post your chicken coop pictures here!

[Sylvester017]

No worries. I'm just lucky as all the coops I liked on my local Craigslist are by a guy who also happens to breed rare/heritage poultry (so he knows what needs to go into a workable coop for our local climate).

Cause the hourly rate for the construction guys I know is waaaay beyond my means, LOL!

I'm going to be so picky about our next coop that I need a guy who does it my way or head for the highway!

After living with our current coop for 3 years I have very definite ideas of what we need.

 

[kada6305]

If your egg collection box is positioned/located on the exterior part of the coop with a lift-up lid you could attach an awning over the box or extend the roof line over the box to protect it from rain when you open the lid. We learned the hard way! Wet nestbox bedding is a health hazard. Drop down lids are a little better but an awning or popup canopy over a little coop is a real help during rain because sometimes it's not convenient to wait all day for rain to stop when there are eggs to collect!

I was planning the lift lid. But I think I'll extend the roof or add some sort of canopy over the entire coop. I want to try to avoid wet bedding as much as I can. Thank you, I wasn't even thinking of that

 

[TJordan]

Oh, and if he's got that coop done yet, you can tell him that my football team, Grand Valley State University, AKA, the place where Brian Kelly at Notre Dame used to coach at, went out last night, shot themselves in the foot all night, failed to capitalize on a few mistakes and then ended up losing 26-23 in double OT out in LA.  Not that its going to make him feel any better, but I need to vent a little.  Somebody post a happy chicken picture!  

here's you a happy pic...

 

[mapletonmindy]

my coop....i realize now that I will have to add features to the bottom and replace chicken wire w/ hard cloth to make the mobile coop safe from predators.

 

[PrimroseMom1]

my coop....i realize now that I will have to add features to the bottom and replace chicken wire w/ hard cloth to make the mobile coop safe from predators.

That is SO cute!! How many do you have? When they go in at night, can you close the coop? Predators can easily go under it.

 

[mapletonmindy]

it was custom built by a guy in Oregon. it is very nice and so easy to move around and made of mostly recycled materials. yes, i must get it up to predator proofing before too long. thanks

 

[kada6305]

Why can't you use chicken wire for fencing? Just curious. Is it not predator proof?

 

[islandgirl82]

Why can't you use chicken wire for fencing? Just curious. Is it not predator proof?

chicken wire is easily torn by predators and it rusts very quickly, requiring replacement often. Hardware cloth is more expensive initially but because it's stronger it doesn't need replacing like chicken wire and costs less in the long run.

 

[kada6305]

chicken wire is easily torn by predators and it rusts very quickly, requiring replacement often. Hardware cloth is more expensive initially but because it's stronger it doesn't need replacing like chicken wire and costs less in the long run.

oh,okay. We have chicken wire used for our small run. Guess I should just redo it when I do the other run. Thanks!

 

[jtbass2756]

Why can't you use chicken wire for fencing? Just curious. Is it not predator proof?

I have a picture of my son's run....let me show you...he is military and had to be in DC the next morning so he did a shortcut. Thought the 2 layers would be enough. Kids went out the next morning to find 6-8 young pullets dead !