post your chicken coop pictures here!

[ShrekDawg]

Yeah and often when they are chasing them they circle the sky like you described. I witnessed a group of crows chase a hawk off once and they had that poor hawk doing laps all around the sky until ot finally turned tail and ran (well, flew ). I've also heard them freak out without ever seeing the hawk. I know it's hard to believe if you saw the crows hanging around but I highly doubt a crow or group of them took your bird. Even a bantam. They're pretty big for crows. HOWEVER. If a hawk or other predator already killed your bird then yes, they could have been circling to eat it. They're not going to discriminate or be picky about a food source (to them that's what it is, however sad). But I highly doubt they actually killed your bird

 

[Swilzig]

My name is Sophie. I live in Jupiter Florida. I inherited a very large Rhode Island Red rooster named Rollo, who was rescued from the chopping block. Initially I kept him in a large dog cage with a run attached to the door. Searching for coops, I found the prices outrageous for the size, so I came up with my own. Being a recent survivor of breast cancer and bilateral mastectomy I had limitations in what I could build. So I came up with the following, which was supplied and built one week at a time as funds became available.

I initially purchased a strong and large 10' x 20' carport tent from Home Depot. The tent flap comes down over the sides a bit, which prevents rain from dripping inside. My husband attached three foot metal poles to the bottom of six of the legs and put them deep in the ground for stability during the windy & stormy season. Cost: +/- $150.

2. I prepared the earth by raking it over several times. Then dug three trenches and filled it with sewer rock. Then a layer of rock throughout, purchased at the Bushel Stop. This will allow for good drainage during the rainy season. Cost: 1 yard +/- $50.

3. Then I added a thick layer of a sand/crushed shells (coquina) mix over the rocks. I also purchased that at the Bushel Stop. Cost: 1 yard +/- $40.

4. I purchased five 50' x 4' rolls of 1/2" chicken/fencing wire which is more expensive and less flexible than traditional chicken wire, but out here in the Farms there are snakes, raccoons, fox, and I have dogs and cats. With help from my gardener, we unrolled one pack of wire at a time, folded 12" of wire upward all along the length, then began by first wrapping it around the lower half of the poles of the tent, folding outward 12' of wire that lay flat on the ground, to prevent digging predators. Initially we fastened it with wire until it was in the right position. Later I used heavy duty zip ties to keep it in place, leaving a 3' wide gap in one corner where the door would go. Cost per roll +/- $50. Two 100 piece bags of long zip ties about $14.

5. Door: purchased 4 pieces of 2" x 1/2" wide, 8' long, untreated pine wood trim. I measured from the top cross bar of the tent to the ground for height and decided on a 3' width, to easily bring things in and out of the coop. Thanks to YouTubeI made a simple door with two cross bars for support. The corners are held together with "L" shaped corner brackets. Them using a staple gun and 1/2" staples, I attached chicken wire to the door. Then added simple door pull handles on the front and back of the door and 3 sets of door hinges on the other side of the frame. Cost: $20 for lumber and $10 for 3 packs of L shaped corner brackets.

6. Making the door frame. I attached a 2" x 2" thick, the same height as the corner pole, piece of lumber to the corner pole and secured it with zip ties. This is where I attached the hinged side of the door. For the other side of the frame I found an old galvanized 1 3/4" pole about 6' long. Got a 95 cents looped post cap, which I ran through the cross bar and placed at the edge of the door. I dug a hole inserting the pole into the ground and raising it until it fit into the cap. The pole should stand close an parallel to the door. Refilled the hole and voilà, a door frame. Now I could wrap the end of the chicken fencing around that pole.

7. A second row of wire was first placed and hung from the top cross rail, all around the tent, and later secured with ties. There is about an 8" overlap between the lower and upper layer of the wire. Secured it with ties. The hardest part was hanging and cutting two triangle pieces of wire to fit above the crossbar and up to the tent top. Now the entire tent is enclosed and secure.

