post your chicken coop pictures here!

[lifeoffaith]

 

[Latestarter]

Great start! Now, a little TLC and some hardware cloth and you'll be ready for the big time!

Oh, and welcome to BYC!

 

[Sylvester017]

Yes. Haha

there really are no dangers of daytime predators here and the chickens will be locked in their coop at night.

Bears do get pretty confused and curious when the wind up in a suburb or populated area. The wardens in ME usually shoot bears who knowingly enter the city, to prevent return trips. It doesn't happen to often at all though

Here are my chicks enjoying some sun earlier today

Cute chicks! Looks like a curious onlooker in the background.

They won't shoot wildlife in CA - too many tree huggers and animal rights groups. They won't shoot a bear except as a very last resort. The juvies are easier to relocate than seasoned ole bears that keep returning. Still I've only heard of one stubborn ole bear shot in the 25 years I've been in this city.

 

[Sylvester017]

We still have the run to build we have bought some wire but I think we will need more so in all it will probably end up costing $200-$250. Maybe we can keep cost down as much as possible

Most talented people can build some darling coops and a lot from recycled materials. The real shock comes when the hardwire costs are added. Some go the cheaper poultry wire route but I almost lost my chickens to a German Shepherd that mutilated my coop's 1-inch poultry wire with his teeth and claws. The neighbor chased him off before he got to the chickens! The mutt often strayed breaking into yards - he belonged to an irresponsible owner. We double gated our yard just because of that one irresponsible pet owner.

As for coop costs just remember that chickens are classified as a "hobby" and not an investment for "profit" - except as fertilizer for the yard, eggs for the table, and antics for entertainment! We call our girls "pets" since each egg costs us around $3 apiece after housing, secure runs/fences, feed, treats, equipment, health maintenance products for worming/lice/mites, bedding/litter, veterinarian visits, prescriptions, added shelters and outdoor roosting poles, shade canopies, etc. Chickens require just as much care as dogs or cats just a little different.

We've easily spent over $1K in 3 years but it's still cheaper than having a dog. My daughter just spent that in one surgery for her dog last month. Your costs are minimal trust me. Doing a lot of the work yourselves definitely is a savings. The hardwire as stated previously is probably the costliest expense but will pay for itself in the protection of your flock. Good luck and it will be so worth the final result!

 

[Sylvester017]

Notice the skirt of welded wire at the base of the chicken coop. It will be partially covered in large rocks to prevent predators from digging under the run. There are many tree roots here and I didn't want to cut thru them. This method of predator proofing has been used quite successfully in Australia to keep the Dingo's out. The Aussies just pile on rocks, logs, tent stakes or whatever to secure the welded wire to the ground. This method is even used to keep wolves from digging out of their large enclosures in some North American wolf breeding programs. The welded wire ground skirt is securely tied to the inside of the chicken run with aluminum wire. The welded wire hardware cloth also makes for a great medium to slough off that chicken poop from the bottom of your boots after entering the walk-in coop.

I am totally in LOVE with your security run. So many chickeneers don't take security hardwire seriously. Excellent run. We got a Lucky Dog kennel to add as run space to our little coop. I like the black powder coating as the chainlink styles get bad reviews from customers. Ours has the gabled soft-top too. If the fabric every deteriorates a tarp with ball ties will still look nice rather than spending $$ for another fitted kennel cover.

I think you mentioned the house was made of "cedar"? I thought I read somewhere that cedar fumes were toxic to chicken respiratory systems? How did you decide on cedar? Maybe plan for a LOT of ventilation if you use the cedar coop? Most board and batten models by the Amish are made from pine. Cute outhouse design - all it needs is a half-moon cutout on the door.

 

[Sylvester017]

Our coop we made out of PVC . I think it turned out pretty good

Turned out cute with good sturdy PVC. But poultry wire is easy Raccoon pickin's. They can easily claw/tear away poultry wire. Most people on this thread will advise hardwire. Yes it's expensive but better than finding the flock's feathers scattered around the yard in the morning. Raccoons kill for the sheer pleasure of it. We live in the city and never thought we had critters until I saw a Raccoon as big as a goat climb out of the sidewalk storm drain at 2:00 a.m.

A stray German Shepherd broke into our yard and mutilated our poultry wire with his teeth and claws. The neighbor chased him off before he got to the chickens, thank goodness! No more poultry wire for us!

