post your chicken coop pictures here!

[Latestarter]

Awesome advise! There is always ways to improve. What do you suggest for nest boxes? I am definitely getting hardware cloth. The chickens are digging and there is big holes already started for racoons to dig a little and get in. I added a 1.5 p.v.c pipe and they are roosting on that now but I will hand a 2x4 and see if they like. Happy birds happy egg production . I can't have them eat the eggs or racoons get in for sure

Hey @BarrettG Since the nest boxes were (as I recall) up against the back wall, you could close the top off by laying a board across it as a "cover" but don't stop there or your birds will stand/lay on it and poop all over it. So take another board and continue it up following the slope of the cut you have in the partitions to enclose that area directly above the boxes. kinda like a sloped roof, to keep the birds off the top of the nest boxes. If you really want to get private, you can hang some "strips" of cloth in front of the openings to form curtains

Hoping you don't have to deal with coons, but I'm reasonably sure they are around you even if you haven't seen them yet. Please be aware, a possum won't turn down a chicken dinner either if they can get ahold of one! Best of luck with it all!

Edit to add:

I don't think you really need to set out traps... you'd as likely catch the neighbor's cat or dog as a coon... If you really want to keep just about any predator away from the coop, the best way is with a hot wire or two down near ground level... like one wire 6" up off the ground and another about a foot to 18" up.

They also make electric fencing that you could stake out around the outside of the run. Not many animals are going to try to get through either. http://www.premier1supplies.com/fencing.php?mode=detail&fence_id=96

 

[CherryAdventure]

Small and simple, but me hens are happy enough. Needs to be open because of all the hot weather we have.

Okay. I must admit, I'm embarrassed. Everyone else has these beautiful picturesque coops with wood chips and pretty decorations. And here I am with straw and shredded paper strewn everywhere, because my hens just don't care. My grass is overgrown, because my mower broke, and I just haven't had time to fix it. I am embarrassed.

 

[perchie.girl]

some people also put a roof on the run both to keep predators out and to give them a bit of dry area in winter... or during rainy days.

My run is going to have aviary netting over the top.... not enough precipitation here to worry about. but cats of all types wont walk on it... Here hot wire doesnt work well. too dry to make a good ground.

deb

 

[perchie.girl]

Small and simple, but me hens are happy enough. Needs to be open because of all the hot weather we have.

Okay. I must admit, I'm embarrassed. Everyone else has these beautiful picturesque coops with wood chips and pretty decorations. And here I am with straw and shredded paper strewn everywhere, because my hens just don't care. My grass is overgrown, because my mower broke, and I just haven't had time to fix it. I am embarrassed.

It keeps them safe and it works.... Mine is no different with the exception of no roof... I use tarps... And believe me it gets hot here

HEY.... are those grass catchers for lawn mowers as nest boxes..... AWESOME

deb

 

[CherryAdventure]

It keeps them safe and it works.... Mine is no different with the exception of no roof... I use tarps... And believe me it gets hot here

HEY.... are those grass catchers for lawn mowers as nest boxes..... AWESOME

deb

Yeah, they are. I got them from the tip, and I just hosed them out and they're really good. And, I can easily add more if I need, or just build another coop.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
I think I may try to get my hands on a couple.... Love the material they are made from ... indestructable pretty much. same stuff truck bed liners are made of. ABS. I also have a design project and figured an old truck bed liner would be the perfect materials for it....

deb

 

[CherryAdventure]

some people also put a roof on the run both to keep predators out and to give them a bit of dry area in winter... or during rainy days.

My run is going to have aviary netting over the top.... not enough precipitation here to worry about. but cats of all types wont walk on it... Here hot wire doesnt work well. too dry to make a good ground.

deb

I was going to put old trawlers net over the run, but then I just built up the fence. It's over 6 foot. We also have roosters, and they make a horrible screeching noise every time even a bird flies over the run, and you can hear it from the house. I also have a maremma dog, and she sleeps outside so we don't get any predators turning up.

We get very little rain, but when we expect rain we put in a few portable shelters and they deal.

 

[Candy442]

Okay. I must admit, I'm embarrassed. Everyone else has these beautiful picturesque coops with wood chips and pretty decorations. And here I am with straw and shredded paper strewn everywhere, because my hens just don't care. My grass is overgrown, because my mower broke, and I just haven't had time to fix it. I am embarrassed.

Don't be embarassed! I love the ideas people come up with that fit their budgets. The best help anyone can get is not on how pretty, but how protected the chickens are from area predators and adequate ventilation/protection from the elements. That to me those are the top issue and concerns...keep them safe/healthy and who cares what it looks like . Our newest coop addition was re purposed and cost 850.00 total! We would not be able to build it for that low amount and it can house 30 sleeping chickens..it is the prettiest set up we have now after two years and we use 6 ft kennel panels for their outside run. Everything is portable. You should see the rag tag stuff we built or used up to that point. However, it is a gradual process.

If your birds are healthy and not getting eaten by predators, you are doing great with their housing

 

[cabinchicky]

I agree, who cares how it looks if it's working for you and the chooks.Just keep plugging away and do what you can. Back when my Mom was little their coop was an old 40s Ford someone wrecked. Sat in the yard but it worked.

 

[willv]

Just started building and this is what i came up with. Going to add some lights and a small infrared heater once winter hits. Thinking about adding a small solar fan to keep some air moving as well. Run is 6x4, house is 3 1/3x4 and they're going to be able to free range around the yard from time to time. I was thinking I could keep 4 humanely but looking for some seasoned opinions.