post your chicken coop pictures here!

[jasonquinnryan]

That's a pre-hung steel door.If the door is painted a light shade it should stay fairly cool.

 

[iwiw60]

I get the good screws from lowes lol...

I always use deck screws...they kinda have a 'self-tapping' thingie on the tip...made my life easier that's for sure!

 

[ErinsFlock]

I love this coop!

thank you!

 

[jasonquinnryan]

Thank you for the nice comments!

 

[Sylvester017]

Hi everyone... I'm sick and tired of waiting on The King of PROCRASTINATION!!!!

I'm just going to build my new coop myself but I would like a few idea helpers.... It will be a 4'x8' coop 2' high stand 2' high at front with 2.5' at back for rain drain with 5-8" overhang for rain .... Here's where I need suggestions.....
#1. Bedding.... Thinking sweet PDZ on floor with shavings in nest boxes for easy cleanup... Would love first hand suggestions....

Whatever you decide to use for nestboxes whether storage boxes or cat litter boxes the hens will prefer LIDDED. We bought some Kidz Homz lidded storage boxes for our indoor hospital pen from Walmart on a clearance and our hens love them. Your cat litter box idea sounds like a great idea since they are pretty sturdy and probably won't need to be bolted down - hens love the round holed entrances if you have a choice. Before we decided on our current coop I was thinking to have a raised platform built on the wall large enough so that when we put the Lidded Storage Boxes on the platform it would allow a front ledge for the hens to walk on to get into their nestboxes. You can probably keep the cat boxes on the floor of the coop and not even have to put any "lip" on them. You probably won't need more than a couple boxes since hens will pick a favourite laying nest to the exclusion of all the others. There could be a lot of empty nests yet all the chickens will stand in line complaining to use their one favourite box - silly girls! I've had up to 3 girls in one box at the same time to lay their eggs. What amazes me is that no eggs get broken with so much trafffic in a nestbox!

#3. Feeder/water..... I've got 2 1gal hanging waterers but they tip it spilling water.... I did see an idea about using PVC pipe but are these really secure and safe...

1x4's are not sturdy enough especially with several chickens roosting on it. It will start sagging/warping eventually as I found out. Here we go with expense again but might as well invest right the first time with 2x4's. As always be sure to keep the roosting bar opposite the nestbox wall and raised higher than the nestboxes. That should discourage roosting inside the nestboxes (unless you have Silkies like us - LOL!).
Keep in mind I'm on a TIGHT budget so most will be dollar tree items and recycled. Thanks for any suggestions...

You have chickens and still actually have a budget? Everything we do or spend on the yard is with our chickens in mind - even the garden beds are mostly food for them!

 

[Sylvester017]

T, I Have one idea. When building this yourself, use screws instead of nails. This allows you to take it back apart easily for any changes that might be made during the building process. Yes, it is a little more money, but it allows you to change anything easily while you're building. Just my opinion

X 2

 

[Sylvester017]

I think my last post disappeared! So my 12 year old son and I built our coop with all reclaimed materials except some 2x4s and hangers. And the chicken wire of course! These pics are before the run was attached.

It's nice to use recycled materials but don't skimp on better steps for the ramp. Too many cracks and crevices to trap chicken toes/toenails. We sanded all rough edges or splinters on the pieces we used for steps.

 

[Sylvester017]

oh the cinder blocks !!!!!! This would be great and save on wood... A little low to the ground but beggars can't be choosers..... Maybe two stacker?

If you do a two-stacker then stagger them on each other. That's what I did to make it more secure in my garden builds. Look at a neighbor's block wall fence to see what I mean by using a stagger pattern of stacking.

 

[Sylvester017]

[/URL] our girls will be spending their first night in their new coop tonight! The nest box is temporary until my husband can get one built in. He built a cupola for the roof but needs help putting it up so he is just covering the hole with wood and a tarp until tomorrow. He is also making "chicken jail" under the roosts with removable mesh panels, just incase we need it someday.

Chicken jails or "henitentiaries" are a must. Ours is indoors for housing problem hens until we can re-home them or for watching a sick or injured chicken. How fancy to have a cupola. Is it open to the air outside? How do you keep out windy rain in those things?

 

[Sylvester017]

the roosts

Very nice neatly built ladder. We built one for our hens and even the Silkies don't use it. Mine all prefer to jump or fly up to their roosts.