post your chicken coop pictures here!

[Sylvester017]

my rir's are ok its the black sex-links that are mean, i was told they are a good pet but they do not let me near them one of them riped my arm yesterday, i have an rir that lets me pet her

My friend had 3 Red Sexlinks that were sweet enough but they all died within 6 months of each other, one from eggbound, one died early on, and the last one lingered for a while before dying. So sad as she doesn't take her hens to a vet. She won't get RIRs because of their reputation for aggression and she has too many gentle EEs and Ameraucanas to put a really assertive RIR in the mix. Somewhat nice layers but (about 3 eggs/week) the Marans are sneaky pecky types. The aggressive BR had to be rehomed once it reached 2 years. In a large flock the Leghorns seem to mind their own business and EEs/Amers are non-combative types not interested in flock politics.

 

[Sylvester017]

I built a small chicken coop for my 2 chickens. As we live in an urban area, no need to close off the run. Blue and white matches the colour of the windows of our house!

Urban areas have wildlife more than you think - we saw a goat-sized Raccoon crawl out of our street's storm drain at 2 a.m. and saw a 'possum roadkill in front of our house. If this is your only home for the girls, put a complicated latch or lock on both the lid and chicken pop-door since Raccoons have deft manipulative fingers. Also, provide a perch outside the coop as there isn't really enough space for one inside. There are stand-alone perches or just a big heavy branch along the ground will provide tootsie space for your girls. Once stray cats discover your girls, they will love catching them for dinner if there is no enclosed pen for the little coop. When the coop is locked up for the night it will need at least two opposing ventilation apertures near the roof line.

We aren't being brutal on here - just passing along experiences to prevent future problems. And when you make a covered pen to enclosed the cute little coop use 1/2" hardwire since standard 1" poultry wire easily pulls apart from itself when attacked by predators - I found out the hard way.

Chickens only use a coop to lay their eggs and roost for the night (no room for a roost inside your coop) - the rest of the time they love being outdoors and snoozing/hiding under foliage so an enclosed pen space is vital to their security.

 

[Sylvester017]

We have the same idea around here. Beats having to haul things off. I love striking up a conversation about my chickens. Why are they so fabulous? My brother in CA was so enthused when I told him of my chickens. Yay, another vote for team chicken! I am in the process of placing some hideouts in the yard for my girls, why do they insist on hanging out in my enclosed porch through the doggy door? Lol

Contrary to photogenic pictures of chickens grazing in open pastures, they truly like hiding places. Only a stupid chicken will graze in the open - usually they are not far from a tall weed, bush, car, wheelbarrow, etc where they can quickly dash out of sight from aerial predators. Before I got tired of hosing down their poop I used to allow my girls access to the sliding door porch where an awning shaded the area. No more - they have their own pop-up canopy in the yard with Orbit Mister on hot days, several lean-to's, a doghouse, a wheelbarrow, and some weeds/plants to dive/snooze under during the day. I got tired of their poops on my porch and they have respected the new fence barrier so far.

 

[jtbass2756]

Cutting a hole is a scary thing especially after going through all the hard work, I made mine with the hinges at the top so it can stay open during the rain you should consider flipping it over.

Well, today I worked and sweated again. Told myself I was going out to measure how my 5 gal buckets would fit as nesting boxes....Cut one...then thought I'd put on an L bracket under the boards where the buckets would be sitting....then I thought...I could go ahead and put the 2x2 braced in front of the nest boards where the buckets would be....ok...got that done. Then I looked at the window that I have in place and decided I could go ahead and put the hardwire on the inside...sweat was already dripping...LOL....as I looked at it, I realized that it would be be easier to take the window off and put it on the outside and put screws in it...then I decided I might as well flip it like you suggested....! LOL To say that I'm exhausted is an understatement ! I am going to put some more screws/washers on the wiring before I'm comfortable leaving it open at night. also still have to mount the nesting boxes and put in the roosts....mount the pop door and the people door. They will be more difficult because the openings are not even..will have to even them out before I attach them. That people door will be awful..its solid wood exterior..heavy but took these picts.

 

[TherryChicken]

We finally finished leveling off the coop. Now hopefully tomorrow we can finish putting up the walls

 

[jetdog]

Well, today I worked and sweated again. Told myself I was going out to measure how my 5 gal buckets would fit as nesting boxes....Cut one...then thought I'd put on an L bracket under the boards where the buckets would be sitting....then I thought...I could go ahead and put the 2x2 braced in front of the nest boards where the buckets would be....ok...got that done. Then I looked at the window that I have in place and decided I could go ahead and put the hardwire on the inside...sweat was already dripping...LOL....as I looked at it, I realized that it would be be easier to take the window off and put it on the outside and put screws in it...then I decided I might as well flip it like you suggested....! LOL To say that I'm exhausted is an understatement ! I am going to put some more screws/washers on the wiring before I'm comfortable leaving it open at night. also still have to mount the nesting boxes and put in the roosts....mount the pop door and the people door. They will be more difficult because the openings are not even..will have to even them out before I attach them. That people door will be awful..its solid wood exterior..heavy but took these picts.

Looks great and now you can leave it open and not worry about the rain getting in, especially being under the roof overhang.

 

[jtbass2756]

Looks great and now you can leave it open and not worry about the rain getting in, especially being under the roof overhang.

Yea, and the window is low enough for me to handle.. LOLOL and you mentioned the overhang.....

Got to get the ladder out there and take all the panels off (they are just layed up there with the supports I'm going to use and boards on top to keep them in place...

 

[PAChickLady]

Our coop and run for two birds. Still in progress, but I'm stuck as to what I can put on the floor for easy clean out. Living in PA, we can have cold winters and I want something that is durable.

 

[iwiw60]

You could lay down a remnant piece of linoleum...works great for easy cleaning.

 

[jtbass2756]

Looks great and now you can leave it open and not worry about the rain getting in, especially being under the roof overhang.

oh geez..got to make a list !! When I come back from a cookout, I need to install my nest buckets that I spent the morning cutting and anchor them somehow.

I forgot in my list of "to do" things...I'm putting in the floor covering before the roosts, etc.