post your chicken coop pictures here!

[charlottew]

I have 14 hens about 4 weeks old. We just finished fixing up a used coop. Do you think it is roomy enough for 14? I plan on free ranging them during the day in a very large yard.

 

[RobJones]

Thanks Latestarter, good info it seems like I have one hen with bumble foot so I will treat her according to the info I have gathered.

 

[Latestarter]

I have 14 hens about 4 weeks old. We just finished fixing up a used coop. Do you think it is roomy enough for 14? I plan on free ranging them during the day in a very large yard.

Greetings Charlottew,

and the thread!

Nearest I can tell it looks like the floor area would be 8' X 8' or 64 square feet? Maybe 8 X 10? Basically inside a coop a standard or large fowl needs 4-6 square feet of space. More if they'll be "cooped up" inside for long periods of time, less if they will only be in there to roost. Obviously, as with most anything, more is better

So, it appears you have enough space in there for the 14 birds; 64 sq ft divided by 14 = 4.57 sq ft per bird. If the floor area is more, that's even better. I'm not sure where you are located, so don't know what your weather is like. Couple of concerns I notice...

1. The nest boxes are extremely high, you may want to place something like a hitching post type rail/roost rail (but not a roost) about a foot in front of the entrance and about half the base height to act as a "step up" to make accessing the nest boxes easier for the birds. It doesn't appear there is enough room for them to fly up to them as they'd have to almost fly straight up.

2. The roost I see (is it a roost?) across from the nest boxes appears to be a 2 x 4 on edge. For bird foot comfort, you should really turn it 90 degrees so the wide side is up. Chicken feet aren't really designed for gripping like wild birds. I'm not saying they "can't" grip... just that that's not what their feet are primarily designed for. They're really designed for standing on & scratching in the dirt for goodies. That will allow them to settle down at night and cover their feet with their feathers. That seems pretty high also so you may want an intermediate level roost to make it easier for them to be able to get up there. With 14 birds all trying to get up there the way it is now, the later ones flying up might knock off some of the birds already up there.

It's good that you have the roost higher than the nest boxes. Typically the birds will want to roost on the highest spot they can reach and get a foot hold on. And, you don't really want them sleeping in the nest boxes as that makes a mess.

3. Looks like the coop is backed up against a rock ledge. Also looks like you have a lot of trees nearby and that leads me to believe you probably have predators that would really like a chicken dinner.

Coons in particular climb and are very smart, and are strong! If they get on the roof, they could possibly gain access to the inside and they kill chickens for the pleasure of it.

The chicken wire you're using is great for keeping chickens (and rabbits) where you want them (or out of where you don't want them), but is useless against the most common predators. A dog or coyote will be through that like a hot knife through butter. A large coon could get though it rather easily as well.

If it's not "apron-ed out" at the base, a fox or dog could dig under it and be inside within minutes. Most folks here would suggest you get and use 1/2" hardware cloth that aprons out at least a foot (then covered with pavers or large heavy rocks) or two feet being better, and going up the coop at least 3 feet. You will also have to worry about diggers under the wood walls on the other 3 walls if those walls do not extend at least a foot down into the ground. You might consider adding an apron of hardware cloth there as well.

4. That OSB board really needs to be sealed/painted thoroughly or moisture will cause it to swell and degrade very fast! It will become like wet cardboard in no time at all, especially where it contacts the ground. It will act like a wick and suck up moisture. If the nest boxes will have outside access for egg collection, I'm sure @Sylvester017 will be on you about trying to collect eggs in a driving rain storm, and how miserable it will be for you and how water will get inside the nest boxes and make a mess.

So maybe extend the roof out further, collect from inside, or just don't collect eggs when it's raining

Looking good and I'm sure the birds will be very happy with the accommodations you've provided them! Good luck!

 

[charlottew]

Greetings Charlottew,  and the thread!

