post your chicken coop pictures here!

[RoswellOrganic]

Thank you so much for all the good advice. I appreciate it!
I think I can make the door for the next box in the front, and now I understand why I saw the doors swinging up instead of down: so it keeps the rain out. Duh! First time chicken owner, did not think of the fact that eggs have to be gathered daily, rain or shine. Thank you for that!

And thank you for the advise on the breed selection and that the size is not large enough to go up to 5 hens. I don't think I can make it any bigger and have it manageable on the paths and gates that I have, so I guess I am stuck on 3 hens, unless I end up with 2 coops down the road. Not being able to have a permanent structure makes it harder to make it bigger. So far I have been planning on orpington, ameuracana or EE. Maybe a buckeye for their hunting skills . Going with the larger breeds so I could try free ranging and don't have to worry with the neighbor's cats. Still not sure I could free range in the winter, not enough cover.

I also have been advised not to have the roosts in the path of the next boxes, makes sense not to have the hens step through the poop to get to the next box. So I could make the roosts lengthwise, but then only 3 feet and only one set, if I make it 5 feet it will be drafty on the last 2 feet. Unless I change the roof to be a barn style with the vents on the whole length of it.

Can the nests be on the lower part of the tractor? So they get in on the lower side? I could then add an overhang over the nest as well.

Thank you again so much for all the great advice!

 

[RoswellOrganic]

Forgot about the wheels. Here is the design I saw that I want to use:

I am planning on 4 wheels and to move it myself. Getting the awn mower tractor out everyday to move them will not work.

So the reason I am thinking on having pop doors on all 4 sides in the lower part is that then I can move the hoops without having to move the coop every day. Paddock style. That would be convenient for the days with really bad weather. They could have a fresh new run to forage on without having to move everything.

 

[Free Feather]

Thank you so much for all the good advice. I appreciate it!
I think I can make the door for the next box in the front, and now I understand why I saw the doors swinging up instead of down: so it keeps the rain out. Duh! First time chicken owner, did not think of the fact that eggs have to be gathered daily, rain or shine. Thank you for that!

And thank you for the advise on the breed selection and that the size is not large enough to go up to 5 hens. I don't think I can make it any bigger and have it manageable on the paths and gates that I have, so I guess I am stuck on 3 hens, unless I end up with 2 coops down the road. Not being able to have a permanent structure makes it harder to make it bigger. So far I have been planning on orpington, ameuracana or EE. Maybe a buckeye for their hunting skills . Going with the larger breeds so I could try free ranging and don't have to worry with the neighbor's cats. Still not sure I could free range in the winter, not enough cover.

I also have been advised not to have the roosts in the path of the next boxes, makes sense not to have the hens step through the poop to get to the next box. So I could make the roosts lengthwise, but then only 3 feet and only one set, if I make it 5 feet it will be drafty on the last 2 feet. Unless I change the roof to be a barn style with the vents on the whole length of it.

Can the nests be on the lower part of the tractor? So they get in on the lower side? I could then add an overhang over the nest as well.

Thank you again so much for all the great advice!

What does it look like? I might have missed the pictures.

 

[RoswellOrganic]

Hi, I having been reading and lurking on byc trying to come up with a plan for a chicken tractor. I will be a first time chicken owner this spring! Yay!
I am in Roswell GA - hot summers, lots of rain and winds at times. Must have a moveable coop (Roswell regs), also looking for a moveable tractor so the ladies can help with the gardening, weeding, bugs. Planning on starting with 3 hens but having space to go up to 5 or 6 over time. So I can bring in new chickens every couple of years as I am not planning on culling for egg production. They will be pets
Have decided on a 2 part tractor, one with wheels and fully enclosed in 1/4" hardware cloth / wood for predator control, hoops for runs that are easily moved onto raised beds and attached to the main coop and are used only during the day. I am thinking of adding an electric fence / hot wire around the hoops and main coop, thoughts?

So, here are my sketches, I hope it makes sense and I would love some feedback please. The main coop will be 3'x5', a size that I can maneuver in the raised bed veggie garden and pass through gates.

I am planning on having a plexiglass cover for the front to add in for the very cold days, think for most of the year it will be open.
I think I don't need covers for the triangular windows, even if it is 9F outside? so it can be vented? The roosts are on the closed part by the nest box.


I have a dropping pan for under the roosts that I can remove to clean easily, so thinking the floor will be open other than the supports for the dropping pan on one side, and a removable board for the trap door side.

I am planning on having the lower level all in 1/4 hardware cloth, even the floor, to keep the mice and predators out. I have a dropping pan to add on the right side and can add bedding so they don't have to walk on the hardware cloth. I would like to have a main door with automatic door closing, but haven't figured exactly how I am doing that. Also think I need flexibility on the location of the door, so I can turn the house to face shade or sun depending on the season? maybe it would be ok to have only one door on one of the larger sides?




