post your chicken coop pictures here!

[Madddawg]

I had a brainstorm on my way to lowes this morning. Incorporate the 5 gallon bucket with the PVC. I want to able to feed and water from out side the coop but yet Have plenty of feed available for them. So I came up with this.


A bucket with a 45 connection in it, a 16" piece of 4" PVC then another 45 In the opposite direction. Mounting it now, I wound up switching the to pipes around. I will post the process and more pictures tomorrow. Still a work in progress...

 

[mpmb1227]

I call it the Wellhouse Coop because it looks like the well house on my property. I got this for free, along with my hens, and I've made some minor changes and built add-ons with repurposed materials. Don't worry about the size, it only has four residents!

The fencing is not the best, its quite old. However, it's only to keep them in while I'm not home, otherwise I free range them. Predators aren't a concern as I lock them up in the coop at night, plus I only have cyotes (not sure how to spell that...) and they only mill around the edge my field, very far away from the coop. I have lived here for 13 years and never once have I seen a raccoon. It sure isn't pretty but it works, and I can't complain since I didn't pay for or build it myself. I do plan on building a new and more efficient coop later down the road, when my finances and weather allow me to do so.

 

[lynnehd]

I had a brainstorm on my way to lowes this morning. Incorporate the 5 gallon bucket with the PVC. I want to able to feed and water from out side the coop but yet Have plenty of feed available for them. So I came up with this.


A bucket with a 45 connection in it, a 16" piece of 4" PVC then another 45 In the opposite direction. Mounting it now, I wound up switching the to pipes around. I will post the process and more pictures tomorrow. Still a work in progress...

Very promising! I'm set up for a tube waterer and 2 feeders with a 45 connector at the top to angle them outside the mesh for easy servicing.
I wonder if this would work with the 'toilet bowl' valve in the bucket to add water automatically?

 

[lynnehd]

I call it the Wellhouse Coop because it looks like the well house on my property. I got this for free, along with my hens, and I've made some minor changes and built add-ons with repurposed materials. Don't worry about the size, it only has four residents!

The fencing is not the best, its quite old. However, it's only to keep them in while I'm not home, otherwise I free range them. Predators aren't a concern as I lock them up in the coop at night, plus I only have cyotes (not sure how to spell that...) and they only mill around the edge my field, very far away from the coop. I have lived here for 13 years and never once have I seen a raccoon. It sure isn't pretty but it works, and I can't complain since I didn't pay for or build it myself. I do plan on building a new and more efficient coop later down the road, when my finances and weather allow me to do so.

Hey, your chickens look happy, and they even have a porch!!!!

 

[saraiquimby1]

So I need help. I'm a first time chicken keeper. And I'm going to be adding a run to my chicken coop. And I have no idea what the best way to do it is.

For a while anyway, they will stay in the coop/run all the time. I want to eventually free range them, but my farm is right off the highway and I don't want them venturing too close to the road. So until we make the pasture fence around the farm more chicken friendly, they will be cooped up all the time. I have a coop that is 15ft long and 8 feet wide, and they will have access to the run 24/7. I have 12 chicks right now, who knows how many will be pullets and we will only be keeping pullets for now (I think).

That being said...I want to add a run. I was planning at LEAST 10x10x6ft.
My questions are:
1. Does it need a roof? Or should it be open to the sunshine and such?
2. Should I just let them out on the grass and eat all the grass down and then leave dirt? Or do I need to have some sort of bedding in the run as well (keeping in mind they wont free range at first)

Like I said I'm a first timer, and I have the opportunity to build a run and I want to do it right the first time. I want to do it as cheaply (or should I say as cost-effectively) as possible. But I want my chicks to be happy.

Any help is appreciated! Thanks in advance!

 

[WthrLady]

Managed to get the trim fixed around the upper windows, plus chalked and painted.

Tackled the steep upper roof and shingled, chalked and painted trim. That was seriously scary.

Painted over screws.

Tomorrow I will see what needs paint coat #3.

Sunburned and sore as all get out!

 

[scchicaddy]

Thank you! We worked hard and it's been rewarding.

The overhang won't quite cover me when getting eggs but I have two "assistants" who have volunteered for egg duty come rain, sleet or snow....so they say!

Ador1 coming soon, then I'm shifting gears to cook.

 

[tntchix]

So I need help. I'm a first time chicken keeper. And I'm going to be adding a run to my chicken coop. And I have no idea what the best way to do it is.

For a while anyway, they will stay in the coop/run all the time. I want to eventually free range them, but my farm is right off the highway and I don't want them venturing too close to the road. So until we make the pasture fence around the farm more chicken friendly, they will be cooped up all the time. I have a coop that is 15ft long and 8 feet wide, and they will have access to the run 24/7. I have 12 chicks right now, who knows how many will be pullets and we will only be keeping pullets for now (I think).

That being said...I want to add a run. I was planning at LEAST 10x10x6ft.
My questions are:
1. Does it need a roof? Or should it be open to the sunshine and such?
2. Should I just let them out on the grass and eat all the grass down and then leave dirt? Or do I need to have some sort of bedding in the run as well (keeping in mind they wont free range at first)

Like I said I'm a first timer, and I have the opportunity to build a run and I want to do it right the first time. I want to do it as cheaply (or should I say as cost-effectively) as possible. But I want my chicks to be happy.

Any help is appreciated! Thanks in advance!

Welcome to the experience! You are going to love it!
Don't forget the number one rule you always need more space than you think.

To answer your questions:
1. yes some part of run should be covered if not all. It's nice to have some shade too. I started with just a hawk net over a 10x10x6 dog kennel and this winter I put on a kennel roof to prevent a ton of snow.
2. They will destroy any grass in a heartbeat so it will be dirt in no time anyway
. It depends on your drainage situation, your soil makeup. I have clay and I tried many things, sand, shavings, and ended up using equine pellets, they turn to dust when they get wet and you get this nice fluffy sawdust.

 

[treeves]

Here's our coop.

All of panels come off. Making it easy to move.

This is our water system. And our Barred Rock named Chicory.

 

[Bowleggedcowboy]

So I need help. I'm a first time chicken keeper. And I'm going to be adding a run to my chicken coop. And I have no idea what the best way to do it is.

For a while anyway, they will stay in the coop/run all the time. I want to eventually free range them, but my farm is right off the highway and I don't want them venturing too close to the road. So until we make the pasture fence around the farm more chicken friendly, they will be cooped up all the time. I have a coop that is 15ft long and 8 feet wide, and they will have access to the run 24/7. I have 12 chicks right now, who knows how many will be pullets and we will only be keeping pullets for now (I think).

That being said...I want to add a run. I was planning at LEAST 10x10x6ft.
My questions are:
1. Does it need a roof? Or should it be open to the sunshine and such?
2. Should I just let them out on the grass and eat all the grass down and then leave dirt? Or do I need to have some sort of bedding in the run as well (keeping in mind they wont free range at first)

Like I said I'm a first timer, and I have the opportunity to build a run and I want to do it right the first time. I want to do it as cheaply (or should I say as cost-effectively) as possible. But I want my chicks to be happy.

Any help is appreciated! Thanks in advance!

hi there, I'll give you some tips from experience #1 make the run as wide as your coop is. #2 you will want a roof (I used tin). Give it some slope so rain/snow will run off. #3make it tall enough so you can walk in it without stooping over. It will get enough sun thru the sides in the hot summers shade will be good for the chickens. They can take cold better then heat.