post your chicken coop pictures here!

[LindaB220]

Here is our new coop! I will post a pic of the run on the back side tomorrow!

Beautiful coop!!!!

 

[ml143333]

This is a copy of our coop and run. The coop is 8 x 10 and the run is 12 x 12. The entire run is enclosed with 1/2" hardware cloth and buried 18" deep.

I hope the girls and Bob will be happy. We have 10 girls and 1 Bob.

 

[tntchix]

These coops are incredible. I can't believe how different they all are yet they all serve the same purpose. Great ideas and input form everyone on BYC.

 

[iwiw60]

This is a copy of our coop and run. The coop is 8 x 10 and the run is 12 x 12. The entire run is enclosed with 1/2" hardware cloth and buried 18" deep.

I hope the girls and Bob will be happy. We have 10 girls and 1 Bob.

You did a bang-up job for SURE! So happy to hear you went with 1/2" hardware cloth all around...the only way to go. I don't know where you hail from but being backed up to a forested area you're bound to have some predators...glad you built it like Ft. Knox!!

 

[sumi]

You guys should put together coop pages and enter it in this contest:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...byc-store-gift-certificate/0_30#post_13590890

There are some amazing coops here.

 

[bigmrg74]

Hi all,

Just joined this forum ! Thrilled with the amount of info here !

I've started to grow chickens this year and this is a coop I made them

Thanks a lot for all the comments ! You are definitely an active community !

To answer your questions - I'm located in Lithuania (guess you'll have to google that) in a rural area - so most of the materials I needed to build the coop were around me. The main part is made from willows. Not much to explain here - you just take some willows and weave them I used the ones which were left from cleaning a ditch - not really the best choise, but did the job. A predator proof hardware cloth is stapled underneath as well as breathable/watertight film, something like tyvek. Base/Floor is made from a couple of plywood panels I found in a dumpster, from very large crates or something.
I have to say, I'm won't be keeping them during the winter here (it gets pretty harsh sometimes), they will go to my neighbor (I'm not living here all year round)

As for cleaning - there's a hatch in the floor - you open that and sweep everything. There's also an opening on
the other side to access the nesting boxes.

I have 3 japanese bantams, 4 dominant cz and 3 of I'm still not sure what I guess they are Cream Legbars as they lay green eggs and have head crests. I'll post a picture later

That is so cool!! The only way it would be cooler would be if you could get some vines to grow on the outside of it.

 

[Wynette]

ozys5000 - what is the thought/theory behind the height? It seems so awfully tall...reminds me of the cages that oriental long-tailed fowl are kept in to keep their long tails looking spiffy. Very pretty!

 

[lil urbanette]

So here we are finally trimmed out and painted. I still need to install perches, door handles, and do a little landscaping. We went with the purple gold because my daughters school is the 'flyers' , purple and gold!! Our sign was made out of left over plywood and some wood carving.

 

[bruceha2000]

thanks for coming back on this. I have been a little worried about this. I only got them last week. If im honest I think this little hut is just too small for them, even though I only have the 2. They are both around a year old, so full grown and should know how this works by now!

I have attached some photos of the inside. The was no nest box inside so I built a small on as a temporary option, but in doing so I dont think I have left enough room for them to flap their way up. I assumed that at only 30cm high, they could simply jump on the nest box and onto the roost, but after checking the freshly painted roost bars, there is not a mark or scratch on them, so still assume they are not using it.

I do plan on building a proper nest box on the outside, this will open up more than enough space for me to build a small ramp. Bear in mind, during daylight hours the doors are always open, so this is sleep space only.

im busy sectioning off another part of the garden, in which im going to build another coop, I have just ordered the feathered boards, this one will be 5ft x 5ft, but on reflection, I will use the larger coop for my BO's (and get a few more! ) and use this smaller hut for the 3 smaller hybrids I will be getting.

The most obvious thing I think I see is that the roost in the back is probably too close to the wall. Given the coop size, you only need one anyway so put it at 12" from the wall. Doesn't explain why they don't use the forward one though. It is fine for 2 as long as they can get outside.

We just finished our coop. I'm in love! Our 6 weekers love it!!

You aren't fooling anyone, those kids are WAY older than 6 weeks! Nice way to keep the kids locked up

what breed is my boy

I have NO idea but I don't think we'd ever see one in the USA!

This is my brothers first attempt, he's an apprentice carpenter. I'm sure we've made mistakes but this is our start up coop.

Looks great. Only concern is not build but use - figure out how to make sure the chickens can't get underneath because if they want to stay there (broodies) you won't be able to get them out.

DH finished the "chicken jail" inside the coop. Now we've got a quarantine area inside the coop where we can put our new chicks when we are ready to introduce them to the flock. DH also built an automatic feeder. Not sure I'm crazy about the way it looks, but it holds a huge bag of feed.

The chickens don't care what the feeder looks like as long as there is food in it. And it is ALL about the chickens.

