post your chicken coop pictures here!

[ilikechikin]

I don't doubt it. However, with all of my birds in coop there's still a ton of room. Open it at night and they're all easily on the upper perch together. They have the lower perch and the entire floor space and yet they're huddled together up top. So people can cite the "experts"and their numbers all they want but my chickens are happy and healthy, my coop, food, and water are clean and you can't argue with that. Couple of years ago those experts said you should eat margarine instead of butter and eggs were bad for you...

 

[MeepBeep]

So people can cite the "experts"and their numbers all they want but my chickens are happy and healthy, my coop, food, and water are clean and you can't argue with that.

Over and above my own personal feelings and observations, I'll put my trust in the millions of dollars and decades worth of collective study vs a few isolated anecdotal claims of the contrary...

Also to be blunt if I housed them with the 2 sqft as you do I would be committing a criminal act in my county... I would be subject to fines, confiscation of the birds and possible additional animal welfare charges as the law mandates a minimum of 3 sqft per bird of coop space while many of the local municipalities mandate even more coop space and also run space...

 

[bigmrg74]

That's genius.

Two years ago all I did was slap a couple of 2x4's to a pallet to make a table in my old coop. Just barely fit into the coop. Last winter I tried a hanging a pallet from some chains in my old coop, but it was kind of a pain in the butt to keep it from swinging around too much and spilling water out of the heated waterer. Got a bigger coop now, so I'm probably going with a simple table again.

 

[bruceha2000]

I don't doubt it. However, with all of my birds in coop there's still a ton of room. Open it at night and they're all easily on the upper perch together. They have the lower perch and the entire floor space and yet they're huddled together up top. So people can cite the "experts"and their numbers all they want but my chickens are happy and healthy, my coop, food, and water are clean and you can't argue with that. Couple of years ago those experts said you should eat margarine instead of butter and eggs were bad for you...

It is not at ALL unusual for the chickens to all roost as high as they can get. The question of sq ft per bird is related to FLOOR space. The "rule" on roost space is 1' per LF bird.

IF the chickens ONLY sleep/lay in the coop and can get out to a space that is larger any time they are not sleeping, 2 sq ft isn't a problem. But if they have to get locked in the coop, it will be a problem.

I had a raccoon attack. I disconnected the auto door and started putting the girls in (14 birds in a 10 x 12 coop) well before dark and not letting them out until well after dawn. The "abuse" from girls higher in the pecking order was RAPIDLY evident. And egg production went down.

After killing the coon and not seeing more woodchuck tunnels (took care of her as well) coming into the barn alley (dirt floor, the girl's indoor run) I reconnected the door. Much less obvious feather damage, more eggs. I call that a cause and effect result of both disconnecting and reconnecting the auto door.

 

[2hnznroo]

My husband beefed up our Sam's Club chicken chalet. First he restrained it with solid stain then reinforced the screens ,added motion lights, a ridge vent, wheels , air fan inside and wire shelving fencing around the perimeter that we peg into the ground to distract the predators.

 

[nilifer]

Has anybody rigged up an electrical predator deterrent system to protect their coop?

Seems like that might discourage raccoons permanently.

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

I have been looking at some solar fencers and at night I am going to just turn it on and if something touches the chickens pen there going to get zapped. If it works I am going to run wires then also around both coops. Good luck!

 

[lydiagirl99]

THIS IS MY COOP !

This is a frontal view of the coop itself. It's painted to match our house.

This is the inside of the coop, now. These are just the usual perches for them at night and the nest boxes. I forgot to get pics of the perches


The opening for the chickens to get in and out is just a hole in the floor. They use it really well. No drafts get in and it makes for easy cleaning, too !

The run was originally enclosed fully, but over time, though I only had 4 chickens at the time, I felt it was to small. They were just walking around in dirt. Can't be to fun I imagine so... we cut a hole in the wire around it and built a big pen for them ! (Which of course meant we needed more chickens)

Inside the pen is a big Mulberry tree. The chickens LOOVVVEE it. The mulberrys drop and they eat them up. THe tree also provides great shelter from the sun.

There's also a plant in there overrun by some weed but they don't mind. They enjoy hiding under it.



Then we have a few small pine trees in there. 2 of which are dead but like it matters to them, right ? Haha. Under them is there favorite dust bathing spot.


Hope you guys enjoy

 

[Intheswamp]

I have been looking at some solar fencers and at night I am going to just turn it on and if something touches the chickens pen there going to get zapped. If it works I am going to run wires then also around both coops. Good luck!

You aren't figuring on attaching the charger to all the mesh fencing of your run/coop are you?

 

[Intheswamp]

THIS IS MY COOP !

This is a frontal view of the coop itself. It's painted to match our house.

Really nice setup...the chickens have gotta be happy with all of that space. I bet they even sing "Here we go 'round the mulberry bush....".