post your chicken coop pictures here!

[TJordan]

Yeah, but she's been nagging about getting the coop done for a while.  And then when she gets started on it, that silly Auburn fan takes it apart instead of building upon what she's done to get it finished.  Clearly he's not that smart, so he might need a little more whip than carrot to get the project done.  

And what loving husband wouldn't enjoy his wife meeting him at the front door wearing heels and a whip??  

mine would find that fun... I am about to the point of throwing my hands up into the air and
I mean who could blame me?! Oh and even after me telling him that poultry wire was not safe HE STILL WENT AND GOT SOME.... guess I'll have to use my babysitting money and go get hardware cloth myself... He had the nerve to tell me that the chickens were MINE and I should be thankful that he got them for me... That he would built the coop when he could...

 

[TJordan]

You're making an assumption that she was expecting the husband when she opened the door...

 

[TJordan]

Ok guys.. I came home from babysitting today only to find 2 hens sitting ON TOP OF my dog!!! Bad thing is... She's NOT in the run... She dug a hole under the gate and the birds squeezed under...

 

[AUplantman]

Here are a few pics of our chicken coop. We built 2 separate chicken runs, 12x12 with separate doors entering the coop so that we can determine which run the chickens will be able to use. We did this so that we can grow a small garden in one run while the chickens are in the other, rotating seasonally. We just finished the second run (on right) this weekend and spread some millet seed to germinate quickly for grazing. I will be moving the chickens over to that side withing 10-12 days (or as soon as the millet is a few inches high). We will be planting our fall garden in the first run as soon as the temps cool enough for the items we will be planting.

 

[jtbass2756]

Ok guys.. I came home from babysitting today only to find 2 hens sitting ON TOP OF my dog!!! Bad thing is... She's NOT in the run... She dug a hole under the gate and the birds squeezed under...

 

[iwiw60]

I have to say...GREAT JOB on the build! I especially like your two-run system...nice! Now for the bad news unfortunately.....


You have wired your entire setup in plain chicken wire.....eegads!!! You live in Alabama, your setup is backing up to a forested area, and you have predators galore I am sure. Chicken wire only does one thing...keep chickens in. It is, sadly, totally useless against predators like raccoons, possum, weasel, skunk, coyote, wild dogs, etc. They will tear through your chicken wire like it was butter and there ya go...your flock destroyed after all your hard work. Using 1/2" hardware cloth is the only way to go to defend your flock against scumbag predators. I see that you did 'apron' your wire somewhat into the ground...that's good, but again, 1/2" HC is really your only defense.

I apologize...don't mean to offend...

 

[TJordan]

Laugh it up... Now I've got to figure out a way to keep her out... The crazy dog jumped the fence yesterday and so she's on a chain... NOW she digs under it!!! can't move her elsewhere because our garden is on the other side!!!.....

 

[AUplantman]

Laugh it up... Now I've got to figure out a way to keep her out... The crazy dog jumped the fence yesterday and so she's on a chain... NOW she digs under it!!!

can't move her elsewhere because our garden is on the other side!!!.....

LOL I understand your problem! I had a golden retriever that did the same thing, but KILLED all of our chickens!! I got home and she was out of her pen and in the chicken coop. Needless to say, we did not get any more chickens for a while. At least your dog is "tolerant" of them!!!
BTW where are you in Lower AL? We are just north of Dothan.

 

[jtbass2756]

Here are a few pics of our chicken coop. We built 2 separate chicken runs, 12x12 with separate doors entering the coop so that we can determine which run the chickens will be able to use. We did this so that we can grow a small garden in one run while the chickens are in the other, rotating seasonally. We just finished the second run (on right) this weekend and spread some millet seed to germinate quickly for grazing. I will be moving the chickens over to that side withing 10-12 days (or as soon as the millet is a few inches high). We will be planting our fall garden in the first run as soon as the temps cool enough for the items we will be planting.

I love the idea of rotating the ladies......but check out these picts of a run that not only used plain chicken wire...but hog wire also.. he was in a hurry because he was getting transferred (away from home during week), He had very young pullets... he used what he had on hand HOWEVER.............he lost between 6-8 of his ladies!!!!

Raccoon (we think) tore the wire like it was butter and ended up sliding thru the hog wire and had everything handed to him...just about..The bad thing was that the kids were taking care of the animals while dad was away....they found some of the pullets that they had handfed and taken care of for so long...torn up or dead. some were just missing!

Please rethink the wire and overlay the chicken wire with 1/4" or better still 1/2" hardware cloth.. Good luck.! My dh is going to have a fit but I'm thinking about the rotating idea that you have...I love it.

 

[TJordan]

LOL I understand your problem!  I had a golden retriever that did the same thing, but KILLED all of our chickens!! I got home and she was out of her pen and in the chicken coop.  Needless to say, we did not get any more chickens for a while.   At least your dog is "tolerant" of them!!!   
BTW where are you in Lower AL?  We are just north of Dothan.  

In theodore...