post your chicken coop pictures here!

[undertakingyou]

One thing I'm not clear on is if there is enough ventilation when the doors are closed. That is seriously important to keep the chickens healthy with fresh air (ALL seasons of the year).

Your chickens are already using it so maybe not an issue but I think I would put the end of the ramp up on a cinder block to cut the angle some.

Good question. Not shown well in the picture is that the north and south walls have a 3 inch gap above them for the roof, allowing the free flow of air. I figure I will stuff that with straw as needed in the winter. Maybe it won't work out, but we'll see.

I am with you on the ramp. We ended up putting the ramp on a 4X4 piece, which did cut down on the angle.

 

[Sylvester017]

I have one wing clipped on each and so far they are just thrilled with the freedom of the run. I don't leave the coop door open all the time, just when we are around like in the afternoon and evening, so it kind of curtails their exploratory urge.

I've never found a need to clip any chicken wings. The new birds learn from the older birds what the parameters are in the yard and respect the barriers. That's not to say a youngster won't try to test their wings but for the most part it's good to leave wings in tact for the hens' safety to get away from predators while foraging. Of course, a lot of shelters, doghouses, canopies, lean-to's, lawn furniture, plants, give free-range hens places to hide/snooze away from aerial predators during the day and a secure coop will protect them from night critters. I had a White Leghorn that flew to the top of the coop once. I gently took her down and she knew it was not a place we wanted her to go. Another time she flew over my raised garden bed fence and was embarrassed that I gently ushered her out and she never went over again. Chickens are remarkably smarter and trainable than we give them credit! We have a very active Breda hen and she jumped over the low garden fence a couple times and then anxiously paced for us to take her back out. My DH purposely left her inside the barrier while he fed treats to the other hens so she could see that treats don't get fed to chickens on the "wrong" side of the fence! She hasn't jumped it since.

 

[Sylvester017]

I certainly hope this doesn't offend anyone! Personally I found it hilarious. However I've been told that I have a warped sense of humor.

My DH showed it to me tonight off of someone's Facebook. At first I thought it was a doctored photo! Really really cute!

 

[JackE]

awesome! Does this book give good ideas for high 100 plus degree temps too? Grins

The link below, is an on-line copy of the book. And, it does show, and talk about a hot weather version of the Woods. Basically, the front section is screen, and the lower half of the back section is screened. (Hardware cloth) IMO, perfect coop, good for ANY breed.


https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924003138272;view=1up;seq=47

 

[JackE]

It may be"better" for their respiratory system in coops that are not cleaned every week, but I find it hard to believe it is healthier to **** near freeze to death at below freezing and below 0 temps than to have a louvered vet or ridge vent or something and be able to be in a draft free coop they can maintain body heat in. Just like a barn with livestock, you don't want it air tight like a house but you don't want drafts either

to each their own I guess

The book in the link below, does not just show open-air coops. It is a good all around chicken book. It goes into the physiology of the chicken, and what their requirements are. You could learn some things from that book. Unless you are talking about some exotic, thinly feathered breed, the idea of them freezing to death is kinda funny to me. Also, there are absolutely NO drafts in a properly built Wood's coop, NONE.

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924003138272;view=1up;seq=47

 

[gpeters3]

I went out this morning and found all the hens by themselves in the run and all the chicks are in the coop roosting, looking for food on the floor or enjoying the security and comfort of a nest. I hereby bang my gavel and declare my flock is fully integrated and no one got hurt, not even a scratch on any of them.

Brood pens are coming out as soon as I get the energy and I may clean up all the wood chips and just leave the dirt in the run. I belong to the deep bedding, clean twice a year club and so far it has worked pretty well. I may have to clean an extra time due to the increased number of poop factories I have now. I'm thinking a few chips would be ok and can be worked into the dirt with all their scratching etc. but not enough to cover the floor. After a rain it gets really messy in there so dirt will turn to mud and wood chips will rot and turn to goo. Straw might be a better choice for the run. Once I get all the pens and feeders out I won't really need to walk around in there so it may not matter.

BTW, I really like my new latch for the feed access door.



