post your chicken coop pictures here!

[jhowe0987]

Welcome To BYC!!!! Please don't take this the wrong way, but I see a couple problems. First is not enough ventilation. Ventilation is very important to the chickens' health. The more ventilation the better. A lot of people, especially in the northern regions, tend to seal up their coops thinking it will keep their birds warmer. This may be true, but it also won't let the high concentration of the gases, put off by their poop, to escape. These gases will promote some very serious diseases in chickens. The other problem I see is this, the roof needs an overhang on the front, to keep it from leaking. If you leave as is, it will leak into the coop, which is also unhealthy for your ladies. This will promote mold growth, inside the coop, which is very bad for the birds. I am a carpenter, and have been building houses and, believe it or not chicken coops for a while. I have 37 years of experience. Other than what I pointed out, really nice coop!! Again

So there are 4 of these vents in the coop and I have been considering adding an exhaust fan. Also, there is about 1-2 inches of overhang on the front. Not to mention there's enough silicone caulk up there to stop a monsoon. It has rained a few times, and I have checked it. It's been dry as a desert every time. I'm pretty sure its water tight. I will add an overhang if I have issues. Thank you for the tips tho.

 

[Amberjem]

finally expansion and new roof is up..so glad there is no more tarp now just have to do trim paint and pretty it up some

 

[bigmrg74]

Hi everyone! Nice coops!! Mine is a small hand me down from my fiances family. They had chickens and a real nasty rooster when they were younger! We just need to finish the top of the area and we will be done with the chicken space! One side of their area is facing the woods so we really put a lot of work there. The left side of their area is our backyard. We have a doggie door there, and the dogs scare away all of the raccoons, skunks, and foxes that steal our cat food so I'm sure they have that side covered! I put the shingles on myself

and single handedly broke the one in the front! Hah. I wish I could afford something a little larger but this will do. Plus it has sentimental value! <3

Always remember that the dogs could be deep sleeping whenever a raccoon comes around looking for some chicken dinner. Predator proofing is all about the overkill with it. Makes that first assault on the coop that you see, like raccoon prints on the ground outside of the coop all worth the investment when they all pop out the door ready to great the day.

 

[Sylvester017]

Hi everyone! Nice coops!! Mine is a small hand me down from my fiances family. They had chickens and a real nasty rooster when they were younger! We just need to finish the top of the area and we will be done with the chicken space! One side of their area is facing the woods so we really put a lot of work there. The left side of their area is our backyard. We have a doggie door there, and the dogs scare away all of the raccoons, skunks, and foxes that steal our cat food so I'm sure they have that side covered! I put the shingles on myself

and single handedly broke the one in the front! Hah. I wish I could afford something a little larger but this will do. Plus it has sentimental value! <3

For security and rain protection use an inexpensive cinder block foundation to raise the little coop off the ground if you can't afford to construct a higher raised platform. Whatever the coop is sitting on in the photo is too low to the ground. It's a cute coop but be mindful of the sq ft area for each hen so you don't overcrowd it. Such a cute memory! Family dogs are great but we had a Rott that slept through an intruder climbing over the back fence so don't count on guard dogs for 100% security.

 

[dandymandie]

Always remember that the dogs could be deep sleeping whenever a raccoon comes around looking for some chicken dinner.  Predator proofing is all about the overkill with it.  Makes that first assault on the coop that you see, like raccoon prints on the ground outside of the coop all worth the investment when they all pop out the door ready to great the day.  

Oh yeah I know! In fact. They only seem to chase away little creatures when it's not convienent. Haha we did not neglect the backyard side of the fencing and we are working on it everyday. Pulling and testing on the fencing I even tried to lock myself inside and attempted to break in! We have a couple of more weeks until they'll be in there but it still doesn't seem like enough time. Thanks for the tips. They are greatly appreciated! I have to keep thinking that way. When I think I'm done, do it again. Haha

 

[dandymandie]

For security and rain protection use an inexpensive cinder block foundation to raise the little coop off the ground if you can't afford to construct a higher raised platform.  Whatever the coop is sitting on in the photo is too low to the ground.  It's a cute coop but be mindful of the sq ft area for each hen so you don't overcrowd it.  Such a cute memory!  Family dogs are great but we had a Rott that slept through an intruder climbing over the back fence so don't count on guard dogs for 100% security.

