groan>) but my thoughts on the doors opening *into* the coop is what is mentioned above about blocking the chickens from coming out as the door is opened...just seems it would be easier to block them. As for the litter getting in front of the door....removable board tall enough for the litter and the door shortened at the bottom to clear the litter board.

But, like I said, the spiderwebs are still fresh in my brain...matter of fact, I think the spiders are still crawling.

Ed

Ed my friend, clear the webs (I get them too, and too often). Please re-read my 2nd post, the one you quoted with your last response. The door to the COOP is best to open out as you stated and for the reasons you stated. My comment on your drawn plans is on the door that accesses the RUN...(the wired in outdoor area attached to the coop). Your plans show a gate/door accessing said run. My comments are on this door and that it would be best if it opened in.
hope you get going on your coop/run soon whichever way your doors open....post pixs as you build!

Sorry for the tangent on your thread Kimbalaya
John

 

[Intheswamp]

Quote:
Maybe I'm not thinking staight yet this morning (was doing bookwork at the office til' midnight<groan>) but my thoughts on the doors opening *into* the coop is what is mentioned above about blocking the chickens from coming out as the door is opened...just seems it would be easier to block them. As for the litter getting in front of the door....removable board tall enough for the litter and the door shortened at the bottom to clear the litter board.

But, like I said, the spiderwebs are still fresh in my brain...matter of fact, I think the spiders are still crawling.

Ed

Ed my friend, clear the webs (I get them too, and too often). Please re-read my 2nd post, the one you quoted with your last response. The door to the COOP is best to open out as you stated and for the reasons you stated. My comment on your drawn plans is on the door that accesses the RUN...(the wired in outdoor area attached to the coop). Your plans show a gate/door accessing said run. My comments are on this door and that it would be best if it opened in.
hope you get going on your coop/run soon whichever way your doors open....post pixs as you build!

Sorry for the tangent on your thread Kimbalaya
John

John, here's my idea. The doors between the coop and the storage area and between the coop and the run are the ones that I feel need to open *into* the coop...easy to step into the door gap and block a chickens escape attempt. The same goes for entering the run from the outside door/gate...it shouldn't be that hard to create a small landing that would be level just inside the door/gate...I guess I should've reversed that gate when I modified the jpeg image.

Of course, I'm beginning to feel like this is "who's on first?".

Ed

 

[Manok-Tao]

Quote:
Ed my friend, clear the webs (I get them too, and too often). Please re-read my 2nd post, the one you quoted with your last response. The door to the COOP is best to open out as you stated and for the reasons you stated. My comment on your drawn plans is on the door that accesses the RUN...(the wired in outdoor area attached to the coop). Your plans show a gate/door accessing said run. My comments are on this door and that it would be best if it opened in.
hope you get going on your coop/run soon whichever way your doors open....post pixs as you build!

Sorry for the tangent on your thread Kimbalaya
John

John, here's my idea. The doors between the coop and the storage area and between the coop and the run are the ones that I feel need to open *into* the coop...easy to step into the door gap and block a chickens escape attempt. The same goes for entering the run from the outside door/gate...it shouldn't be that hard to create a small landing that would be level just inside the door/gate...I guess I should've reversed that gate when I modified the jpeg image.

Of course, I'm beginning to feel like this is "who's on first?".

Your right Ed; this is a who's on first. Partially my bad. My initial response was to Kimbalaya who started this thread. She had plans drawn out of her prospective coop and asked for input; to which I replied with comments. Others responded to my input to Kimbalaya.... about my comments....I then (in err) continued to respond to those posts...stepping on the original thread. Sorry Kimbalaya.

If you have an outside gate that accesses your run. IMO the gate should open in. You should also have a board attached to the side jams of this gate opening about 4-6 inches above grade. This board runs across the bottom width (or opening span) of the run access gate. You need this board for a nailing/screwing attach point for the material you choose to use to protect the run from digging predators. This material (hardware cloth metal/palstic..welded wire) can be buried straight down 6-10 inches or buried down 4-6 inches then brought out from the run perimeter 12-36 inches at the same depth in the skirt method.

Ed