- Oct 13, 2010
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My parents house came with a chicken coop when they bought it in the 60's. We have rebuilt the run a couple of times trying to keep critters out, but it was way past time to replace.
One problem, the old coop was occupied and mom was itching for new gals. Since mom is in her late 80's....her chickens are also my responsibility, so I had said no more new hens. But she kept dropping MASSIVE hints about wanting new hens and how wonderful they would be. So, we agreed new hens, but with a new coop and run too.
This was in January and also when we were starting the new garden. I had been hoping that would keep her busy and not thinking about chickens...but no such luck. We (I) had to do a lot of clearing over grown fruit trees. My dad was an early organic gardener (left everything to degrade pretty much where it fell) and could think of something to do with most any junk he could haul home. We had a lot of hauling to the dump of things he had collected after he passed. (and yes junk sorted so it could be recycled)
We "cleared" a garden space aprox 30'x70' out of the center of the orchard and used temp fencing for this year to make sure we liked the layout. The hens did a lot of helping while we dug out terraces for the garden (slight hill side) The hens also patrol the outside of garden. Snails are rare but we still have some slugs (they had a great habitat there for decades) I had done a lot of reading about companion planting for the veggies and using a parameter flower border to attack both bees and other pollinators and pest bugs. I looked for flowers that the chickens left alone in the past since the flowers are on their side of the fencing. We used old wire crates and pvc rings to give the new plants a chance with the hen-erators. The hens have enjoyed the flowers and so did my mom.
We thought we were getting done quickly with the garden so we went ahead and ordered the chicks (6EE and 2 SLW)
And then things got busy for me at work, we had house repairs to deal with and suddenly all of our purchased chicken house materials had to be left in a damp storage shed (not so good for our siding) And our chicken order came in. Work really hit the fan for me in June and the new ladies had to move in with the old flock.
But, we are back to finishing off the coop before it starts raining here and we need to get back to the garden.
Bad cell phone shots taken last night as the sun was setting and the drizzle had arrived. (end doors are not made or attached yet-but will be mostly open-siding on the lower part to keep the floor drier but wire on the top. In this part of the country keeping the chickens cool is more of a concern than keeping the warm. The peak is going to be covered in wire and then a decorative lattice to match the peak of the main house will be added)
Mom will get her egg box on the house level of the garden (no more walking in to the coop for eggs) It had to be high enough to be over a retaining wall and low enough we can add a rain gutter
There is a 12" roof over hang so she can stay dry and the roof is high enough she can not hit her head on it.
Both ends will open wide open for easy cleaning (wood chips and poop for the compost pile)
The floor is getting vinyl.
Roosts have not been added
Roof was just tacked on last night and has to be reset after this weeks worth of sprinkles is over (hoping for no wind!)
The double pop doors are there because we started building prior to getting the chicks and planning they would be getting used to each other by sharing a coop with a chicken wire wall separating them
The run will be added after I tear down the old coop/run
And yes sliding this coop over about 20 feet to where the old coop is, is going to be hard! but we plan on using 4 men and plywood under the back "legs" while we pull it in place (and set on pier blocks)
It is going to get wire around the legs after moving and a day roost under it too
curious helpers
One problem, the old coop was occupied and mom was itching for new gals. Since mom is in her late 80's....her chickens are also my responsibility, so I had said no more new hens. But she kept dropping MASSIVE hints about wanting new hens and how wonderful they would be. So, we agreed new hens, but with a new coop and run too.
This was in January and also when we were starting the new garden. I had been hoping that would keep her busy and not thinking about chickens...but no such luck. We (I) had to do a lot of clearing over grown fruit trees. My dad was an early organic gardener (left everything to degrade pretty much where it fell) and could think of something to do with most any junk he could haul home. We had a lot of hauling to the dump of things he had collected after he passed. (and yes junk sorted so it could be recycled)
We "cleared" a garden space aprox 30'x70' out of the center of the orchard and used temp fencing for this year to make sure we liked the layout. The hens did a lot of helping while we dug out terraces for the garden (slight hill side) The hens also patrol the outside of garden. Snails are rare but we still have some slugs (they had a great habitat there for decades) I had done a lot of reading about companion planting for the veggies and using a parameter flower border to attack both bees and other pollinators and pest bugs. I looked for flowers that the chickens left alone in the past since the flowers are on their side of the fencing. We used old wire crates and pvc rings to give the new plants a chance with the hen-erators. The hens have enjoyed the flowers and so did my mom.
We thought we were getting done quickly with the garden so we went ahead and ordered the chicks (6EE and 2 SLW)
And then things got busy for me at work, we had house repairs to deal with and suddenly all of our purchased chicken house materials had to be left in a damp storage shed (not so good for our siding) And our chicken order came in. Work really hit the fan for me in June and the new ladies had to move in with the old flock.
But, we are back to finishing off the coop before it starts raining here and we need to get back to the garden.
Bad cell phone shots taken last night as the sun was setting and the drizzle had arrived. (end doors are not made or attached yet-but will be mostly open-siding on the lower part to keep the floor drier but wire on the top. In this part of the country keeping the chickens cool is more of a concern than keeping the warm. The peak is going to be covered in wire and then a decorative lattice to match the peak of the main house will be added)
Mom will get her egg box on the house level of the garden (no more walking in to the coop for eggs) It had to be high enough to be over a retaining wall and low enough we can add a rain gutter
There is a 12" roof over hang so she can stay dry and the roof is high enough she can not hit her head on it.
Both ends will open wide open for easy cleaning (wood chips and poop for the compost pile)
The floor is getting vinyl.
Roosts have not been added
Roof was just tacked on last night and has to be reset after this weeks worth of sprinkles is over (hoping for no wind!)
The double pop doors are there because we started building prior to getting the chicks and planning they would be getting used to each other by sharing a coop with a chicken wire wall separating them
The run will be added after I tear down the old coop/run
And yes sliding this coop over about 20 feet to where the old coop is, is going to be hard! but we plan on using 4 men and plywood under the back "legs" while we pull it in place (and set on pier blocks)
It is going to get wire around the legs after moving and a day roost under it too
curious helpers
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