Hoping that having food, water and dust box in the bottom will help keep it from toppling over in the wind. I just scored 2x2 cypress boards on craigslist, so thinking of using it for the frames. Not sure if I should go ahead and get cedar for the sides or plywood. Think the cedar will be lighter and help with bugs? Got decking screws and lath screws for construction.
Thank you in advance for any suggestions and comments, I am hoping to start building this weekend!

@Free Feather Here is my original post with the sketches. Thank you for reading!

 

[perchie.girl]

@RoswellOrganic

Welcome to Byc....

from San Diego....

deb

 

[HighStreetCoop]

Gutters is a nice touch - however - have you ever opened a nestbox lid in the rain?  It will get all the nesting material damp.  Maybe a drop-down front side rather than a lifting lid would be helpful if you don't have a portable carport, canopy, or covered structure to put the coop out of the rain.  We have a canopy over our little coop and another canopy in the free-range yard as shelter from sun/rain.  I don't have to stand in the rain again to open the egg door!

Definitely planning a backside dropdown, not a lifting roof.

 

[Sylvester017]

Definitely planning a backside dropdown, not a lifting roof.

Not to be a party-pooper but just sharing what happened to us. We actually have a drop down lid on our little coop and when it rains the inside of the door still got wet as it opened - granted there's not as much leaking water as a lift-up lid causes but still the inside of the drop-down door got damp. Hence it was our choice to canopy over our little coop. If you have room to add a pre-made window canopy from the hardware store or construct an awning yourself over the egg collection box both you AND the box will stay dry and then it won't matter which style door you put on the nestboxes. We suggested this solution for another BYCer and they did a marvelous custom awning addition over their protruding nestboxes. A slab or paver stone walkway under the nestboxes will keep mud off your shoes. So much to think about in providing comfort to both yourself and the hens isn't it?

We are soon in need of replacing our little coop - it was a feed store custom-built coop which unfortunately was made out of the cheapest materials. Sad because we really love the design but OSB and flimsy 1-inch chicken poultry wire is NOT the materials to build poultry housing! As seniors we have to consider something easy to assemble and so far we found a Barn-style coop on www.chickencondos.com that can assemble/disassemble fairly easily for us and has two different slide-out tray options but unfortunately has the lift-up egg collection lid - so we know we will have to continue keeping a canopy/gazebo over the coop. The design is lacking some features we must moderately modify but we like the idea of strong powder-coated steel and wire construction that assembles/disassembles easily should we want it moved. We mulled over the Board-n-Batton Amish coops, Dutch Barn coops, Fiberglass Coops, and TuffShed's one-and-only chicken coop, but they are a lot of work for two oldsters like us to DIY and a pre-made delivered coop won't fit through our backyard gate! TuffShed will assemble on the premises but I don't like the OSB they use to line the inside of their coops. One OSB coop experience was enough disappointment for us. Even if OSB is painted moisture will still disintegrate the OSB. OSB behaves like a sponge - sure wouldn't recommend it for humid or very wet climate zones!

Hope all goes well with your projects. Your hens are so worth it!

 

[Sylvester017]

Thank you so much for all the good advice. I appreciate it!
I think I can make the door for the next box in the front, and now I understand why I saw the doors swinging up instead of down: so it keeps the rain out. Duh! First time chicken owner, did not think of the fact that eggs have to be gathered daily, rain or shine. Thank you for that!

And thank you for the advise on the breed selection and that the size is not large enough to go up to 5 hens. I don't think I can make it any bigger and have it manageable on the paths and gates that I have, so I guess I am stuck on 3 hens, unless I end up with 2 coops down the road. Not being able to have a permanent structure makes it harder to make it bigger. So far I have been planning on orpington, ameuracana or EE. Maybe a buckeye for their hunting skills . Going with the larger breeds so I could try free ranging and don't have to worry with the neighbor's cats. Still not sure I could free range in the winter, not enough cover.

I also have been advised not to have the roosts in the path of the next boxes, makes sense not to have the hens step through the poop to get to the next box. So I could make the roosts lengthwise, but then only 3 feet and only one set, if I make it 5 feet it will be drafty on the last 2 feet. Unless I change the roof to be a barn style with the vents on the whole length of it.

Can the nests be on the lower part of the tractor? So they get in on the lower side? I could then add an overhang over the nest as well.

Thank you again so much for all the great advice!

