post your chicken coop pictures here!

[Intheswamp]

Mike, once you get the coop and run built that's gonna be really nice with the maples around it. Building the coop with plenty of ventilation? Big windows? I think I'm a ventilation nut...just seen too many nicely built coops with too little ventilation built in to them.

Those sonotubes... I'd been thinking of cement blocks, but seems the height I want will take several to a stack if I go with 4" solid blocks so the sonotubes are interesting to me.

Ed

 

[MeepBeep]

I also use the horizontal nipples with an attached cup.

Cups are a no go for those that live in areas with freezing temps...

 

[justcallmepenny]

justcallmepenny, that is a fine coop you've built there.  Great that you used mostly re-purposed material, too!!  One thing you might want to consider if adding some 2x4 welded wire to the lower 3-4 feet of the fencing along with a 12-24 inch apron of it around the edges...so that a dog can't chew through the hardware cloth.   Looks really nice...I'm envious.

Ed

Thanks Ed! It's hardware cloth over a cattle panel. We also buried cloth 24" down & did a 2 1/2' skirt around the entire base (it's buried under the mulch). It's also in an enclosed garden with its own wood & cloth fence 6' high. Would you still add welded?

 

[justcallmepenny]

Nice, but needs more ventilation above roosting height. Also, those roosts are a bit narrow in diameter. Should be at least 3 inches diameter or more for dual-purpose breeds. Also, the rungs on the ladder roost are too close together. The higher up birds will poo all over the ones on the lower roosts.

 

[cabinchicky]

justcallmepenny, that is a fine coop you've built there.  Great that you used mostly re-purposed material, too!!  One thing you might want to consider if adding some 2x4 welded wire to the lower 3-4 feet of the fencing along with a 12-24 inch apron of it around the edges...so that a dog can't chew through the hardware cloth.   Looks really nice...I'm envious.

Ed

Thanks Ed! It's hardware cloth over a cattle panel. We also buried cloth 24" down & did a 2 1/2' skirt around the entire base (it's buried under the mulch). It's also in an enclosed garden with its own wood & cloth fence 6' high. Would you still add welded?

IMO yes add the welded to the outside of the hardware cloth to strengthen it. Raccoons get big and dogs and coyotes could bend the other. Better to over do in my opinion.

 

[Intheswamp]

Thanks Ed! It's hardware cloth over a cattle panel. We also buried cloth 24" down & did a 2 1/2' skirt around the entire base (it's buried under the mulch). It's also in an enclosed garden with its own wood & cloth fence 6' high. Would you still add welded?

Where there is only hardware cloth....yes.

Ed

 

[YaYa27889]

Cups are a no go for those that live in areas with freezing temps...

If the nipple is not leakingI do not understand why you say the cuos are a no go in areas with freezing temps. Obviously if there is no leak there is nothing to freeze

 

[MeepBeep]

Cups are a no go for those that live in areas with freezing temps...

If the nipple is not leakingI do not understand why you say the cuos are a no go in areas with freezing temps. Obviously if there is no leak there is nothing to freeze

There will always be 'waste' the birds don't get all the water that comes out of the nipple, thus water will accumulated in and around the cup (and even nipple) and freeze potentially causing issues, in negative F° temps this freezing happens almost instantaneous, so it can build up quite quick to any water left in the cup and layer up quickly...

I personally don't have this issue as my coop is heated above freezing, but others do... Member Blooie has commented about this ice build up on the outside of horizontal nipples several times...

 

[Latestarter]

I have the horizontal nipples without cups and during the coldest weather have had them freeze up overnight. Generally manipulation with fingertips will melt the ice after 1/2 a minute or so and they are normally OK during the day. Mine froze at night temps in the -10 to -20 degree F range. The water in the bucket is heated to ~ 40-50 degrees F

 

[bruceha2000]

Quote: IMO yes add the welded to the outside of the hardware cloth to strengthen it. Raccoons get big and dogs and coyotes could bend the other. Better to over do in my opinion.

Given the hardware cloth is over a cattle panel, I really don't think a raccoon, dog or coyote will get into the area. If they dig and hit the buried hardware cloth they would not likely get through it.