Nearest I can tell it looks like the floor area would be 8' X 8' or 64 square feet?  Maybe 8 X 10? Basically inside a coop a standard or large fowl needs 4-6 square feet of space. More if they'll be "cooped up" inside for long periods of time, less if they will only be in there to roost.  Obviously, as with most anything, more is better  :yiipchick   So, it appears you have enough space in there for the 14 birds; 64 sq ft divided by 14 = 4.57 sq ft per bird. If the floor area is more, that's even better.  I'm not sure where you are located, so don't know what your weather is like. Couple of concerns I notice...

1. The nest boxes are extremely high, you may want to place something like a hitching post type rail/roost rail (but not a roost) about a foot in front of the entrance and about half the base height to act as a "step up" to make accessing the nest boxes easier for the birds. It doesn't appear there is enough room for them to fly up to them as they'd have to almost fly straight up.  :cd

2. The roost I see (is it a roost?) across from the nest boxes appears to be a 2 x 4 on edge.  For bird foot comfort, you should really turn it 90 degrees so the wide side is up. Chicken feet aren't really designed for gripping like wild birds.  I'm not saying they "can't" grip... just that that's not what their feet are primarily designed for. They're really designed for standing on & scratching in the dirt for goodies.  That will allow them to settle down at night and cover their feet with their feathers. That seems pretty high also so you may want an intermediate level roost to make it easier for them to be able to get up there. With 14 birds all trying to get up there the way it is now, the later ones flying up might knock off some of the birds already up there.  It's good that you have the roost higher than the nest boxes. Typically the birds will want to roost on the highest spot they can reach and get a foot hold on. And, you don't really want them sleeping in the nest boxes as that makes a mess.

3. Looks like the coop is backed up against a rock ledge. Also looks like you have a lot of trees nearby and that leads me to believe you probably have predators that would really like a chicken dinner.     Coons in particular climb and are very smart, and are strong! If they get on the roof, they could possibly gain access to the inside and they kill chickens for the pleasure of it.   The chicken wire you're using is great for keeping chickens (and rabbits) where you want them (or out of where you don't want them), but is useless against the most common predators. A dog or coyote will be through that like a hot knife through butter.  A large coon could get though it rather easily as well.  If it's not "apron-ed out" at the base, a fox or dog could dig under it and be inside within minutes. Most folks here would suggest you get and use 1/2" hardware cloth that aprons out at least a foot (then covered with pavers or large heavy rocks) or two feet being better, and going up the coop at least 3 feet. You will also have to worry about diggers under the wood walls on the other 3 walls if those walls do not extend at least a foot down into the ground. You might consider adding an apron of hardware cloth there as well.

4. That OSB board really needs to be sealed/painted thoroughly or moisture will cause it to swell and degrade very fast! It will become like wet cardboard in no time at all, especially where it contacts the ground. It will act like a wick and suck up moisture. If the nest boxes will have outside access for egg collection, I'm sure @Sylvester017
will be on you about trying to collect eggs in a driving rain storm, and how miserable it will be for you and how water will get inside the nest boxes and make a mess.    So maybe extend the roof out further, collect from inside, or just don't collect eggs when it's raining

Looking good and I'm sure the birds will be very happy with the accommodations you've provided them!  Good luck!

 

[charlottew]

Greetings Charlottew,  and the thread!

Nearest I can tell it looks like the floor area would be 8' X 8' or 64 square feet?  Maybe 8 X 10? Basically inside a coop a standard or large fowl needs 4-6 square feet of space. More if they'll be "cooped up" inside for long periods of time, less if they will only be in there to roost.  Obviously, as with most anything, more is better  :yiipchick   So, it appears you have enough space in there for the 14 birds; 64 sq ft divided by 14 = 4.57 sq ft per bird. If the floor area is more, that's even better.  I'm not sure where you are located, so don't know what your weather is like. Couple of concerns I notice...

