post your chicken coop pictures here!

[Sylvester017]

Good idea. The nest boxes are currently closed off from the inside so the chicks don't get in the habit of sleeping in there. I think I have a couple hasps laying around that I can put on them.

When we bought our custom pre-built 4x6 coop at the feed store we had no say on its design. The builder had the one perch at the same level as the nestboxes on the opposite side. So naturally all our hens immediately took to sleeping in the round-holed entrance nestboxes - nice cozy secluded sleeping quarters. There was no way to break them of the habit since the perch was not higher than the nestboxes so we just make sure to clean the boxes in the morning and add new straw as needed. Your chicks as adults will eventually use the higher roost bar for sleeping rather than the floor height nestboxes. The only way they'd use the boxes is if there wasn't enough room on the perch for all of them to fit.

Our 4x6 is too small even for a couple bantams and we quickly allowed our 4 hens to learn how to free-range, set up a popup canopy, a couple of makeshif lean-to's, a big doghouse, and bushes to hide/snooze under during the day. Other than using the coop to lay their eggs or roost for the night the girls are always out in the yard somewhere. Cooper's Hawk made his rounds again today sitting on the fence watching them but they're too savvy to let him/her get them. We don't have chicks for easy predator pickings and the adult hens, even the Silkies, are too smart to stay in the open. One dove into the doghouse, one dove under the wheelbarrow, one was sounding the alarm under the canopy and one was in a nestbox brooding - pretty savvy girls for not having a roo for protection. The Hawk much prefers going after the easier wild birds which is why we keep a wild feeder to lure his/her attention away from the hens. There was a hen in the open but he preferred going midflight after an easy Mourning Dove instead - she was too quick for him though and he moved on!

 

[LindaB220]

My coop is almost ready for the chicks!
Linoleum on the floor and poop board plus sweet PDZ.

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Ladder to the roost

2x4 to keep shavings inside the coop.


Hardware cloth on the screen door.

Light(still needs a cover/guard)

Hardware cloth apron almost done.

Sled, one the best looking insides ever. Cute!!!

 

[Sylvester017]

Been a little while since I posted updates on our coop & run progress, prepare for pic overload hehehe!







Hard to see roosts in front of their panoramic window hehe:






Just a few more finishing touches (like paint and wire and such) and we can FINALLY get our chooks

I've heard more chickeneers say their chickens fight for positions on the perch nearest a view window in the coop. I think you have more than adequately covered that problem!!! Great job!

 

[LindaB220]

Hey Nikki,

Looking really good. How many are you putting in there. Dimensions?

 

[LindaB220]

Wow there are some amazing coops on here! Here is mine. You can't see from this picture but they have a fan inside the window of the coop and a fan on the back side of the pen closest to the coop so it is out of the weather.

Hey Cameo.

Nice one. Especially a fan this time of the year

 

[Sylvester017]

Thank you! I've worked really hard. I have eight six week old bantams that will be moving in soon. I went big in case chicken math hits!

Chicken Math WILL hit!.

What I didn't realize when Chicken Math hit me is that I didn't heed the warnings about mixing bantams, especially Silkies, with LF. We were gifted a White Leghorn and a Marans pullet which were fine with the Silkies. But at about aged 2 the 7-lb Marans went vicious on a 6-month-old 2-lb Silkie and we immediately had to re-home the big bird. The White Leg was a sweet gentle alpha but by age 3 she became progressively pushy toward her flockmates and even her best friend Partridge Silkie. We tried several methods to settle her down as she was a good layer, had been a nice leader for so long, but finally we had to re-home her too. LF are nice as pullets but after age 2 can become bullies toward smaller birds just because they can.

Now we don't keep any LF over 5-lb and only known gentle breeds. We have a 4.5-lb Buff Leghorn (much calmer than White or Brown Legs), a kooky friendly 5-lb APA Ameraucana, and two Silkies. So far so good. Next year we will add 2 Bredas who are usually non-broodies, fairly good layers, gentle temperaments, and not over 5-lbs - highly recommended for gentle flocks. If we should need more layers in future it will be a couple of Dominiques who are under 5-lbs, good layers, with good temperaments (we've had them before and they are great) but it will be 3 or 4 years in future. First we want to try out the gentle Breda for white eggs. We considered the Polish and the Crevecoeur for gentle white egg breeds but didn't want any more crested birds. My preference is to deal with feathered legs over messy crests that tangle and get debris caught in them. We love our Silkies but their crests are always mangled from free-ranging - it's ok they're having fun! We love our bantams and the whole flock dynamic is set up around them specifically.

 

[Sylvester017]

Need to correct my previous posts re Ivermectin paste wormer. It does not kill Tapeworm. However on a positive note from the research I managed to find Tapeworm is not a common occurrence with chickens.

I love Ivermectin for worming but also have read that wormers need to be rotated to stay effective. So after almost 3 years of using it on my hens I will consult with my vet for a rotation product. Then I can't wait to get back on rotation to use Ivermectin again as it is the easiest exact dosage wormer I have found. One reason I like it is because with other wormers that have to go in feeders/waterers some of my hens eat/drink a lot and others not so much so never know how much each hen has ingested for effective worming. But that's the breaks for chicken health maintenance.

As for "natural" or "organic" worming methods they are not as effective as commercial wormers to cover all parasites. Nothing is ever cut-and-dried easy with chickens - the more I learn the less I know LOL!

 

[gilcamp4]

I need some ideas on how to design my chicken coop so can you post your coop pictures? if you do I

to you!

we did it the cheap way was given a camper and used that, now we are looking for a 2nd one, put it on craigslist hope someone close has one

 

[Sylvester017]

Getting closer!!!

So cute! Use a secure method to keep the pop door open - the wind is always blowing our coop door shut so we have to bungie cord it or use a brick to keep it open. Enjoy your chickens!

 

[sled483]

I am in LOVE with your coop!!! WOW! I especially love your roost and droppings pan...I can tell you've filled it with PDZ...LUV that stuff!!!! The only thing I'd do differently is to lay the 2 x 4 'flat' for better overnight footing for the birds. Kudos to you on such a magnificent job!! e

Thank you! Yes I put the 2x4 in a joist hanger. Right now my bantams are using a 2x4 in there brooder the short way. Once they get bigger I can pivot the joist hangers and have it go the wide way.