post your chicken coop pictures here!

[NanaNeen]

Why can't you go back that far? You should be able to go back all the way to the first post if you choose...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/596294/post-your-chicken-coop-pictures-here/14450#post_17274515

It is a VERY nice looking design, but I don't see much if any ventilation and that would worry me...

I have no idea why it cuts off. I'll be scrolling back and it just stops with the banner at the top as though it's at the beginning of the thread. It won't let me post pics most of the time either. I'm on the mobile app. It needs a lot of updating.

I want to show my daughter in law the gypsy coop because she would appreciate it artistically. She doesn't have chickens.

 

[tomphot]

pretty nice digs for six chicks!

Right! It's been a fun project and a super creative release for my wife.

 

[tomphot]

I have no idea why it cuts off. I'll be scrolling back and it just stops with the banner at the top as though it's at the beginning of the thread. It won't let me post pics most of the time either. I'm on the mobile app. It needs a lot of updating.

I want to show my daughter in law the gypsy coop because she would appreciate it artistically. She doesn't have chickens.

Were you able to see the coop in the Coop tab?

 

[NanaNeen]

Were you able to see the coop in the Coop tab?

I used the link you gave.

 

[NanaNeen]

Right! It's been a fun project and a super creative release for my wife.

It's one of the most detailed paints jobs I've seen and a wonderful theme. Tell your wife it's really impressive.

 

[JaysGirl]

...

[/quote ]Wow! You win!

Awesome!!!

 

[Intheswamp]

I've given ventilation a lot of thought. Each of the 2 side windows provides 2 sq ft a piece - the rear widow that looks into the run is 3 sq ft. I also drilled 6 - 4" round holes and covered them with hard wire. The front and back areas where the metal roof meets the wood stringers is open, 3/4" high and a total of 15 linear feet. During the day, we leave the top half of the door open into the vestibule - more than half of the front part of actual coop is covered by Hard Wire.
The decorative side with the wheels that is pictured only shows 1 window, the back side is unadorned at this time and where I have added extra ventilation. I can do more if needed.
Your thoughts for 6 chickens?

Six chickens need a minimum of six square feet by most accounts...you've got that covered with the two side and the back windows. Chickens need ventilation but not drafts. Gwinnett County averages 29F as a low in January...averages....could be lower, could be higher. Chickens have no problems with temperatures well below 29F...as long as they have a place to shelter them from drafts, wind, and breezes. When those temperatures come are your chickens able to roost well below those windows so that they are not in drafts? If the roosts are in the breeze line of those windows will you be able to close the windows up and still provide adequate ventilation (air exchange)? The six 4" holes will give you about a half square foot of ventilation and the 3/4" gap at the top of the wall yields about a square foot. Now, if you can close down three sides of your coop completely, have one side of it with 6 square feet or more of open screen, and the chickens are far enough back from that open window then I think it would work fine. Those are my thoughts...

 

[ShrekDawg]

My son asked me today if Sweet PDZ could be used on the ground of a small run to prevent odor. I've only used it in my poop tray. Does anyone have any experience doing that?

its used in all sorts of on the ground applications from Horse stalls to sewage odor abatement.

A very interesting chemical if you read up on it.  It has a Wikipedia page.   PDZ has an affinity for ammonia and will absorb huge quantities of it and nutrilized it.

deb

Cool. Maybe I'll spread some out in the run. My run is pretty close to the front of the house. I suppose it will still work and be ok as they scratch, dig and dust bathe themselves?

from the manufacturers site:    http://www.sweetpdz.com/our-products.html

How Does Sweet PDZ Work?
Sweet PDZ is extremely effective at neutralizing and removing ammonia and odors, because of its two special properties:
1) Adsorption - Which is the sticking of the ammonia gas molecule to the surface of the Sweet PDZ granule.  When the Sweet PDZ granules desorb, or dries out, the ammonia odor molecule is driven off the surface of the mineral as nitrogen.   This is why spent (used) bedding material that includes Sweet PDZ, works so well as a slow release fertilizer or as an enhancement to composting.
2) Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) - This is the liquid exchange aspect of Sweet PDZ’s odor neutralizing process.  A sodium or potassium cation from the zeolite granule hydrolyzes (goes to liquid/urine) and the ammonium is exchanged and then becomes part of the Sweet PDZ granule.  This liquid exchange works because the Sweet PDZ granules are always holding water. 

the active particle is made of Zeolite which can be made of many different things....  clinoptilolite is the one they use in the product

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinoptilolite

Its a product of volcanic activity.  weve been using it for horse stall treatment for a very long time. 

deb

Sounds awesome for the compst thing, didnt know all the details on it. Put some in the coop a while back. The bags been out in the rain and sun a while, though no open end exposed, so probably need a new bag? But do you think it would work in a cat litter box? When i first got it i think i actually put some DE down then some of this then the litter and it seemed to work well but it was a real small amount and idk if the DE counteracted it and vice versa. Heard of people putting DE in boxes and PDZ in boxes but not sure I've heard it put together. But it was suggested for a coop so figured I'd try it in the box. Do you think i could put it over top? Or is it not good for their paws? I know step one is to clean the box frequently but would it work as a thing in the interim to make it smell less for longer between cleaning it? When she first goes it smells real bad too but i guess that's true of every animal lol it smells VERY bad right now, the whole house smells or at least the first floor, and it's in the basement. I admit I haven't cleaned it or even really been down there in a VERY long time. Usually even if I don't change it a while it's not THIS long. But I'm trying to change it more often after this, gonna change it tomorrow and then try to at least every week but maybe every day or every other day. But the other problem which i mean i dont blame her but is when it's gross she goes in the fireplace or just next to the box on the concrete or she goes in a sink or shower (well she used to but we recently got our bathrooms redone so we shut the doors now. She did sneak into the shower once though and pee before I caught her). But anyway, think it could work on a litter box? We only have one small cat but she reeks lol

I live in Idaho our tap water is ok but I'm also hooked up to fresh irrigation that they absolutely love. The free irrigation water is great too because we have to clean the pool every other day so that saves money, then I get to water my lawn with fertilized water. Win/win.