I'm definitely converting all the doors but with a simpler version. I don't need the saggy gate version for hinged doors. At first I couldn't see how to arrange it but then it came to me to cut out room to mount the latch part on the 2x4 on a thicker piece of wood and the bar on the door. If you look closely you can see how I mounted it. Now all I have to do is add a 2x4 (or strip of plywood) to the top of the nest boxes to mount it to and I'm all set. My next pic will be of the run, empty except for the roost and chickens (and turkeys).

My wife's Endocrinologist (Don't you love google for spelling issues?) has a fake turtle in the foyer and my grandson always looks for it. Guess what he's calling the turkeys? I guess my run is really a terrarium

 

[rottlady]

The book in the link below, does not just show open-air coops. It is a good all around chicken book. It goes into the physiology of the chicken, and what their requirements are. You could learn some things from that book. Unless you are talking about some exotic, thinly feathered breed, the idea of them freezing to death is kinda funny to me. Also, there are absolutely NO drafts in a properly built Wood's coop, NONE.

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924003138272;view=1up;seq=47

there is no wall just screen THAT is a draft LOL unless my definition of a draft differs from others. a coop with 1 wall screen allows cold air, wind and snow in

as a teen/earl twenties my Mom's coop we had several birds lose toes and combs from the cold. My own birds in my twenties I wintered them at a farm in a box stall because my coop was too cold

My new coop will have ventilation in the ridge and end near roofline, and from the pop door during day just like a barn,but I wont be opening any windows during winter let alone a whole wall of screen

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
This is the only stick built coop I would have in my climate..... High Desert so I get a bit of snow in winter and 110 max in summer but mostly mine is a mild climate Dry for the most part. The main thing I need here is wind break and shade.

my Chriteria .... Open air, Shade, Solid wall on the two prevailing wind sides. Walk in no stooping and doors wide enough to get my walker through. Then the space needs to have an area to hold all the supplies for husbandry... and a place to sit because my comfort is important too.

deb

 

[Latestarter]

The link below, is an on-line copy of the book. And, it does show, and talk about a hot weather version of the Woods. Basically, the front section is screen, and the lower half of the back section is screened. (Hardware cloth) IMO, perfect coop, good for ANY breed.


https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924003138272;view=1up;seq=47

Thanks for sharing that link!

I had no idea that book was freely available and it contains a wealth of information and details.

I'll be using those plans for my next coop(s). I've also (obviously) saved the link

 

[JackE]

there is no wall just screen THAT is a draft LOL unless my definition of a draft differs from others. a coop with 1 wall screen allows cold air, wind and snow in

as a teen/earl twenties my Mom's coop we had several birds lose toes and combs from the cold. My own birds in my twenties I wintered them at a farm in a box stall because my coop was too cold

My new coop will have ventilation in the ridge and end near roofline, and from the pop door during day just like a barn,but I wont be opening any windows during winter let alone a whole wall of screen

You don't know what a draft is, in a coop. A draft is a cross breeze, that will ruffle the bird's feathers. This coop is built tight. No cracks in the corners, no gaps up by the roof. When the coop is in winter mode, with all the windows, and the entry door shut, there is no pathway in the coop for the wind to blow through. Even with the wide open front wall. I've had 35mph+ winter winds blow directly at the open front. You go inside the coop, and shut the door, it's as calm as it is in your living room watching TV. In the book, that is described as the air cushion effect. I get snow down here too, and no matter what it does, it never amounts to anything in the coop. Nothing ever worth worrying about.

If you were to have say, the eaves open, all the way around the coop, plus a ridge vent, I would bet that you would have more felt air movement in that coop, then mine. I'd bet $$$ on it. You would be providing that pathway through the coop. Could get drafty.

You keep chickens in a poorly ventilated box, with the misguided idea that by trapping "BodyHeat" you are doing them a favor. You are setting up a high humidity environment, combined with the cold, you will have frostbite, and probably respiratory issues. I've had winter temps to just below zero, not including any windchill, and I've ( Really, my chickens) NEVER had any problems what so ever, NONE.
Again, read the book, and learn something.