 

[Sylvester017]

They have been staying in the unfinished coop because they have outgrown the brooder. For now they are using the 2x4's and the brooder box for a roost.
I'm gonna take a shot at building a removable roost and poop board. They are slinging food everywhere so I am also looking for ideas on DIY chicken feeders. The last thing I plan on building is the nesting box, 3 chickens = 1 box. Less work for me. In the future I hope to replace the roof on the playhouse and install a solar attic fan. After a lot of trial and error we are finally getting somewhere.

It is so great that chickens aren't fussy. Yours look so cute using a board for a makeshift roost.

You can build 3 nestboxes and the chickens will all want to lay their egg in just one favorite box that everyone wants to use! I have 3 nestboxes but all 4 hens want the box closest to the door. They will all lousdly squawk if it is already occupied when they want to lay their egg and there are two more perfectly good empty boxes available!

As for chickens slinging food in the coop. We solved the problem by only feeding them outside the coop (we free-range) because we had rodent problems the first year. Solved now that we only feed in the morning and pick up the feed dish after the morning frenzy. Towards evening when they are foraging for their evening meal we bring out the feed again. During the day they will get a treat of either cucumber or grapes or chopped greens or meat. Wild bird seed and whole wheat grain and oyster shell is available for at-will grazing. All dishes (except oyster shell) are taken out of the yard and we've had no more issues with night critters.

Feed isn't all chickens can sling. Poop gets in the darnedest places too!

 

[Sylvester017]

Here's our coop and run.

.

Also threw an old wifi cam on it to see the run and coop.

LOVE the security of the pen wire! Cute coop.

 

[Sylvester017]

On page 163 I posted our 1st coop (https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/596294/post-your-chicken-coop-pictures-here/1620). We basically used part of an utility shed/storage shed for our first coop (approx. 10'x5'). When we added more chickens in 2013, we built another on the opposite wall. Each had their own, enclosed run. This year DD signed up for 4H Chick chain. She and I both purchased some additional chicks in the spring, pretty Silver Sebrights and Silver Laced Wyandottes. So our two older flocks have retired to the pasture to be truly free range (no more run). They will be with goats. Hubby built this 10x12 building on skids.



When the goats hear us feeding the chickens they run round and round the building. They know the sound of pelleted food, and want theirs!



After research on goat and chicken forums we knew we would have to do something to keep the goats out of the coop and away from the chicken food. So hubby built this /L/ shaped entrance. The chickens learned quickly where everything is located in their new coop. They and the goats seem leery of each other.

LOVE the chickens - get rid of the goats. Not a good idea together. We gave ours away. Another chickeneer lost her best rooster to a runaway goat. They are unpredicatable creatures and pushy and love to butt from behind. Not a good match for a 6-lb chicken when goats go haywire. But hey, it's your yard. Just sharing what happened to others. Laying hens need a peaceful environment with no stress and goats are an unpredictable livestock. Cows are okay, ducks are okay, geese are okay, turkeys shouldn't be mixed with chickens, but goats definitely iffy.

 

[Cluckadoodledo]

I've heard that about Cedar too. I live in the Pacific North West where Cedar is plentiful. It doesn't rot as quickly as pine. Insects don't feed on it like they do other types of wood. This coop is made out of yellow Cedar which is not the same as the aromatic Cedars used to line closets. Folks up here have been using Cedar to build barns and livestock shelters since the earliest homesteads. The native Americans used Cedar to build their longhouses. The coop is well ventilated and the chickens appear to be in good health. I use Hemlock shavings on the floor, which is a common practice up here. The biggest respiratory danger from Cedar is when your milling it. I researched coop materials and everything has it's drawbacks. Oriented Strand Board can release hazardous VOC's (Volatile Organic Compounds) from the resins and glues used to make it, as well as glues in plywood. Once again, it's greatest respiratory issues come when cutting it. Pine has to be painted or sealed in some fashion, a good paint that can withstand the moisture and ammonia from chicken poop is going to have it's own health hazards. Treated wood is toxic and should only be used in areas that won't be contact with the chickens, food, water or eggs. I live in a rain forest of Hemlock, Cedar, Spruce, Douglas Fir, Maple, Alder with a thick undergrowth of ferns, moss, etc. Everything molds, mildews, grows moss or mushrooms. Other then using metal to build my coop, Cedar was the most economical material that would last over time. None of the locals I've spoken with have had any noticeable negative health effects on their chickens from their Cedar Coops. That being said, I definitely wouldn't use Cedar shavings for the coop floor.