post your chicken coop pictures here!

[Deleon98]

wait i dont get the part where you were talking about wind and cutting big holes .-.

 

[LivelyHens]

A yard barn that was sitting unused in my backyard when I bought the house early summer 2015, always wanting chickens I visited my great uncle who had a egg farm for 40+ years knew where to get started, I now have 15 hens + 1 rooster, love it.

 

[Latestarter]

wait i dont get the part where you were talking about wind and cutting big holes .-.

As you look at the front where the door is, on either side, you should cut out large square holes extending from the front toward the back about 1/2 way and from mid height up. Then cover the holes with 1/2" hardware cloth with framing material over the edges to prevent it being pulled open by raccoons and such. In FL it gets very hot and humid and you need excellent ventilation. You don't want windows at the back or toward the back along the sides as you should be putting the roosts in the back (running from side to side about 3/4s up from the floor, at least 12-18" from the back wall and 2-18" from the ceiling. Doing it this way will keep direct wind/breezes OFF the birds when they are up on the roosts.

Since the door is to the left, I'd potentially make the window a little higher up on the right and place the nest boxes under that window on the right side. Just me. And of course you'll need a secure door that is lockable/securely fastenable to keep birds in and predators out

 

[Deleon98]

Oh ok and how would i keep predators from digging their way from under? Its a dirt floor

 

[TalkALittle]

Oh ok and how would i keep predators from digging their way from under? Its a dirt floor

That's why I suggested you raise it up on legs and give it a proper floor. You'll get added predator protection as well as other bonuses. Firstly, it gets it high enough so you don't have to stoop to clean it. Secondly, no predators can get in from below. A third consideration is that if the coop is up on legs and you include that space in your run, then the birds can use the space below to get out of the rain without you having to roof a portion of the run.

Or you could just bury hardware cloth around the perimeter or install a hardware cloth apron around the whole thing to deter diggers.

 

[amyg6]

I just put a wooden floor in my converted horse stall coop. Do I need litter or can I just sweep out the poop every morning. The only time they have to stay in during the day is when it rains. Thank you

 

[TalkALittle]

I just put a wooden floor in my converted horse stall coop. Do I need litter or can I just sweep out the poop every morning. The only time they have to stay in during the day is when it rains. Thank you

I'd throw down some shavings. Sometimes the poop can be really mushy and you'll just end up smearing it all over if you try to sweep it on the bare floor.

Shavings should last a long time over a wooden floor. They will coat and dry out the poop. I've had the same shavings in my coop for months. You can rake the shavings regularly to distribute the poop evenly and eventually clean out the whole stall or you can just periodically spot clean the area directly under the roosts.

 

[amyg6]

Thank you ! That sounds great. I am making a poop hammock also.

 

[amyg6]

Do you find that large flake, medium flake , or small flake works best in a coop with wooden floor?

 

[junebuggena]

Oh ok and how would i keep predators from digging their way from under? Its a dirt floor

My coop is a very large shed. The floor was completely rotted out. I pulled it all up and I put hardware cloth on the ground and wrapped it up the walls about a foot and secured it in place. Then I topped with a thick layer of straw. The only predator to get in was a coyote that chewed a hole in the plywood.
Another option would be to pour a concrete floor, or attach a hardware cloth apron to the exterior and cover it with pavers.