post your chicken coop pictures here!

[kostfarm]

We had to add on to our store bought coop for more space! Turned out great! Now considering an automatic door

 

[FarmerPhronc]

Does anyone know why my hens won't go in the coop they are crowded I have to put the silkies back on the floor so the rest of the chickens has some room but tonight I had 6 of the fully grown chickens on the roost in the run and I had to put them through the door one by one and turn the light on in the coop to help hem see to get up.. But anyways can over crowding be a reason as to of why they aren't going in even some of the ones I had before I just brought those 4 home they have been setting on the roost in the run and won't go in they arnt getting picked on or pecked on and the one she is highest of the pecking order and I have to put her in every night along with 3 or 4 others.

If your run is predator proof and since its summer why not let them roost out in the run? My 5 ladies only go into the coop at night to roost or during the day to lay eggs in the nest box. I really don't see a problem with them roosting outside this time of year as long as the run is secure. It would sure beat overcrowding them imho.

I know this may sound silly to some however chickens learned how to survive outdoors in all types of climates long before we started providing shelter/housing for them. That's not to say we don't need to provide them with such for our home flocks however I sometimes feel we over think it.

 

[Intheswamp]

Horizontal nipples are working great! Have 4 in a 3 gallon bucket. Refill to about 2/3 full when I refill the 7 pound feeder. When the feeder is empty after about 5 days their is a little less than 1/4 left in the waterer. Had chick waterer and nipples for a couple weeks for them to get used to it and show them how to use it. Took away chick waterer when I thought they pecked with enough force to get water consistently from the nipples

I'm glad they're doing a good job. I'm planning on going with them. I've a couple of old Coleman-type water coolers that I'm thinking of modifying to use with short pieces of pvc pipe and the nipples....the plan is to be able to drop ice in there during the summer. I'm just not sure if the chickens will get any of the cooling effects from the iced water through six or twelve inches of pipe...will the water that comes out of the cooler and into the pvc pipe warm up by time it makes it to a chicken?. Naturally I've gotta get a coop built first to try it! Ah well, we'll get there!

Ed

 

[Intheswamp]

duplicate...somehow

 

[Intheswamp]

We had to add on to our store bought coop for more space! Turned out great! Now considering an automatic door

That got done mighty quick!!! Good for you and better for the chickens!!!!

Ed

 

[MeepBeep]

I'm just not sure if the chickens will get any of the cooling effects from the iced water through six or twelve inches of pipe...will the water that comes out of the cooler and into the pvc pipe warm up by time it makes it to a chicken?

Give and take, I doubt you will see much temp difference out of the nipples, the water in the pipe simply does not move fast enough to draw in new cool water to counter act a hot day unless there are a lot of birds using the nipples and keeping it flowing, especially if the sun is shining on it...

Consider how fast a bottle of cold beer heats up in the sun at an outdoor party...

Not to say the ice is a waste, it might do some good especially if it's a lot, but I would just not expect it to turn great results...

 

[magicstorm]

I'm glad they're doing a good job.  I'm planning on going with them.  I've a couple of old Coleman-type water coolers that I'm thinking of modifying to use with short pieces of pvc pipe and the nipples....the plan is to be able to drop ice in there during the summer.  I'm just not sure if the chickens will get any of the cooling effects from the iced water through six or twelve inches of pipe...will the water that comes out of the cooler and into the pvc pipe warm up by time it makes it to a chicken?.  Naturally I've gotta get a coop built first to try it!    Ah well, we'll get there!

Ed

I dont know about the pipe thing, but in the shade it will still keep the water cooler than without i would think. My girls and guys love for us to just put frozen water bottles in the run and coop. They sit on them to cool down. I also put 1 in a shallow tub with a cement block they sit on that and also drink from it. We change them out a couple of times a day.

 

[Sylvester017]

I'm glad they're doing a good job. I'm planning on going with them. I've a couple of old Coleman-type water coolers that I'm thinking of modifying to use with short pieces of pvc pipe and the nipples....the plan is to be able to drop ice in there during the summer. I'm just not sure if the chickens will get any of the cooling effects from the iced water through six or twelve inches of pipe...will the water that comes out of the cooler and into the pvc pipe warm up by time it makes it to a chicken?. Naturally I've gotta get a coop built first to try it! Ah well, we'll get there!

Ed

With our nipple valve waterers we decided to go with the Brite Tap nipple valves mounted from the bottom. Reason - we have a Silkie that loves to take "showers" under the nipple valves until her crest, face, and entire chest are drenched from the ice water we fill in the 2-gallon red Rubbermaid jugs - the bottled filtered water we use stays clean and ice cold for days - the Brite Tap screws into the pour spout of the red Rubbermaid jug and the Brite Tap has two nipple valves underneath it. There has never been algae buildup in the Brite Taps or the jugs. We also need the portability of the jugs to move around the yard as the sun changes positions during different seasons. According to their website each Brite Tap services about 12 chickens. We have only 4 hens but choose to have 3 Brite Taps spaced around the yard:



Here's the little Silkie that takes "showers" under the Brite Tap nipple valves.


Steps arranged for different sized birds to access the waterers.

 

[bruceha2000]

We had to add on to our store bought coop for more space! Turned out great! Now considering an automatic door

 

[Intheswamp]

Thanks everybody on the feedback about ice in the cooler. Looks like I'll just have to try it and find out. I'm thinking that water is conductive of temperature so hopefully even if the water has been static in the pvc pipe for a while that by conduction the water in the pipe might be a little cooler than non-iced water. Something else I've thought about is possibly inserted a small stainless steel rod into the pvc pipe to help conduct the "cool". Just rumblings in my head.<g>

Sylvester017, those Brite Taps look good. I've looked at them but for some reason I missed seeing the covers that are on yours. I'd been thinking that if I could figure out some insulation for the pvc pipe that it would enhance the cooling of the water...I see that apparently Brite Tap has their own insulation. Nice. Thanks for all the images...the steps are a good idea.

Ed