One question I have, we clean the coop daily but the flies are insane. Any tips on keeping the fly population down?

We have sooooo many flies too.

the only thing I know of is clean clean clean....  and Fly Predators....   Having had horses for a very long time  I am used to dealing with them.  

YOu also can raise Soldier flies and they work within the compost pile as larvae...  the larvae can be used as food for the chickens.  The Soldier flies compete by dealing with composting materials the flies may be attracted to. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermetia_illucens

neither larvae or adults are considered pests...  the adults dont bite or sting their only job is reproduction

The larvae are extremely good at digesting fatty wastes in the compost pile....

http://www.blacksoldierflyfarming.com/

deb

Thanks for the info. They flys aren't a big deal to me just amazed at the amount of them especially for how often we clean the coop.

Are you against pesticides?

No Pest Strips work well (this is what I use in the coop) http://www.hotshot.com/products-and-solutions/all-products/no-pest-strip.aspx

Metered pyrethrin sprayers (I use one these in the house occasionally if the flies invade, 24 hours later all gone) http://www.country-vet.com/prod_details.aspx?prod_id=141&cat_id=8

FYI if you go with the sprayer don't get the kit, instead get an Airwick, Glade or store brand sprayer they are pretty much all universal... I know for a fact the Country Vet refill bottles fit perfect int he Walmart brand sprayers, many people claim they also fit the Airwick and Glade machines, but sometimes need a little modification...

Refill http://www.country-vet.com/prod_details.aspx?prod_id=97&cat_id=8

Twin pack of dispensers that the above fit in perfectly http://www.walmart.com/ip/Great-Value-Japanese-Cherry-Blossom-Air-Freshener-Kit-4-pc/42794674

About a $10 savings over the Country Vet kit...

Thanks for the tip. Not against pesticides as long as they are safe for the hens and ducks. We put up the sticky fly traps but I'm liking that hot shot strip.

Besides fresh chicken poop, flies are attracted to fresh produce the chickens don't eat which can rot quickly plus flies want moisture.  Can't do much about chicken poop but keep the uneaten fresh produce out of the yard and don't have open exposed water sources.  Our maximum hen count is 4 chickens so when we feed them fresh produce it is only what they can eat in 10 minutes or less - so basically a very little each time.  We got tired of open water bowls in the yard between the chickens messing up the water or wanting to stand in it, and the wild birds pooping in it, and various insects attracted to the open water, so we switched to nipple valve waterers.  On the farm my folks used sticky fly traps around the poultry yard (ducks, geese, chickens) which was located far far from the farmhouse - the traps were pretty effective.  Flies also seem seasonal.  You don't get many to none during cooler winter months.

All interesting stuff.

I use it alone in quail pens. It clumps most of the pool then I scoop.Never seen powered form,would worry the dust would cause problems

Im gonna do it in the new coop.

Also i noticed the granules arent even really big so it's almost like litter/sand/powder anyway. Maybe not powder but they're not big huge obviously balls or anything, its like sand. And around here they only sell granules

 

[peastix]

To answer KDOGG331 In New Zealand plain zeolite is sold as kitty litter so yes it's fine. I cant get PDZ here or at least can't find it.The kitty litter is probably bigger granules than PDZ but works fine is cheap and available at any supermarket.Every so often I empty my plastic poop trays onto a part of veg garden currently not in use, scrub trays and refill.Your cat tray could be dug into flower garden after disposing of solids.However I wouldn't put it in compost if that compost was to be used on edible crops.Cat and dog poop should not be put in compost because of bacteria and diseases that can be transmitted to humans.

 

[ShrekDawg]

To answer KDOGG331    In New Zealand plain zeolite is sold as kitty litter so yes it's fine. I cant get PDZ here or at least can't find it.The kitty litter is probably bigger granules than PDZ but works fine is cheap and available at any supermarket.Every so often I empty my plastic poop trays onto a part of veg garden currently not in use, scrub trays and refill.Your cat tray could be dug into flower garden after disposing of solids.However I wouldn't put it in compost if that compost was to be used on edible crops.Cat and dog poop should not be put in compost because of bacteria and diseases that can be transmitted to humans.

Thanks for the info! Good to know it's safe then so I'll have to start using it. and good to know about the compost, thanks. I never even realized you could use cat and dog poop tbh though now I won't with that info. But I never even realized it so was thinking more in terms of the chicken compost but good to know. The dog poo we have a big yard and he usually goes in the woods or tall grass so we just let it dissolve or if he goes closer to the house we pick it up when it gets to be a lot. The cat litter we scoop the waste out of the box, put it in a plastic bag, and toss it. Though a few times we've dumped it in the yard or woods. Idk if that's bad?