(Project Started! on page 2!) Ideal Placement for new backyard coop

[aoxa]

Agreed. I am not entertaining a utopia in which the dogs wander nonchalantly among the poultry. The chicken run will be fenced to keep the dogs out and the dogs will not be outside unsupervised. However, I would like to get them as bored with the chickens as possible in preparation for the inevitable. Someday, somehow...Murphy's Law will get me. I would rather that end with a sigh of relief than a free-for-all cage match between the species.

If your dog does end up killing a chicken. Make a HUGE deal about it in front of them. If they even show any interest correct them. I am in the process of training a LGD who has never had the instinct to hunt them, but has played with a silkie enough to kill it. It doesn't take much for a 60 pound puppy to kill a 2 pound chicken.

Best thing to do is make chickens boring. We installed a HUGE kennel right by the barn for Clem to spend any unsupervised time around them. When we are out, she is tied to a tire and allowed to run. Run she does. The tire is only to keep her from taking off in the woods. She gets tangled in the branches which is the point. She's 9 months old now. Completely ignores the chickens now. We still have a long way to go. I want to see bonding. Also there are some dogs that never need to be trained.

Instance # 1 - My Corgi mix who hates all other dogs.. I was worried when I first got them, but he sniffed them and was off. He even backs away when broodies attack him. He also goes around them and not through like some dogs.

Instance # 2 - My Miniature Poodle Chloe is really good - unless they attack her. I wouldn't leave her alone with any broody hen. She has gotten testy when she was pecked in the butt. She pinned said chicken. She did not hurt it. Seems only broodies attack the dogs. Also, she ADORES chicks.. I'm talking a mother with her puppies. They are her babies.. She loves them.

So it makes sense why the broodies attack her.. She wants their babies

 

[RoussoHomestead]

I would rather that end with a sigh of relief than a free-for-all cage match between the species.

Exactly!

 

[RoussoHomestead]

A little more structure added over the past couple of days.. and now we're shopping for hardware cloth.

 

[RoussoHomestead]

So it makes sense why the broodies attack her.. She wants their babies

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this picture. Did you take these photos? They are incredible! I

My husband believes we should bring the chicks outside (they live in the garage at the moment) and try to acclimate the dogs to them now. It took some time to train the dogs not to plow through my daughter (she's 2 now) but now they are very careful with her... so the old hounds may not be total lost causes

 

[aoxa]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this picture. Did you take these photos? They are incredible! I My husband believes we should bring the chicks outside (they live in the garage at the moment) and try to acclimate the dogs to them now. It took some time to train the dogs not to plow through my daughter (she's 2 now) but now they are very careful with her... so the old hounds may not be total lost causes

Yes, I took all of them Thank you. Chloe is quite smitten with those chickies. If your dogs can learn to respect a toddler, they can't be total lost cases!

Here's another cute one

 

[RoussoHomestead]

I'm dying over here! So much adorable!! Do you sell stock photos?

What a coincidence too, both of our dogs are named Chloe. (Short version of the story, my husband and I named our dogs years before we ever met).

 

[aoxa]

I'm dying over here! So much adorable!! Do you sell stock photos?

What a coincidence too, both of our dogs are named Chloe. (Short version of the story, my husband and I named our dogs years before we ever met).

I don't. Never thought of it I just really enjoy taking photos of my animals. Chickens, chicks, dogs, cats, geese, ducks, etc. It helps relieve the stress of the week!

I don't know why we named her Chloe. We had started out with Lola. She's a weird dog lol.

You can check some of the images out if you'd like. IN my signature, click Our Farm.

 

[dsfrango]

Have you considered leaving the floor sand/dirt/shavings. If they wont be free ranging all the time it will give them more opportunity to dust themselves. But make sure the wall is buried in the ground deep enough nothing can dig under. The raised roof looks good height That really was a lucky structure to have there rather than starting from ground up. Have you figured out the roofing material your gonna use? Kinda hard to see from the pic but it does look slanted still which is very good...I would actually recommend using some kind of tin flashing over ply wood rather then shingles. Its very light and reflective in that hot weather.

Im excited to see how it turns out!

 

[RoussoHomestead]

Just checking in real quick! Taking a break from this project because it's at least 95 degrees outside!!


At 10am this morning, the supports were mostly done... we did put some more uprights on the sides as anchor points for the siding..



And at 2pm this afternoon..

It needs some more siding (which we chose so it basically matches our house, after some paint) and a section of roof (we were short a piece). We ran into a little bit of difficulty lining up the siding in the corner of the structure butted up against the wall. I see lots of caulk in our future We are discussing the possibility of putting in a sky light or a few windows. It's pretty dark in there right now.

The roof is .5 inch plywood and will be finished with shingles, just like the rest of the existing structure.

It's absolutely solid.. if for some reason we ever moved away from this house, it could be converted into a storage shed without much difficulty.

 

[CluckyCharms]

Just checking in real quick! Taking a break from this project because it's at least 95 degrees outside!!


At 10am this morning, the supports were mostly done... we did put some more uprights on the sides as anchor points for the siding..



And at 2pm this afternoon..

It needs some more siding (which we chose so it basically matches our house, after some paint) and a section of roof (we were short a piece). We ran into a little bit of difficulty lining up the siding in the corner of the structure butted up against the wall. I see lots of caulk in our future We are discussing the possibility of putting in a sky light or a few windows. It's pretty dark in there right now.

The roof is .5 inch plywood and will be finished with shingles, just like the rest of the existing structure.

It's absolutely solid.. if for some reason we ever moved away from this house, it could be converted into a storage shed without much difficulty.

It is looking awesome! Thank you for posting progress pictures.