post your chicken coop pictures here!

[smcgill]

Yep Zip ties are awesome tools wonderful for using as clamps or a second pair of hands.... but sadly even the UV resistant ones are only good for about a year.... enough time to get a hold of some hog rings and the pliers to put them on with....

FWIW. you dont have to remove the zip ties just go in and reinforce with hog rings... Or in some cases just plain old wire lacing....

deb

Hog rings I have found @ Bass Pro with the sausage making supplies!
Get the pliers!

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
definately get the pliers.... but you can get hog rings at any hardware store... Ace, Home Depot, Lowes... the rings come in several different sizes I bought mine at KW Cages when they were still selling aviary supplies. just around the corner.

deb

 

[Stephanie R]

My coop and extended run. Not what I wanted, but my sweet husband built it for me when I was out of town, and I don't have the heart to say anything. It's great in the summer, but I'm a bit worried about our wet winters. I do have solid wood panels, as well as clear plexiglass panels, that clip into the open sides, so that will help. I'm thinking I may have to get a large carport canopy to go over the entire coop and part of the run so that I don't get soaked through every day when I refill feed and water. You'll notice the prayer flags in the run. My husband is trying to turn the chicks into Buddhists .. or keep away the owls and hawks.

 

[junebuggena]

A raccoon will be able to reach right into that coop and tear your birds to pieces. The latches don't look very coon proof either. And your birds will get soaked in there. The roosting bar is at about the same height as the nest boxes, so they may end up sleeping the boxes, giving you poop covered eggs in the morning.
I don't mean to be so blunt, but there are some serious flaws for a coop in NW Oregon.

My coop and extended run. Not what I wanted, but my sweet husband built it for me when I was out of town, and I don't have the heart to say anything. It's great in the summer, but I'm a bit worried about our wet winters. I do have solid wood panels, as well as clear plexiglass panels, that clip into the open sides, so that will help. I'm thinking I may have to get a large carport canopy to go over the entire coop and part of the run so that I don't get soaked through every day when I refill feed and water. You'll notice the prayer flags in the run. My husband is trying to turn the chicks into Buddhists .. or keep away the owls and hawks.

 

[perchie.girl]

My coop and extended run. Not what I wanted, but my sweet husband built it for me when I was out of town, and I don't have the heart to say anything. It's great in the summer, but I'm a bit worried about our wet winters. I do have solid wood panels, as well as clear plexiglass panels, that clip into the open sides, so that will help. I'm thinking I may have to get a large carport canopy to go over the entire coop and part of the run so that I don't get soaked through every day when I refill feed and water. You'll notice the prayer flags in the run. My husband is trying to turn the chicks into Buddhists .. or keep away the owls and hawks.

love the flags ... you will be surprised how well they work for keeping flying predators out... Hubs is a sweetie for sure.

You can weather proof the coop pretty easily. And those carport canopies are an awesome choice.... Just be sure to fasten the legs to something because HERE they become Airborn.....

Yep my ideal coop is one I can walk into and be out of the weather what ever it is and do coop chores. But you know later on when you guys have out grown it.... turn that carport structure into a coop itself.... and use the fab one your hubs built for a broody or use it to grow out some chicks.

For what its worth I have seen people cover those carport roofs with tin roofing and the sides with plywood using the legs as supports...

deb

 

[Stephanie R]

Perchie-girl -

Yes, I was so hoping for a walk-in coop, but the chicks seem happy and comfy, so I guess I can deal for a while. I told hubby that we'll see how the first winter goes and then we may have to make some adjustments. Hubby is not really happy about the canopy part because our coop sits up on a hill that you can see coming up the driveway. He thinks it will detract from the aesthetics of the property, but I'm all about keeping the chickens comfortable, and me, too. I told him we'll get through our first winter, and then maybe revisit the issue. We have big wooden garden shed on the other side of the house that would be ideal, but I've got to get him to want to do that.

 

[Stephanie R]

Junebuggena - I'm totally fine with direct.

The chickens do roost rather than sleep in the nest boxes. I have plexiglass and wood panels that snap in to all of the open parts that will keep the rain out and that a raccoon would not be able to undo. I can barely undo them. I'm not sure what other latches you're talking about, since you can't see them in these pictures. Please elaborate if you'd like. I realize that this is not an ideal coop, especially for the Pacific NW, and I believe I stated that in my first post. But it's what I have for now, and we will do everything we can to keep our chickens safe and comfortable.

If you have any constructive ideas for some simple modifications to this one for now, I'm all ears.

Thanks for your input.

 

[perchie.girl]

Perchie-girl -

Yes, I was so hoping for a walk-in coop, but the chicks seem happy and comfy, so I guess I can deal for a while. I told hubby that we'll see how the first winter goes and then we may have to make some adjustments. Hubby is not really happy about the canopy part because our coop sits up on a hill that you can see coming up the driveway. He thinks it will detract from the aesthetics of the property, but I'm all about keeping the chickens comfortable, and me, too. I told him we'll get through our first winter, and then maybe revisit the issue. We have big wooden garden shed on the other side of the house that would be ideal, but I've got to get him to want to do that.

Let him think about it a while... the carport would be temporary.... I betcha he comes up with an outstanding idea... Show him some of the garden coop designs very esthetically pleasing and there have been a couple posted here just recently so leaf back through the pages.

As a designer I am always drawn to them because of their practicality and modular aspect as well as ease of modification to your personal needs.... unfortunately they are unsuitable to my somewhat extreme climate.

Oh heck let me find a pictures of several on line....

This is a link to a google search for Garden Coop

You can buy plans but from what I see of his construction.... he will only need to see a picture for ideas.

If you get snow I would go with a tin roof... Those clear plastic ones are just not sturdy enough.

deb

 

[Stephanie R]

Let him think about it a while... the carport would be temporary.... I betcha he comes up with an outstanding idea... Show him some of the garden coop designs very esthetically pleasing and there have been a couple posted here just recently so leaf back through the pages.

As a designer I am always drawn to them because of their practicality and modular aspect as well as ease of modification to your personal needs.... unfortunately they are unsuitable to my somewhat extreme climate.

Oh heck let me find a pictures of several on line....

This is a link to a google search for Garden Coop

You can buy plans but from what I see of his construction.... he will only need to see a picture for ideas.

If you get snow I would go with a tin roof... Those clear plastic ones are just not sturdy enough.

deb

Some of those coops would work very well and hubby could put them together easily enough. This weekend I will be attaching some hardware cloth over all of the open sides of my current coop, just for added protection. Thanks so much for your ideas, and for the link.

 

[LaurelC]

Mine is a converted duck pen. Definitely a little out of the ordinary, but the chickens seem happy, can come and go from their evening quarters as they please, and are very secure.