post your chicken coop pictures here!

[Sylvester017]

I have always had wild possums around the place I have lived and have never lost a chicken to one. I have lost chickens to coons and weasels but never to a possum.

Well while I've been babysitting my daughter's place she had visits from both oppossums AND raccoons this past week. God help us I hope there aren't weasels in the neighborhood too. I was picking up trash for almost an hour from the raccoon's mess. I weighted my daughter's huge trash can and so far two days later the raccoon hasn't opened it. I know it's been around because the dog has been sniffing it's trail. I just hope there isn't a confrontation with the dog. A dead oppossum last week was enough for me!

 

[Sylvester017]

My coop

it was given to me. My uncle is the creative one who built it!

Cool - Besides a thorough clean (I always clean items traded with other chickeneers) the only expense you'll have is paver stones to set the coop on and 1/2 " hardwire to reinforce properly. Nice of your uncle!

 

[Sylvester017]

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/search?q=deep+litter

This chicken-chick website has a ton of articles and information. I especially like her research on not using diatomaceous earth in chicken litter or dust-bath dirt. Chickens are easily susceptible to respiratory issues and unknowing newbies and even old timer chickeneers liberally sprinkle powdered insecticide, Sevin, DE thinking they are doing their responsible effort to keep their chickens healthy not realizing that flying powders, even something as seemingly harmless as baking soda, can cause respiratory issues. My Leghorns were notorious for sneezing just taking a plain dirt dust bath so instead of using any type of insecticide powders on either the chickens or their coop, we opted to use OMRI (organic) Poultry Protector spray for lice/mite/scaly mite protection (directions on the bottle for both chicken and coop uses). This stuff like anything that is quality is not cheap but it WORKS and easier on the chickens' lungs if the easy directions are followed. We use it about once a month to treat each chicken and the nestbox and perch crevices.

 

[jtbass2756]

Sorry for the delayed answer JT... it doesn't state anything regarding safe for animals on the label or elsewhere. It's a roofing sealer after all... I went on the recommendation of others who have used it before me and had no problems (over YEARS of use). There's really nothing for the chickens to peck at/on... it dries "hard," just like any paint would... and it will be covered by bedding material which should keep their scratching and pecking interests occupied. It's water based, so easy clean up after application, and at 80 degrees, dried to a useable point in a couple of hours. There is minimal odor during application (I was worried about that so left the walls unfinished till after I applied it) and no odor at all after it dries.

I had a rainstorm pass through right after I finished applying it and ended up with a puddle of water on one side of the coop (before it had fully cured), and it did no damage at all... the water evaporated and the sealant hardened up just like the rest of the application area. No leak through any where. I have noticed that where a coop door scrapes it due to contact, it does wear through, but that would happen to anything... paint, linoleum, even tile over time... Just have to measure and cut then construct better to make sure there's no contact

So far, I'm 100% satisfied with the product and it has lived up to everything I've read about it when used in/for this particular application.

Thank you so much for the information. We are building a coop out of recycled wood and there is going to be uneven coverage....to say the least but i'd like to seal the wood where it stands so that it doesn't continue to age... Was part of an old shed for years and years....probably around 50 yrs old.

Still going to use a scrap of armstrong vinyl on the floor that will go up the wall a bit.

 

[iwiw60]

This chicken-chick website has a ton of articles and information. I especially like her research on not using diatomaceous earth in chicken litter or dust-bath dirt. Chickens are easily susceptible to respiratory issues and unknowing newbies and even old timer chickeneers liberally sprinkle powdered insecticide, Sevin, DE thinking they are doing their responsible effort to keep their chickens healthy not realizing that flying powders, even something as seemingly harmless as baking soda, can cause respiratory issues. My Leghorns were notorious for sneezing just taking a plain dirt dust bath so instead of using any type of insecticide powders on either the chickens or their coop, we opted to use OMRI (organic) Poultry Protector spray for lice/mite/scaly mite protection (directions on the bottle for both chicken and coop uses). This stuff like anything that is quality is not cheap but it WORKS and easier on the chickens' lungs if the easy directions are followed. We use it about once a month to treat each chicken and the nestbox and perch crevices.

Thank you SO much Sylvester017 for your post!! I recently purchased some DE with great reservations and I'll be takiing it back to the feed store today. I have OMRI Poultry Protector spray on my "list" to purchase which I'll do today. Thanks again!

 

[SharkmanDan]

I had googled "deep litter method" and came up with several articles referring to it, but none as comprehensive, as the one I was referred to, by "The Chicken Chick".

 

[jtbass2756]

Thank you SO much Sylvester017 for your post!! I recently purchased some DE with great reservations and I'll be takiing it back to the feed store today. I have OMRI Poultry Protector spray on my "list" to purchase which I'll do today. Thanks again!

You might save yourself a trip and call your source....I usually go to TSC but could never find it stocked. Finally asked and they said they didn't sell that much of it so the didn't re=supply unless asked. There is a place and label on the shelf....just no bottle! LOL But, I did go ahead and order some so I could have it if I needed it. I just wasted 3 weeks by not asking when I didn't find it the first time.

 

[Demidog]

We're going to convert our stone build shed into a coup with a run attached. We had actually already made one but ended up putting the dog in it so we can use more space in the garden for growing food. It's a big area and we're going let her out after the growing season. So we're going to make a run for the chickens on the other side. Anyway, until then we have made a tractor out of scrap in the garden. It looks like sh*t but looks aren't the priority. The main thing is it protects the chicks from the neighbors cat, who ate all my last lot of chicks, and other predators, and it seems to be doing the job! It's pretty heavy to move but with two people it's possible. I put some branches in for perches and a box to hide in, they seem to be enjoying it! I'v got 11 chicks in there just now, ranging from 1-4 weeks old, and they're all getting on great. I'm bringing them in at night under the heat lamp in my bathroom because they are still young, but it's hot during the day and they're fine out there pecking and scratching away the the ground. It's lovely watching them, better than TV! lol

 

[jessbe]

We moved this past Fall to a new house on 9 acres. The only problem was that the land, except for the acre that our house sits on, is all wooded. So instead of fighting the trees, we decided to use them to help us build our coop. We made a log cabin, which is roughly 8 X 8, and houses our 6 Golden Comets and our Barred Rock Roo.

That is beautiful!

 

[jtbass2756]

That is beautiful!

That's pretty cool!!!

Love what you have done with the place...any inside picts yet? What kind of predators do you have in the area?