It's not finished, obviously, but it is now secure, and functional. 22 nesting boxes, interior floor is 8'x12'. NESTING BOXES ARE 12"x16". I am disabled, and do not know construction, much. My friend who has been doing most of the work, for mostly free, has had paying work, for the past three weeks, and been unable to help. So, the job had stalled.
We have 30 babies, due to arrive Monday, and that means this thing HAD TO BE FUNCTIONAL, by then. Especially because we have 13 turkey poults, and 9 guinea keets, all, about 5-6 weeks old, and they had definitely out grown, their grow out pens. The guineas will use the chain link pen, as their coop, and the smaller (10'x10') silver tin coop, seen in the background, in a photo, will be for the turkeys. They have a 35'x35' run, outside the coops, where both the chickens and turkeys can be kept under control. Though, we have been bringing the chickens out, to free range. I don't think that will be necessary, once we are able to let the guineas out to free range. I think they will do a great job, on pest control, and I'd rather know where my eggs are laid. Yesterday, we were due for two eggs, but the chickens were out free ranging, while construction was going on, and I think the two girls who were likely to lay eggs, probably laid them in the woods.
So, my nephew, who is also out of work, came over yesterday, to help with a few chores, that needed a second set of hands, saw what needed to be done, and we put our heads together, and decided to take a stab at getting it completely functional. 7 hours of hard work later, we had the chores done, and the new coop, functional, and mostly secure. Small snakes can still get in, but they would have to be small enough, to be looked at, by the Australorps and brown Leghorn, as food. Now, when my buddy has the time, we can add the finishing touches, to it, and have it looking good, too.
I do need to add lighting, roosts, and doors under the nesting boxes, where the brooder/grow out pens, are planned, as well as some straw and wood chips, today, or tomorrow. But, I am so happy to get everyone into secure coops. I doo want to wire up a bit more tin, to the chain link pen, for shade, from the hot afternoon sun.
Also, if anyone has suggestions, for improvements, I am open to ideas.

22 nest boxes are WAY more than you need in a 8 x12 coop. Ramp WAY WAY too steep. I would put a "perch" across the front attached (and easily removed for access) at the next stud forward about half way between the floor and the upper box level.

So many coops to look at, and it's been quite an education.
I may have missed a few throughout my browsing that would answer my question, but, does anyone with a 4'X4'ish coop have a good shot of the inside showing the roosting bar locations? That is the only thing I haven't got figured out so far.

No pictures but the basics are you want the roost higher than the nest box and you want it where no draft will blow over the birds. The roost should be about a foot (this is a minimum, not an exactly required distance) from the wall for large fowl so they aren't shoving their tail or head against the wall.

And yes my daughter is harnessed up

she is our rock climbing buddy

She is going to be one fearless kid!

I don't have a 4 x 4 but have a 4 x 6. The roosting bar should not be over the nestboxes and should be raised higher than the nestboxes to discourage nestbox roosting/sleeping for the night. The roosting bar should be flat side up of a 2x4 plank or as bruceha says a 3" round redwood post. Most perch placements I've seen are near the chicken pop door. You have a small 4x4 space so placement anywhere in the coop should be okay as long as not over the nestboxes and placed higher than the boxes but allow good headroom for the chickens when they stand on the perch. Hope this helps.

Clarification - I never said redwood, it can be any wood

. Redwood where I live would be prohibitively expensive.
The roost CAN be over the nest box as long as they are covered (angled so they don't sit on it) or if you have a poop board over them. Actually not a bad design in a small coop that has enough headroom.

First you need location, location, location, I actually planned to build in a different more level spot but neighbor relations ruled the day and I moved to here because of my neighbor was not a fan.
I plan to change that by being a good chicken neighbor.

Wife and general foreman had two request about the chicken coop.
1. it can't be an eyesore
2. please try to match the style of the barn


Next I had to get the kids to stain the shiplap siding. While I waited I ran electricity from the barn. 20 Amps on 10/2 about 140 ft just for lights and automatic chicken door.

I used conduit and direct burial wire.

A+ job there!! Too many people do not understand voltage drop and would just toss WAY too much 14-2 wire out.




Great ground predator proofing

Finally the shiplap is ready to put up and it looks great.




Ramp probably too steep. Also probably unnecessary as the birds will use the lower board to get up and since it is far enough forward, down as well if necessary.

I slanted the Nesting boxes slightly so the eggs roll back out of the way. If the box traffic is heavy hopefully we spare some eggs breaking. The tilt is adjustable as needed. the board on top is simply to discourage roosting. Large dowel perch in front to make it easier to go in.



Nice thought but the eggs won't roll. You don't have a commercial egg factory there and they will sit nicely in the nest material which will stay in the boxes once you put a 3 or 4" board across the front. Plus, the chickens will scrounge any egg that isn't in the middle of the nest and put them there before they lay. I guess it is an instinctual thing to make sure all the eggs stay warm. I've never had a hen break an egg in the nest. You might want to move the access perch away from the boxes a few more inches, they won't be able to easily walk back and forth. You would THINK they would just get on the perch in front of an empty nest but each bird WILL have their favorite box and want to go to it even if occupied. Then the pecking order decides if they have to go to another one or the one in the box has to move.

If your neighbor has a problem with that coop, you are allowed to shoot him. Oh wait, retired police, I guess you can't really do that.


Bruce

 

[ashirk]

LOL I was thinking give him some eggs