Before getting your chicken breeds may I suggest you do a thorough online search (not just BYC) to get other owner opinions or reviews about their breeds. There will be positive and negative reviews but usually one theme is consistent in the reviews enough to give a good idea of what the breed is really like. It's always good to know the negatives as well as the positives to not be caught off-guard when deciding on a breed. I of course am a fan of APA Ameraucanas and their cousin Easter Eggers - I saw www.ourflybabies.com about why they always keep a flock of Ameraucanas. This opinion has been re-iterated in countless reviews plus my face-to-face contact with owners. My avatar is a Blue Wheaten Ameraucana and so far has been my gentlest non-combative breed I've ever owned. My friend agrees that her Ameraucana and 3 EEs are her gentlest non-combative breeds - they are kooky spooky jittery jumpy alert birds but still are very human and flock friendly making great pets if socialized not to mention excellent layers. My friend's Buff Orp was an assertive combative breed. Even as chicks Orps can stir up things in a brooder. IMO this gorgeous breed should be kept in its own Orp flock or with other like-minded assertive LF breeds.

Buckeyes require some modification to their diet according to some breeders. Other Buckeye breeders ceased raising them since their juvenile stock were showing signs of sitting on their haunches. I don't mean to offend as I love all chicken breeds but just sharing some things I discovered through research and conversations with breeders. That being said EEs and Amers are terrific layers and seldom go broody and are non-combative and lightweight and I would hesitate to stress these great egg-layers around assertive heavier or dual-purpose breeds like Orps, 'Lorps, Legs, RIRs, NHRs, BRs, Javas, Marans, Buckeyes, etc. Assertive breeds appear gentle or calm in flocks of their peers but can eventually become bullies in flocks containing gentle non-assertive breeds.. I've seen all-Marans flocks who appeared calm and shy yet the 7-lb Marans in our backyard terrorized and viciously claw-attacked our gentle 2-lb Silkie! As for hunting skills the Buckeye is overrated since all chicken breeds are naturally skillful-to-aggressive hunters. We once had a White Leghorn that seriously chased stray cats out of the yard and killed rodents like field mice and rats and destroyed rodent nest babies (we had to rehome her because she was way too aggressive toward our gentler chicken breeds) and we currently have our Ameraucana who vigorously chases away wild birds and aggressively attacks stray cats yet continues being an amazingly agreeable companion to two Silkies half her size! Owners say their EEs and Amers get along with other breeds but that's because the nature of EE/Amers is to avoid conflict unless really cornered! I hesitate to mix dominant LF breeds with great egg-layers like Amer/EEs since stress can interfere with a gentle hen's good egg production. People think of EEs/Amers the same as other LF but they are really mostly fluff and only appear larger than they really are. Occasionally an EE with limited exercise can turn out as heavy as 6-lb but the average weights are around 5 to 5.5 lbs. Our Amer actively runs around in the backyard and tops the scale at 5-lb.

Our Amer has been such a joy and prolific XL layer (her production is the same as our White Leg was) we have ordered a second Amer along with a docile Breda for Spring to bring our flock up to the allowed 5. I've had it with LF dual-purpose and heritage breeds that are combative with some LF having huge appetites but foraging very little for themselves. I had to decide on either gentle lightweight breeds 5-lb and under or assertive LF heritage breeds 6-lb or over for my backyard flock because combative and non-combative breeds of dissimilar temperaments or weights don't make for peaceful flock politics or pets especially if penned in a smaller space. If I had known 3 years ago how great Amer/EEs were I might've only started with them as my original 3 pullets -- especially since each one can have a different shade to their shells. With EEs you can sometimes get birds that can lay blue, green, pink, and sometimes even white! It's unfortunate that hatcheries are trying to refine their EE stock to only blue or green layers. My friend had blue from her Amer, and mint and pink from her EEs.

In any case the heart wants what the heart wants where chickens are desired. My limited experience is that one does research and keep a columnar list of assertive combative breeds vs gentle non-combative breeds vs heavier vs lighterweight vs self-willed wilder temperament breeds and then don't mix any of them together in the flock and the final breed/s selected should be happy! Even different bantam breeds have varying temperaments and aggressions!

Happy chickeneering!

 

[Free Feather]

Before getting your chicken breeds may I suggest you do a thorough online search (not just BYC) to get other owner opinions or reviews about their breeds. There will be positive and negative reviews but usually one theme is consistent in the reviews enough to give a good idea of what the breed is really like. It's always good to know the negatives as well as the positives to not be caught off-guard when deciding on a breed. I of course am a fan of APA Ameraucanas and their cousin Easter Eggers - I saw www.ourflybabies.com about why they always keep a flock of Ameraucanas. This opinion has been re-iterated in countless reviews plus my face-to-face contact with owners. My avatar is a Blue Wheaten Ameraucana and so far has been my gentlest non-combative breed I've ever owned. My friend agrees that her Ameraucana and 3 EEs are her gentlest non-combative breeds - they are kooky spooky jittery jumpy alert birds but still are very human and flock friendly making great pets if socialized not to mention excellent layers. My friend's Buff Orp was an assertive combative breed. Even as chicks Orps can stir up things in a brooder. IMO this gorgeous breed should be kept in its own Orp flock or with other like-minded assertive LF breeds.

