post your chicken coop pictures here!

[waldrep12]

Thanks for the pictures guys got some good ideas for my coop!

 

[gpeters3]

Thanks for the insight. I guess that explains why my informal way of handling it worked. I simply marked some eggs in the spring when it was geting warm, left them in the nest and let the hens fight over who was going to be mom. The bantams were all pretty good moms but my larger breeds not so much.

I think i see why my neighbor uses a home made incubator now. Wonder if she knows about the humidity thing.....

I wont ever have any more roosters so wont be trying this any more but it was fun while it lasted. I think i have enough to keep me busy without fussing with hatching eggs ;-)

 

[jwtyrcha]

Almost done! Just a little more framing, hardware cloth and chicken wire and we are done! Chicks should be in there by this weekend!

 

[jwtyrcha]

My coop under construction

Is there room for a 15 year old boy? lol

 

[ShrekDawg]

My girls live on a river bank. Predators abound but they aren't worried, they have "Ava the Brave", their very own gaurd schnauzer!

Awesome!

...

My girls live on a river bank. Predators abound but they aren't worried, they have "Ava the Brave", their very own gaurd schnauzer!

[/quote I have a border collie Aussie she just got shaved the other day I shave all of our dogs so we don't spend a fortune at a groomers

Double coated dogs really should not be shaved. Believe it or not, the coat doesn't just keep them warm in the winter, it also helps to keep them cool in the summer and they can heat up faster shaved. I know it seems like it helps but it doesn't. And honestly just because you don't wanna spend momey at the groomers is kind of an unfair reason I'm not saying you have to take them to a groomer at all though because we don't take our dog, though he is pretty short haired, but there are other ways besides just shaving them. Like buying good combs and brushes and brushing them yourself. I recommend a greyhound comb (Google and you should find it easily) and some brushes. Not a furminator, overpriced and can damage coats if not done correctly (but then again so can shaving and it usually won't grow back the same). You could just brush them yourselves. Now, if you don't have time or they are outside working that might be different but if you brush regularly eventually it could be merely a 5 or 10, maybe 15, minute affair. If they're working or herding dogs and you're worried they'll get burrs and get into brush and whatnot. Well. There's short coated border collies and other breeds for a reason lol

I have two dogs. A shepherd/husky mix and a full blooded husky. They aren't outside 24/7 but when they are nothing bothers the ladies. For the times they aren't outside, the coop and run are predator proof. If you look close you'll see the shepherd/husky mix in the background keeping an eye on the roost and run.

They seem like great dogs!

That's great! I've done that before, more than once. My family isn't real impressed with my skills though

Schnauzer shaving is fine and i think youre dog is handsome

 

[bruceha2000]

I have to keep the brood pens in the run for now because they have no other cover for rain but the heat lamps can go any time. I may work on that tomorrow and put up an extra red lamp in the coop and re-set the timer.

I want them fully trained to use the roost before i integrate them with the hens. I made two identical roosts, one for the run and one in the coop so, once they figure it out, they will use the one in the coop and i hope to remove the one in the run eventually because i want them to roost in the coop and seek shelter there as well.

I know im procrastinating but ive had several young birds killed by older ones so im making sure they can escape. I have all the corners chamfered so they cant be cornered and, initially, ill leave the brood pens with their tunnels for a while after i integrate them.

Ill probably take out the old pen when i remove the lamps to encourage them to use the roost. Its kind of nice having 3 feeder sets though. Ill probably miss the convenience.

I do believe that the red wavelength is related to laying but I'm still not sure you need that this time of year.

Question for people whose birds are confined to a run during the day and there is a roost in the run. Do they use it?? My girls are rarely off the ground except at night. I made a support from 2 bys to hold up the cast iron farm sink for mounting on the wall. When that job was done, I put it out in the lower part of the barn which is the girls "indoor run" and placed it in front of the only south facing window. Figured lots of them would be on it on days they are confined inside but it goes mostly unused.

My coop under construction

Modified Woods? Why not full open in the front per the original design?

Nice work.

When I was a teen, barely after getting my drivers permit, we took a trip to visit some family in Kansas. On the way home, my dad was exhausted and was having trouble keeping his eyes open on the long stretch of highway. I persuaded him to let me drive so he could rest. I was a good driver so it wasn't a concern to him but the one piece of advice he gave me that night, before turning over the wheel, was about deer. He said if I saw a deer on the road, not to swerve to try to miss it. Because they are unpredictable, hey could leap I to your new path anyway and it was better to have a good grip on the steering wheel and hit it straight on, bracing yourself, rather than get caught mid swerve which would likely cause the car to flip.

Fortunately, we never had an incident like that. But that always stuck with me.

Plus - keep checking the side of the road for glowing eyes. Before the deer gets in the road, it is beside it, maybe in a tree line

Those are the ones you are likely to hit, the ones that haven't yet started running across the road. The ones that bolt JUST before you get there.

AND deer are rarely alone, if one starts running across the road there is likely at least 1 more close behind. Another reason to hold your line and hit the brakes hard. Even if you swerve and miss the one you see, you will probably hit the one following it.

Almost done! Just a little more framing, hardware cloth and chicken wire and we are done! Chicks should be in there by this weekend!

Standard advice. Chicken wire keeps chickens where you want them, it won't keep out predators.

 

[thedirtycockrel]

wow

 

[gpeters3]

Bruce, so far all my chicks are hopping up and down all over the roost in the run. The turkeys seem to like the top rung most of the time but the chicks use all of them. I think they use it more since i took out the heat lamps. I have a ladder in there to finish a window i just put in and they are perching on the rungs

So far, i dont think they are roosting at night, they still sleep on the floor in a pile. It rained last night so i couldnt check them but ill take a look late tonight to see if any are roosting. If the weather holds i might integrate them today.

 

[tjparker60]

Bruceha2000
I don't understand your questions below?
My husband designed it this way. We don't want it open in the front. That is where the nesting boxes are going! I will attach a new picture.


Modified Woods? Why not full open in the front per the original design?

Nice work.

 

[tjparker60]

Is there room for a 15 year old boy? lol

Ha ha! Is he willing to work for room and board??? I've been there... mine is 31! Hang in there!