Thank you! This is just after today's shingling. We aren't done yet, but hopefully soon. The coop is sitting on the wooden boards that came with it. But I think I will go with your cinder block suggestion. We had to tear that thing apart and then rebuild it! And that was enough for me today. I was just so excited I had to share the progress, I wish I had a before photo! Our dogs aren't 100% security and the chicken area is all fenced off. Even the side that sits in our backyard. We dtidnt neglect that area, I just wired things together until my fingers were too raw on the wooded side of things. Next on the list is the cover on top, which is quite a headache but will figure something out! We have five chickens in the brooder now at 4 weeks old. And two roosts that are 3 feet long and 4 nesting boxes inside of the coop. Is that enough space? They are bantams. Thank you for your help! A fresh set of eyes is always helpful and very welcome!

 

[Sylvester017]

Thank you! This is just after today's shingling. We aren't done yet, but hopefully soon. The coop is sitting on the wooden boards that came with it. But I think I will go with your cinder block suggestion. We had to tear that thing apart and then rebuild it! And that was enough for me today. I was just so excited I had to share the progress, I wish I had a before photo! Our dogs aren't 100% security and the chicken area is all fenced off. Even the side that sits in our backyard. We dtidnt neglect that area, I just wired things together until my fingers were too raw on the wooded side of things. Next on the list is the cover on top, which is quite a headache but will figure something out! We have five chickens in the brooder now at 4 weeks old. And two roosts that are 3 feet long and 4 nesting boxes inside of the coop. Is that enough space? They are bantams. Thank you for your help! A fresh set of eyes is always helpful and very welcome!

Ppl are inclined to allow less space for bantams than for LF (large fowl). We find our Silkies need just as much space as LF because they need to flap their wings, can't fly so need plenty of jumping space inside the coop, lower roosts (about 18" high) and 2 or 3 nestboxes will be plenty for 5 hens. Don't be surprised if the bantams cuddle together to sleep in a nestbox for the night. Some ppl are upset if their chickens sleep in nestboxes but we allow ours to choose what they do and where they sleep and clean the boxes during routine morning maintenance - I mean I wouldn't want someone forcing me to sleep on a floor when there's a downy mattress in the room - lol ! But that's just us.

I like your shingles color. I wanted a red coop but decided not to bring attention to it from looky-lou's.

 

[dandymandie]

Ppl are inclined to allow less space for bantams than for LF (large fowl).  We find our Silkies need just as much space as LF because they need to flap their wings, can't fly so need plenty of jumping space inside the coop, lower roosts (about 18" high) and 2 or 3 nestboxes will be plenty for 5 hens.  Don't be surprised if the bantams cuddle together to sleep in a nestbox for the night.  Some ppl are upset if their chickens sleep in nestboxes but we allow ours to choose what they do and where they sleep and clean the boxes during routine morning maintenance - I mean I wouldn't want someone forcing me to sleep on a floor when there's a downy mattress in the room - lol !  But that's just us.

I like your shingles color.  I wanted a red coop but decided not to bring attention to it from looky-lou's.

I understand. I have Silkies as well. In the silkie thread I read that they don't need as much space but they do FLAP A LOT! I know they had more than 5 chickens in the coop before but it's kind of old school and their chickens mostly roosted in the trees. Very nicely made but it is a hand me down and needs improvement! I suppose I could always add on to it if needed. The shingles are old as well and were given to me along with the coop so I got lucky! Without the hand me downs I would not have gotten the chicks. I can't walk into the coop at all so I wanted to add a little door in the back. As well as raise the coops roof. In time. I just hope I've done enough to keep them safe by the time they move in!