Buckeyes require some modification to their diet according to some breeders. Other Buckeye breeders ceased raising them since their juvenile stock were showing signs of sitting on their haunches. I don't mean to offend as I love all chicken breeds but just sharing some things I discovered through research and conversations with breeders. That being said EEs and Amers are terrific layers and seldom go broody and are non-combative and lightweight and I would hesitate to stress these great egg-layers around assertive heavier or dual-purpose breeds like Orps, 'Lorps, Legs, RIRs, NHRs, BRs, Javas, Marans, Buckeyes, etc. Assertive breeds appear gentle or calm in flocks of their peers but can eventually become bullies in flocks containing gentle non-assertive breeds.. I've seen all-Marans flocks who appeared calm and shy yet the 7-lb Marans in our backyard terrorized and viciously claw-attacked our gentle 2-lb Silkie! As for hunting skills the Buckeye is overrated since all chicken breeds are naturally skillful-to-aggressive hunters. We once had a White Leghorn that seriously chased stray cats out of the yard and killed rodents like field mice and rats and destroyed rodent nest babies (we had to rehome her because she was way too aggressive toward our gentler chicken breeds) and we currently have our Ameraucana who vigorously chases away wild birds and aggressively attacks stray cats yet continues being an amazingly agreeable companion to two Silkies half her size! Owners say their EEs and Amers get along with other breeds but that's because the nature of EE/Amers is to avoid conflict unless really cornered! I hesitate to mix dominant LF breeds with great egg-layers like Amer/EEs since stress can interfere with a gentle hen's good egg production. People think of EEs/Amers the same as other LF but they are really mostly fluff and only appear larger than they really are. Occasionally an EE with limited exercise can turn out as heavy as 6-lb but the average weights are around 5 to 5.5 lbs. Our Amer actively runs around in the backyard and tops the scale at 5-lb.

Our Amer has been such a joy and prolific XL layer (her production is the same as our White Leg was) we have ordered a second Amer along with a docile Breda for Spring to bring our flock up to the allowed 5. I've had it with LF dual-purpose and heritage breeds that are combative with some LF having huge appetites but foraging very little for themselves. I had to decide on either gentle lightweight breeds 5-lb and under or assertive LF heritage breeds 6-lb or over for my backyard flock because combative and non-combative breeds of dissimilar temperaments or weights don't make for peaceful flock politics or pets especially if penned in a smaller space. If I had known 3 years ago how great Amer/EEs were I might've only started with them as my original 3 pullets -- especially since each one can have a different shade to their shells. With EEs you can sometimes get birds that can lay blue, green, pink, and sometimes even white! It's unfortunate that hatcheries are trying to refine their EE stock to only blue or green layers. My friend had blue from her Amer, and mint and pink from her EEs.

In any case the heart wants what the heart wants where chickens are desired. My limited experience is that one does research and keep a columnar list of assertive combative breeds vs gentle non-combative breeds vs heavier vs lighterweight vs self-willed wilder temperament breeds and then don't mix any of them together in the flock and the final breed/s selected should be happy! Even different bantam breeds have varying temperaments and aggressions!

Happy chickeneering!

I love the Easter Egger types. I had some but they were stolen. I really, really want some again.

 

[islandgirl82]

I love the Easter Egger types. I had some but they were stolen. I really, really want some again.

Stolen?! Who does that??

@RoswellOrganic
I have a mixed flock of SLW, EE's and Hamburg and though I love them all, I'm partial the Hamburg - considered large fowl they're quite small so they don't need as much room in the coop as the larger breeds and they're phenomenal foragers, eating things the others won't touch however, they don't do well in confined spaces...even a large run but that makes them ideal for free-ranging. They're exceptional fliers and will take to the trees for safety. They're also extremely predator savvy...much more so than the other breeds in my flock. They're always on alert and the first the sound the alarm when there's danger. They're considered flighty but I don't view them that way at all. You're very unlikely to turn them into lap-chickens as they're weary of humans but handling them a lot and talking with them especially while they're young has made all the difference for my own. They're also excellent layers. Mine will lay an egg each day for 8-10 days before having a day off. Their eggs are on the small side so when baking, I end up using twice as many but I get so many that it doesn't really make much of a dent in my egg bowl unless it's a quiche or custard type of dish.