post your chicken coop pictures here!

[Sylvester017]

Absolutely Bruce! Those coops were very tempting because they came with everything done and I wouldn't have to lift a finger! I was very close to purchasing one of the Amish made coops. They are BEAUTIFUL! They come with all the extras. I opted for more room due to this chicken math problem I keep hearing about! I got the shed in the middle of March and still have a ton of work to do. But that was the give and take. Get bigger and customize myself, or get smaller and it's all done.

We're opting for "all-done" possibly Amish/Dutch/or TUFF SHED chicken coop pre-assembled or assembled on site and definitely with wheels. We have our current coop close to the kitchen sliding door where the new coop will replace it. We need to have wheels to move the new coop around should there be repair/remodeling on the house requiring moving the coop. We're in county territory so if we get annexed into a city and zone laws change we don't want to have to get cited for not having stationary shed/building permits. If worse comes to worse which I don't anticipate anytime before I die (I'm retired) we can always wheel the coop into the street if we have to sell it so therefore need a narrower dimension coop to get through the yard gate.

We looked at plastic or aluminum sheds and almost went with a TUFF SHED large building but didn't want to hassle all the modifications of the walk-in style to convert to a coop. If I were 20 years younger it would've been a good way to go but not today in our situation and with only 4 hens.

We're ordering two new laying pullets in Spring 2014. All of our breeds are bantams or under 5-lb LF and we've had backyard chickens for 3 years and resisted the chicken addiction everyone talks about. We don't have chickens for meat but medium-lightweight layers for eggs and pets. There are some gorgeous exotic breeds we admire but inappropriate for our backyard situation. If we still had our 25 acres you can bet we'd have every exotic breed we fancy but in our old age are quite content with just our backyard "pets" and the eggs they give us.

Love watching and learning about all the coops on this Coop Thread!

 

[Sylvester017]

I had to post here because nobody under stand why I'm So super excited!!! My husband is going to go to an auction tomorrow and hopefully get me a 17' semi trailer we are going to turn into our "barn"!!! Right now I have 3 coops that I run between doing chores. I have 9 rabbits, 8 chicken (9 eggs under a broody) and one 3 day old cow I bottle feed because poor mama didn't make it: ( so hopefully we get it!!!

There's a Buckeye breeder who converted a long semi trailer into a coop. The trailer works since he lives in snow country. He added window for ventilation and I think he keeps about 200 Buckeyes in that trailer in the winter complete with nestboxes and perches, scrap meat bin, water trough, and a long row feeder. Also, I saw a nifty idea of using a long 5th-wheel camping trailer as a good way to use an old vehicle. There are even some truck shells that have been converted to chicken coops or chicken tractors. Good luck on the trailer!

 

[Sylvester017]

Quote:
I'm not the owner of this coop but think this coop configuration is ok IMO. It depends on everyone's individual situation. In my particular case every one of our 4 hens sleeps in a nestbox (roomy 16x16 inches by 3' tall nestboxes) and they ignore the perch as it is not as secluded as the round hole entrance nestboxes. We don't mind and just make sure to clean the box straw daily at egg collection times. The perch is easily accessible by bantams and LF alike during the day but they won't use it to roost.

We plan on getting a larger coop in a couple years and it will have much more room and a higher perch at which time the coop dynamics/configuration will be different and the hens will readjust where they want to roost for the night. Some people have Silkies that insist on sleeping in a corner of the coop floor and not the perches. One Silkie owner solved the problem by setting up a covered cat litter box with straw in their usual corner to entice them off the coop floor at night. The suggestions on this thread are wonderful but not always useable in individual situations. But I heartily take note of all suggestions for future reference and problem solving!

 

[Sylvester017]

Quote:
Flying up and down from windows, ramps, perches, or balcony ledges may be okay for some breeds. Our Silkies are good jumpers but flying is not something that breed can do. Never hurts to always have a wide gently sloping ramp for non-flyers or sometimes older birds that need an extra assist up or down. Silkie bantams or heavier meat breeds will need the extra assistance from ramps. We had an injured Silkie who got knocked down from a ledge by a klutzy LF so we made sure to make a wider ramp so if it happened again the poor little bantams can roll down instead of get knocked directly down to the dirt floor below. While chickens are young they are flappy birds but age and maturity slows them down to use caution in their movements.

 

[Latestarter]

Very nice! If I may make one comment/recommendation... I notice that you are using keyed padlocks. Unless you are worried about "neighbors" stealing eggs or chickens, I would suggest switching to carabiner clips. I have a plethora of old padlocks with no keys

, and a great selection of keys for padlocks I can't match them up with

Also, should you need to access the coop after dark, well... carabiners would just be so much easier

don't you think? Oh, and I don't think any but human varmints would be able to open multiple carabiners

 

[chicken0123]

Hi I like your coops I'am building a coop similar to the first picture by suebaby i will post the picture of my coop when it's built

 

[jtbass2756]

Hi I like your coops I'am building a coop similar to the first picture by suebaby i will post the picture of my coop when it's built

Be sure and take pictures of the progress so we will get the privilege of seeing everything as you go along

 

[lil urbanette]

Every chicken coop needs signage, right? So my daughters school is the St.Joe Flyers, we decided it'd be cute to dress it up purple and gold, and call it the Flyer House! Pics of painted coop still to come!!

 

[theBIGhen]

The Girls Outside run

Ramp to get out to the run

Our Hen house! We upcycled our kids playhouse that my hubby & son built together and used a pair of old shutter doors & added screen so they can get natural light during the day. At night, the big door closes for privacy

The nesting boxes.

 

[jtbass2756]

The Girls Outside run

Ramp to get out to the run

Our Hen house! We upcycled our kids playhouse that my hubby & son built together and used a pair of old shutter doors & added screen so they can get natural light during the day. At night, the big door closes for privacy

The nesting boxes.

I love how you have set this up and recycled the building.. Have one suggestion and this depends on your known predators. The "chicken wire" that you have used is almost useless against predators. Racoons as well as dogss, etc can tear it apart. Get some 1/2" or more preferrable 1/4" hardwire wire and wrap over what you have. 2 layers are better still than one. I just put 1/4" over mine, saved time of taking the other off. And be sure to use nails with washers to attatch the wire. They will tear out staples.. Think...Ft.Knox! LOL All that said...I would sure love to have your coop for myself...love it.