 

[Sylvester017]

I understand. I have Silkies as well. In the silkie thread I read that they don't need as much space but they do FLAP A LOT! I know they had more than 5 chickens in the coop before but it's kind of old school and their chickens mostly roosted in the trees. Very nicely made but it is a hand me down and needs improvement! I suppose I could always add on to it if needed. The shingles are old as well and were given to me along with the coop so I got lucky! Without the hand me downs I would not have gotten the chicks. I can't walk into the coop at all so I wanted to add a little door in the back. As well as raise the coops roof. In time. I just hope I've done enough to keep them safe by the time they move in!

We've had Silkies for only 4 yrs but we do find they handle themselves very much like LF. Silkies are probably the largest bantam breed at over 2 lbs. I have a Porky at 2.5 lbs so they do need the room same as LF. If you daily free range your Silkies in a safe yard your coop will only be used by them to lay eggs and roost for the night. As long as it's roomy enough for roosting and you make a clean-out door at the back to access for maintenance and they have a pop-door to exit/enter you'll have it made. The horribly most expensive part about housing chickens is the outdoor pen area. We have invested in a couple pop-up canopies for shade, several lean-to's and doghouses for them to snooze or hide in from aerial predators, tall plants, and we're constantly adding new little things for them to play or hide in. Silkies are very predator savvy and after cooping them starting their first month, we slowly started letting them out in the yard until we found they were very alert for open ranging. They are outdoors most of the day using lean-to's and doghouses and the canopies for shade or snoozing. We have two BriteTap Rubbermaid nipple waterers to keep the wild birds out of chicken drinking water and have two chicken treadle feeders to keep the wild birds out of the organic feed. We stopped keeping feed or water inside the coop run when there was a rat problem the first year in the neighborhood. We and our surrounding neighbors cut our trees down, cleaned out garages, woodpiles, and sheds, plus the Leghorn we had at the time dug out all the baby nests in the bushes, and now we've been rodent-free with no food or housing sources to attract rodents. We learned and improved as we went along.

 

[dandymandie]

We've had Silkies for only 4 yrs but we do find they handle themselves very much like LF.  Silkies are probably the largest bantam breed at over 2 lbs.  I have a Porky at 2.5 lbs so they do need the room same as LF.  If you daily free range your Silkies in a safe yard your coop will only be used by them to lay eggs and roost for the night.  As long as it's roomy enough for roosting and you make a clean-out door at the back to access for maintenance and they have a pop-door to exit/enter you'll have it made.  The horribly most expensive part about housing chickens is the outdoor pen area.  We have invested in a couple pop-up canopies for shade, several lean-to's and doghouses for them to snooze or hide in from aerial predators, tall plants, and we're constantly adding new little things for them to play or hide in.  Silkies are very predator savvy and after cooping them starting their first month, we slowly started letting them out in the yard until we found they were very alert for open ranging.  They are outdoors most of the day using lean-to's and doghouses and the canopies for shade or snoozing.  We have two BriteTap Rubbermaid nipple waterers to keep the wild birds out of chicken drinking water and have two chicken treadle feeders to keep the wild birds out of the organic feed.  We stopped keeping feed or water inside the coop run when there was a rat problem the first year in the neighborhood.  We and our surrounding neighbors cut our trees down, cleaned out garages, woodpiles, and sheds, plus the Leghorn we had at the time dug out all the baby nests in the bushes, and now we've been rodent-free with no food or housing sources to attract rodents.  We learned and improved as we went along.

That's great to know. Awesome information.Thank you so much. The coop is 4 feet wide and 5 feet long. So 20 square feet... I definitely have to add on! The area around the coop is 10 x 15 minus the 20sq feet the coop takes up. Sorry I'm doing the math here haha but it's kind of helping me figure that all out. I don't have the materials nor the money to secure a free range area for them yet, we have a lot of free rangin neighborhood dogs and from what I hear the husky down the road could take out all 5 of my chicks in one visit. so I hope the 15 x 10 will work, for now. I like the pop up canopy idea! Maybe I can find one of those and add it on to that if I can figure out how secure it. And I will definitely look into that feeder and waterer. I really appreciate you sharing your experience and the tips! I'm going to see if Craigslist has anything I could use!