post your chicken coop pictures here!

[77Penner]

Where do you live, on the moon? Open-air coops were in use in -40 temps. Not cold enough?

I didn't really read that, but I admit I skimmed. They said they were used in certain parts of Quebec, BC and Southern Ontario, none of those areas get the cold like we do. -40 can last for days, where in those areas -40 is an anomaly, their biggest issue with winter is snow and ours is extreme cold advisories for day (where its too cold to snow).
and to not sound like I'm complaining about the cold here I have lived in places where it hit -60 (still within Canada).

 

[NanaNeen]

What I have learned from this thread, "Post your Coop Pictures":
1. There are many ways to build a coop.
2. Every coop is an extension of its builder.
3. Ventilation is important.
4. There are many ways to ventilate.
5. Chickens can live in many types of coops well.
6. Chickens can live in varying weather and climates.
7. Don't judge others coops or chickens or ventilation. Apparently it will vary depending on where and how.
8. It's not necessary to all be alike.
9. Diversity in the construction of coops is wonderful.
10. Give constructive criticism only when asked for. Otherwise keep negative comments to myself.

And last, everyone's coop and methods are their own. DON'T CRITICISE.

 

[TJordan]

Ya I think you are sharing your rain we needed it but it has been raining here every day since Thursday or Friday until today

Your welcome

 

[gpeters3]

My first coop was s coop inside a coop. I simply built a frame and wrapped wire around it inside my old garage. The garage door was 7x8 and always open. I cut a chicken door in the back of the garage and let them out into a 8x20 concrete run surrounded by 2 inch chicken wire sides and top. The chicken door was always open and they ran in and out all winter. Only lost a couple of toes to , i assume, frostbite and that due to metal pipe perches i believe over roughly 4 years. The garage collapsed onto the coop which had its own tarp covered roof due to a leaking garage roof so i decided i needed to come up with a new plan which has now come together (A Team).

Many of the design ideas came from this forum but i noticed it was stinky in the coop and so needed some kind of ventilation. I left the work space wall, above the nest boxes covered in 1 inch chicken wire so, roughly, 9x7 area open to the barn. It wasnt enough because the work space is basically a 4x9x12 closed space. (Which i now leave open to the barn) So i added the chicken door at the floor level which helped but not enough so i cut out a 2x2 about 8 feet above the floor, opposite the chicken wire wall. Now it is pretty nice inside and i may leave the window open in winter, havent decided yet. I have been leaving the door into the barn open for additional air flow but the outside work space door stays shut to keep weather and animals out. Last winter i kept it closed up and it got pretty stinky but they didnt seem to mind. I believe i have a good balance now and this winter they should be more comfy. They also now have flat 2x4 wood perches throughout. I dont expect any draft on them when roosting and it doesnt matter when they are running around so i think im set.

Thought i had it all locked up and a bird flapped me in the face when i opened the door today so i knew there was a hole somewhere. Found it and fixed it. Still have some trimming to do but its about done.

Bought the 4 inch pvc today to build the water system. ($50) Next time my wife is occupied i will monkey with that, otherwise i have to start working on the house (people house).

 

[MeepBeep]

Bought the 4 inch pvc today to build the water system. ($50)

That PVC adds up quick, originally I had considered a PVC setup until I priced what it would cost to do what I wanted... Changed direction and went with the free 55 gallon barrel on Craigslist, a $7 float valve, a $10 water heater pan and a few misc fittings...

Albeit I got quite a workout getting the 55 gallon barrels, as they were down at the bottom of about a 300 foot long 60° incline, and half full of rain water... Plus the awkward feeling of backing a trailer into the guys driveway and rolling the barrels across the guys yard with no one home, since he was unable to be there and just told me to go get them whenever...

 

[chickenzooo]

I need a new coop for my ducks... they are only 1 week old now but does anyone have any ideas on a coop/run for ducks? I have 5.

 

[smcgill]

Look for a kiddy pool for them .

 

[NanaNeen]

What's the preference for roosting, flat or round?

 

[bruceha2000]

Here are a couple of pics of the 4 x 8 coop I'll be getting from my neighbor. He got it about a year ago and it's just been sitting in their backyard. Never even bothered to clean it out. I convinced him to let me have it. It's gonna take some work to clean it out, make some modifications to suit me and add to the run I have however I can't complain about the price $ 0.00.

How many hens? Looks like 3 nest boxes on the ground and 3 above that. Then 3 more way up above roost level. Likely your chickens will roost in the upper nests, they tend to go as high as they can get at night. 3 hens/nest is not a problem.

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

They DON'T "**** near freeze to death at below freezing and below 0 temps". My chickens' coop is a converted horse stall in a mid 1800's barn, 4' high plywood walls, wire above that on the sides and front. One side has clear plastic over it (well it was clear before all the dust stuck to it between the welded wire over all openings and the plastic). MOST of the chickens roost over next to the wall that doesn't have plastic. If it is -20F outside in January, it is -20F in the coop. I have never had frostbite on my chicken's combs, not even the Anconas with their big combs.

Yes there are different breeds and they can deal differently with temps. BUT 2 of my chickens are Cubalaya, as the name suggests, they originated in Cuba. The 2 Ancona are a Mediterranean breed. Neither have anything like Vermont winter temps. They behave the same as all the other hens in the winter. My girls hide from the midday sun in the Spring, Summer and Fall. For some reason they don't take their down coats off in warmer weather. Silly birds.

I am with Latestarter. Deep litter method, clean it out 2xs a year. Vents, windows, and extra 1/2" vent at roof line plus small hole vents near floor. No ruffled feathers or respiratory problems yet. But each breed and owner are different as well.

It isn't real deep litter if you clean it out (other than pulling some nice compost out for the garden).

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.

DO NOT stuff the ventilation gap with straw in the winter!!! They NEED the ventilation.

Here it is, nothing fancy, but at least it's clean and the girls are happy.

I would move the nest boxes down. The chickens will sleep in them if they are up at roost level. And when chickens sleep, they poop. Nests that are low and not used for sleeping very rarely have any poop in them.

Well here is my first shot at a coop for our 8 birds. There have been a few improvements since I took the pictures which are mainly addition of an ADOR1 automatic door. Also on the outside on the entire run is 6" of mesh on the ground with crushed stone over it to prevent digging. Let me know what you think!

Along with the general conversation, I don't see any ventilation or light in the coop at all.

Quote:
Definitely need 1/2" hardware cloth along the lower 2 or 3' to keep coons from reaching in and snagging a bird sleeping against the fence.

The open upper half of these walls will be windows. Do any of you have input as to whether that might be to much light? I had never thought of that, until my dad mentioned it today.

BIG coop?? I agree that my birds like light. If you put in windows, make sure they can open to let the heat out in the summer.

..... Why do commercial coops have exhaust fans? .....

Because they have HUGE buildings where natural ventilation can't work.

I didn't really read that, but I admit I skimmed. They said they were used in certain parts of Quebec, BC and Southern Ontario, none of those areas get the cold like we do. -40 can last for days, where in those areas -40 is an anomaly, their biggest issue with winter is snow and ours is extreme cold advisories for day (where its too cold to snow).
and to not sound like I'm complaining about the cold here I have lived in places where it hit -60 (still within Canada).

At some point, yes too cold is too cold

 

[bruceha2000]

....
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

....

They lost combs because the humidity was too high in freezing temperatures. It happens because the humid air can't get out of the coop due to inadequate ventilation. They lost toes because their roosting situation was such that they couldn't cover them with their feathers while roosting and/or their roost pole was something the conducted heat (like a metal pipe).