post your chicken coop pictures here!

[elesandchickens]

Always updating!
Just painted the coop with barn paint, added a hinged egg door that locks, and made the nest box top hinged for easy egg access. Also recently made the coop floor raised because of recent flooding.
The gals are living in style

Egg door


Raised area with food/water, and nest boxes and perch in the back.


Indoor pic of the crazy ladies enjoying their digs!

-elesandchickens

 

[iwiw60]

Nice job you did for your ladies! Question: is that a 2 x 4 laying flat for their roosting bar? Good for you if it is...anything smaller is not comfortable for your girls, especially heavy breeds like yours. One more question: living in Tennessee I'm sure you have predators ... that chicken wire won't keep out any predator...they can tear through it like butter...might want to re-think that one.

 

[elesandchickens]

Nice job you did for your ladies! Question: is that a 2 x 4 laying flat for their roosting bar? Good for you if it is...anything smaller is not comfortable for your girls, especially heavy breeds like yours. One more question: living in Tennessee I'm sure you have predators ... that chicken wire won't keep out any predator...they can tear through it like butter...might want to re-think that one.

Actually the bar you might be referring to is the nest box top... Their perch is above it, and it's made of a thick wooden stake for climbing veggie vines. In terms if the chicken wire, I do realize its limitations but they mostly free range anyway. And I have a perimeter fence, a very barky dog and live in a very suburban area. So far so good

 

[Sylvester017]

Almost thru ran out of hardware cloth and nesting boxes and tin go on tomorrow!

This design has always fascinated me. Are these used as permanent coops or used mainly as tractors to move chickens around to designated foraging spots? And do you tarp over them on rainy days or do you have another coop housing for the chickens?

 

[iwiw60]

Actually the bar you might be referring to is the nest box top... Their perch is above it, and it's made of a thick wooden stake for climbing veggie vines.
In terms if the chicken wire, I do realize its limitations but they mostly free range anyway. And I have a perimeter fence, a very barky dog and live in a very suburban area. So far so good

Yeah, the one I'm referring to is their actual roost bar on the top in the back. It looks kinda 'thin' for such large breeds that you have. Might consider replacing with a 2 x 4 laying flat, gives them better footing and in the winter months they can lay on their feet to keep 'em warm!!

 

[Latestarter]

Actually the bar you might be referring to is the nest box top... Their perch is above it, and it's made of a thick wooden stake for climbing veggie vines.
In terms if the chicken wire, I do realize its limitations but they mostly free range anyway. And I have a perimeter fence, a very barky dog and live in a very suburban area. So far so good

Looking closely, the roosting pole you have is way too thin for your heavy birds! I wouldn't be surprised if they roost on that much wider board that is the top of the nesting boxes. Much easier on their feet and much more sure footing. Of course that meana when they have to go, all that crap will end up in the nest boxes

(which don't appear covered at all). Just a thought.

 

[Sylvester017]

Finally put the finishing touches on my coop and run!

Love the paver stones! A 3 foot wide paver stone walkway around our coop kept a couple stray dogs from digging under our coop!

Such a cute coop!

 

[Sylvester017]

I have to say, while the chickens are pretty cute, it's not enough for me to let them into the house. I prefer to keep the couch free of fecal matter. Our landraces tend to come stand in front of the back door and stare in through the glass, and they've never even been inside the house. A bit of a hypocritical stance for me to take, since somehow the dogs have managed to weasel themselves into sleeping in the bed. How that happened, I know not. But they are the last ones to get up in the morning usually.

We have a small property so sometimes an injured or sick bird has to be kept indoors to monitor. When we have only 4 chickens losing one means losing 25% of our flock so indoors is where we keep the sick ones till healthy again. As new juveniles it's where they are quarantined before integrating with the main flock. Many reasons for needing to keep a chicken, or any pet, in the house. For long-term stay in the house we have a 4x4 foot dog kennel to house an indoor chicken. We solved our inhouse chicken poop problem by making chicken diapers. It's usually only for a month and no different than changing baby diapers. Heard of one guy who had his rooster trained to use a cat litter box. I heard it was impossible to toilet train chickens but somehow this guy managed to do it! Like we've all been saying - chickens are quite adaptable to any lifestyle!

 

[BlueChick62]

That's a good point about the day being too hot in many places. One that I hadn't even thought about, since we rarely go much above +20C here. I took the dogs out a bit before 8 today, and the chickens were still quiet in their coop. I'm going to go let them out soon, but I have to say it's nicer to be able to sleep in when possible, and the chickens don't seem to mind it either. Yesterday evening they settled in for the night around ten in the evening. Also, I'm aware of the fact that many people need to keep a second job in addition to their farming, and this requires pretty early mornings. I'm just trying to get the point through, that it isn't mandatory to get up at three in the morning to let the chickens up, if there aren't any other factors that force you to rise early.

The search for cheaper food has sadly led to overcrowding animals in confined spaces. People like to complain about it, and then when someone tries to do things a bit differently, they go out of business because keeping animals in more acceptable lodgings tends to hike up the price a bit, and none of the complainers buy their product. Dairy cows are lucky in that aspect, you need a happy cow to get 8 gallons out of her daily.

I have to say, while the chickens are pretty cute, it's not enough for me to let them into the house. I prefer to keep the couch free of fecal matter. Our landraces tend to come stand in front of the back door and stare in through the glass, and they've never even been inside the house. A bit of a hypocritical stance for me to take, since somehow the dogs have managed to weasel themselves into sleeping in the bed. How that happened, I know not. But they are the last ones to get up in the morning usually.

and I'm betting your dogs don't poop in the house! I love my chicks… but they're headed out to the coop… and soon!

 

[Sylvester017]

.
My new coop well run

Quote:

______________________________________________________________________________________

My suggestion is a paver stone or cinderblock border around the base of the pen to deter dogs, foxes, digging predators. There is a wooded area near the coop that probably harbors a lot of critters on chicken diets.