1. The nest boxes are extremely high, you may want to place something like a hitching post type rail/roost rail (but not a roost) about a foot in front of the entrance and about half the base height to act as a "step up" to make accessing the nest boxes easier for the birds. It doesn't appear there is enough room for them to fly up to them as they'd have to almost fly straight up.  :cd

2. The roost I see (is it a roost?) across from the nest boxes appears to be a 2 x 4 on edge.  For bird foot comfort, you should really turn it 90 degrees so the wide side is up. Chicken feet aren't really designed for gripping like wild birds.  I'm not saying they "can't" grip... just that that's not what their feet are primarily designed for. They're really designed for standing on & scratching in the dirt for goodies.  That will allow them to settle down at night and cover their feet with their feathers. That seems pretty high also so you may want an intermediate level roost to make it easier for them to be able to get up there. With 14 birds all trying to get up there the way it is now, the later ones flying up might knock off some of the birds already up there.  It's good that you have the roost higher than the nest boxes. Typically the birds will want to roost on the highest spot they can reach and get a foot hold on. And, you don't really want them sleeping in the nest boxes as that makes a mess.

3. Looks like the coop is backed up against a rock ledge. Also looks like you have a lot of trees nearby and that leads me to believe you probably have predators that would really like a chicken dinner.     Coons in particular climb and are very smart, and are strong! If they get on the roof, they could possibly gain access to the inside and they kill chickens for the pleasure of it.   The chicken wire you're using is great for keeping chickens (and rabbits) where you want them (or out of where you don't want them), but is useless against the most common predators. A dog or coyote will be through that like a hot knife through butter.  A large coon could get though it rather easily as well.  If it's not "apron-ed out" at the base, a fox or dog could dig under it and be inside within minutes. Most folks here would suggest you get and use 1/2" hardware cloth that aprons out at least a foot (then covered with pavers or large heavy rocks) or two feet being better, and going up the coop at least 3 feet. You will also have to worry about diggers under the wood walls on the other 3 walls if those walls do not extend at least a foot down into the ground. You might consider adding an apron of hardware cloth there as well.

4. That OSB board really needs to be sealed/painted thoroughly or moisture will cause it to swell and degrade very fast! It will become like wet cardboard in no time at all, especially where it contacts the ground. It will act like a wick and suck up moisture. If the nest boxes will have outside access for egg collection, I'm sure @Sylvester017
will be on you about trying to collect eggs in a driving rain storm, and how miserable it will be for you and how water will get inside the nest boxes and make a mess.    So maybe extend the roof out further, collect from inside, or just don't collect eggs when it's raining

Looking good and I'm sure the birds will be very happy with the accommodations you've provided them!  Good luck!

Thank you for all the information. We do still have a few more things to do. We plan on adding a ladder for them to get to the boxes when they are older. We do have raccoons and I didn't realize we gave them access to the roof when we put it up. Might have to reinforce the roof and wire.
Again. Thank you. You gave me the final details we need to take care of before we move them out of the brooding box into the coop. I wanna keep my ladies safe.

 

[Bowleggedcowboy]

Hi everyone, I made a ladder for the chickens but they don't use it they seem to rather fly up and down to the roosts.. Any suggestions?

 

[TJordan]

Hi everyone, I made a ladder for the chickens but they don't use it they seem to rather fly up and down to the roosts.. Any suggestions?

Mine hated the ramp until I started putting scratch on it every morning and night to tempt them up it.

 

[TJordan]

Well guys... To my dismay the fleeting hope that my missing hen had simply fluttered off to a better home was dashed today when we were pulling out the supplies for the new coop and found the kill zone hidden behind the wood and other supplies...

It actually looks like what ever killed her went into the shed, through the window overhanging the run, into the run and drug her back up through the window and behind the supplies stored there... Opossum? Fox? Raccoon? Idk what but you can bet that said window is closed, supplies have been pulled out and the coop and run will be moved and secured very soon...

 

[Burkelberry]

Here is my coop that my neighbors helped me build in April of 2014. Made of about 90% recycled materials. Walls and floors were built with large pallets. Siding was stripped from the pallets. My friend Jason acquired the pallets, cedar shakes and windows (samples) from the roofing supply where he works, all saved from the dumpster. I finished the inside with rigid insulation board and TPO roofing membrane, making it easy to clean. It has been below zero several times this winter and my chickens are doing fine without any heat. Finishing touches were the mason jar bug light and interior rope light. I have about $250 invested in plywood and hardware. Thanks to Jason and Brian for all the help. Hope you guys like it.

 

[Burkelberry]

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