Planning/Building my First ever Chicken Coop. Need help and ideas!

[Jkraft]

Thanks Lindalouly! I did get 4 chicks. Those were my thoughts exactly. If for some reason I run into problems I will add to the coop or build another one. With 1 coop already built I know the 2nd coop would only be better. I learn something new (sometimes alot) every day about chicken keeping. Two are unsexed Silkies so if one or both happens to be a roo I will have to rehome it. They would be brother and sister and I don't want that. I also am not looking to get a roo. I have 2 Silkies, and 2 buff Orpingtons.

Yesterday we put it on it's legs. We had to go buy wood. I was trying to reuse wood I got for free but they were not centered. Right now the coop is so tall I couldn't place the roof back on. We purchased a pole digger and will be bury it underground a foot or more. Hopefully we will finish it today (just coop and placement) and I will post more photos. I plan on only using the coop and run when I have to. I have a half acre of land all fenced it so I plan on letting them free range as much as possible. I have 3 dogs and have introduced my chicks to the dogs. They all get along great. I think my toy aussie will be a great protector. The only issue I'm having is he tries to eat their poop and I can't have that.

 

[ToniTalley]

hahaha, you cannot keep dogs from enjoying their chicken candy (poop). And we also have a large fenced in area (6 ft high) but soon learned that they still have to be put in the safety of the coop at sundown. Coyotes, and other varmints, can climb really good, and we lost two hens to them early on.

 

[Jkraft]

I worry about my dog getting salmonella eating the chicken poop. That can happen right? My birds are not sick,came vaccinated, and I stopped feeding the wild birds all together due to the bird flu. I live in NC and come August they are banning all poultry sales and shows till Jan 2015 due to the bird flu outbreak.

I will defiantly putting them in every night. I have learned from a few friends they round up naturally and go in on there own after sundown. I also have a 6 ft fence but that doesn't stop snakes and other predators. I live by 3 ponds so we have a lot "swamp life"/animals as my husband would call it in our backyard. That's another reason for purchasing hardware cloth for the coop and run. I am still nervous about letting them free range because of predators. I never seen a hawk but they are around, snakes, and other animals.

 

[junebuggena]

Backyard flocks have a much lower rate of having salmonella than commercially housed poultry. Dogs are better at processing the bacteria than humans. I'm pretty sure the dog will be fine.

 

[Jkraft]

We got the legs on the coop and it is in the ground. I know the roof for the nest box isn't perfect but it is like that to cover the latches so they don't rust. It doesn't over hang the other side because we couldn't open it if it did to clean. For the ladder to get into the coop I'm not sure if I should make one or purchase one?



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The Front

The back

Before we put it in the ground.

 

[junebuggena]

Ramps work a bit better than ladders, especially for younger birds. If you make it too steep, they won't use it.

 

[Jkraft]

Here is picture of the coop and run. I still have a few things to finish up like the door but I am very happy with the way it turned out.

 

[ToniTalley]

Very nice set-up, although the ramp is a bit steep. You can always put a cement block under the end of it to keep it off the damp ground and also make it less steep. the chickens can easily hop up to it.

 

[Robbin Hurt]

Wow! You guys and gals, rock! I am in Kansas, thank you for the warm welcomes! I am looking forward to adding chickens to my family. The grandkids are also excited about getting eggs and naming the chickens. This coop looks awesome. My first question would be how big a run and coop do I need for 12 to 16 hens?

 

[ToniTalley]

Make it bigger than you think you will need! Chickens will share nests but they like to have room to roam.