8. Purchased six 10' untreated pieces of lumber about 1" thick and sat it on the ground, against the outer part of the fencing. This keeps in all the stuff they kick up when digging. Then I layered the entire tent with 12" x 12" pavers, laying it over the folded out wire, and against the wood. Again, it keeps digging predators out, doesn't let the soil erode from rain runoff and helps secure the entire structure to the ground. Cost: pavers about $1.05 a piece. Don't remember the cost of the lumber.

9. I layered the coop with a thick layer of natural, untreated, pine mulch. Added a few construction cinder blocks inside to elevate the food and water, and voilà...almost done. Put two "O" rings, 1/3rd down and 1/3rd up on the door mesh and a 6" chain attached to the pole by the door rim. I use a rappelling clip to secure the chain to the ring, securely locking the door.

10. Later on I will purchase plastic versions of tin roofing and place it over the tarp, which will eventually weaken with the Florida sun and rain.

11. Time to let Rollo into his new palace. The same day I purchased 4 chickens of various ages, making sure one was a full adult to serve Rollo as a mate, until the others are older.

 

[napdognewfie]

You did a great job!

 

[bruceha2000]

Quite nice Swilzig. And good job working at a pace you are capable of rather than just saying "can't do it".

I have 3 suggestions:

1. The zip ties will last only so long in the weather so you might want to put "replace with wire" on the "do in a year or two" list.
2. You may have already noticed that you can probably pull the door away from the post near the bottom. If you can so can a predator. I would suggest a barrel bolt down there but I'm not sure just how you would attach the "receiving" piece to the post. Maybe you could put a gate cane bolt on it instead. It would also be helpful if you wanted to hold the door open anywhere from "just chicken sized" to all the way.
3. I fear the structural integrity of the door will not last with the hardware used. Perhaps you could replace the straight pieces with Ts (both sides and through bolted and go WAY up in size on those and the corner braces. You could also use heavy duty corner braces:
   And it wouldn't hurt to screw wood braces of the same wood with 45 degree angles to at least the top and bottom corners. If you place them a foot in from the vertical/horizontal joints, the door will be much stiffer and put less stress on the brackets. Just screw a "too long" piece in and cut it flush with the outside of the door wood. No shape is stronger than a triangle.

 

[RobJones]

Quote: Hi Perchie

how yu doing ?

 

[RobJones]

Quote: I'm retired so I do have the time, always keep myself busy

 

[Teila]

Crows! Arrrrgh

Crows are my nemesis to the point that I have a thread about them:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/906780/my-home-has-become-crow-central-why

The Crows here are the same size, if not bigger than some of my bantams and yes, they steal eggs and I have seen them pin down and try and eat a Turtle Dove alive … I would not put it past one of the evil black butted devils to attack a bantam.

 

[perchie.girl]

@Swilzig

Awesome job @bruceha2000 suggestions are spot on. I use the similar construction LOVE your carport and the fact that the parts have screws to keep it from blowing apart. I too get heavy wind here in the desert Enough to remove trash cans unless i tie them to the fence

The Gate cane is a good idea. Or run wire around the base... and around the vertical post.

Take a look at your wire where it meets the cover... There is a weakness there. I discovered it with my own setup. A raccoon can push that cover up and slip over the top. Raccoon's are pretty smart at defeating safety systems. You dont need to use hardware cloth but welded wire would safely enclose the whole roof. the structure is high enough. Just make sure when you put roosts in not to make them high enough so the raccoon can reach through and do Take out.

For what its worth a set of saw horses makes excellent roosts as well. You will find they will use them pretty much abandon your cute little coop. except to lay eggs. Do the saw horse the kind where you build it from two by fours. Then place a two by four flat across the top Makes for comfy roosting. Also allowes you to move them out of the way easily to do cleaning.

For my Last Flock of guineas I did two plastic saw horses and ran a roost between them. Tied on with bailing twine of course. Silly birds were doing foot races on them and kicking the roost off.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote: Hi Perchie

how yu doing ?

fine... loosing weight Writing a book

 

[ShrekDawg]

You're writing a book?