Remodeling old coop. *PHOTOS ADDED*

[perchie.girl]

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I cant add to basics of ddawn said....

Except that from personal experience in Southern California High desert. Hot and dry in the summer 110+-, cold and dry in the winter a couple of days of snow. Some would say what I have had in the past is not a coop. It had three sides two for wind and one for sun. And was 12 x 16 split down the middle one side for chickens one side for Guineas and goats. I used Dog kennel panels on three sides and a garage door (salvaged from a garage door replacement company). The roof was very heavy duty Canvas the kind that was silver on one side and black on the other. Silver out to reflect theat. I anchored the tarp by stretching the heck out of it and sandwitching it between welded wire. I bought tarps big enough to cover the roof and the other wall of the coop. I cant climb a ladder but I would have preferred to do a real roof on it. The coop was large enough for them to retreat during the day to cool off and keep their water from boiling in the sun, but I free ranged my chickens. During the winter and the bitter cold winds I would add another two more tarps to keep the interior warmer to close it in the rest of the way.

My next one is going to be larger and the goats are moving to share with the horse... Goats are a challenge in of themselves. The next coop is going to be more of a chicken house each breed will get their own 12 x 6 space inside the coop and a 6 x 20 wire covered run outside. Because of the fires back when I had my last coop all the predators moved to saver territories. Unfortunately my free range chickens fell to bobcat mountainlion and coyotes. So Now untill I get my guinea guard dogs on duty everything will be kept under lock and key.... LOL. Again untill I can hire smeoone to build a roof I will be doing a big bleeping tarp. The next coop is going to be 24 x 24.

So best things are shade, wind protection, and preditor protection. A safe place to sleep where a predator cant reach in and try to pull a hen out through the wire. (I used chainlink lined with aviary panels... Those were my surplus materials.) But a heavy gauge wire for strength to protect against dogs and then a hardware cloth in areas near roosts and down low around the bottoms of the coop.

 

[LoveHuevos]

do you have a bar for your chickens to roost on at night?

Yes, we do. You can kind of see it in the second photo - It's all the way to the right, up above the nesting boxes. We're going to need to add another one once we let the little chicks out.

Do you have many predators in your area? You know like coyotes, foxes, coon, possums - problems with neighbors dogs visiting without invitation. You have to take that into consideration if you intend to free range your flock, rather than make a large run (fenced area).

No predators that you mentioned. We have hawks and wild cats - Do those like chickens?
I don't think we'll free range the flock. I've been thinking about it a lot, but we have a pretty good sized garden, a pool and I'm not sure if the yard is chicken proof. But out of curiosity if we would free range them, we'd have to clip their wings, right? What other things would we have to think about?

PS I'd love to see the inside of your treehouse. I never had one.

Geez! I haven't been in that treehouse for over 15 years! It's full of He-Mans, GI Joes, Cabbage Patch Kids, and Barbies! It's pretty basic - Just one room with a bench that lifts up for storage and it has an AC! My husband wants to fix it up for our daughter. When I was younger, my brother and I used to sleep in it and that darn rooster would scare the crap out of me in the morning!​

 

[perchie.girl]

What part of California are you located?

Other predetors in Southern California. Besides Hawks and Cats also consider Opossoms, Racoons, Skunks, and Owls (but they usually get chickens roosting in trees). Determined Dogs too. In the City of San Diego we also have to consider the occasional Coyote, Bob Cat, and Mountain lion. They range all the way down to the ocean even through the city. Most of San Diego was built on plateaus leaving the canyons pretty much free for the wild life.

In forty four years I have only seen one fox, and that was thirty years ago. So I do know they were here once. I also know we have weasels but again I have only seen one in all that time. Both are chicken preditors.

 

[crazyhen]

Quote:
Yes, we do. You can kind of see it in the second photo - It's all the way to the right, up above the nesting boxes. We're going to need to add another one once we let the little chicks out.

Do you have many predators in your area? You know like coyotes, foxes, coon, possums - problems with neighbors dogs visiting without invitation. You have to take that into consideration if you intend to free range your flock, rather than make a large run (fenced area).

No predators that you mentioned. We have hawks and wild cats - Do those like chickens?
I don't think we'll free range the flock. I've been thinking about it a lot, but we have a pretty good sized garden, a pool and I'm not sure if the yard is chicken proof. But out of curiosity if we would free range them, we'd have to clip their wings, right? What other things would we have to think about?

PS I'd love to see the inside of your treehouse. I never had one.

Geez! I haven't been in that treehouse for over 15 years! It's full of He-Mans, GI Joes, Cabbage Patch Kids, and Barbies! It's pretty basic - Just one room with a bench that lifts up for storage and it has an AC! My husband wants to fix it up for our daughter. When I was younger, my brother and I used to sleep in it and that darn rooster would scare the crap out of me in the morning!​

Why clip their wings? That is to keep them from flying out of a wired enclosure without a top. Hawks and wild cats love chickens! Your coop is nice just besure nothing can reach in and pull a head throught that 2x4 wire. I'd put some smaller hardware cloth around the bottom and corners. Enjoy Gloria Jean​

 

[LoveHuevos]

What part of California are you located?

In the desert, east of SD.

Why clip their wings? That is to keep them from flying out of a wired enclosure without a top. Hawks and wild cats love chickens! Your coop is nice just besure nothing can reach in and pull a head throught that 2x4 wire. I'd put some smaller hardware cloth around the bottom and corners.

I thought we'd have to clip their wings if we wanted to free range them but keep them in our fenced in yard? How high can chickens fly?


We just installed a feeder that's made out of air ducts and we'll be installing an automatic waterer - Thanks to this website for all the ideas!​

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
In the desert, east of SD.

Why clip their wings? That is to keep them from flying out of a wired enclosure without a top. Hawks and wild cats love chickens! Your coop is nice just besure nothing can reach in and pull a head throught that 2x4 wire. I'd put some smaller hardware cloth around the bottom and corners.

I thought we'd have to clip their wings if we wanted to free range them but keep them in our fenced in yard? How high can chickens fly?


We just installed a feeder that's made out of air ducts and we'll be installing an automatic waterer - Thanks to this website for all the ideas!​

Hi neighbor....

My place is in Jacumba. Though I dont live there just now... long story. But I have my livestock up there.

Most chickens can only fly only a little and just a few feet up. Unless they are like a jungle fowl or close to wild stock bantams. The egg layers and meat producers are pretty defenselss as far as flying goes. As long as there is good food and safety they are good to go in the yard. As long as you keep a routine going at night time bribe them a little with a treat in the coop just before they start making their sleepy noises. Locate any errant chooks and herd them back home too. Dont let anyone sleep outside, they usually be gone in the morning.

 

[LoveHuevos]

Hi neighbor.... My place is in Jacumba. Though I dont live there just now... long story. But I have my livestock up there.

Most chickens can only fly only a little and just a few feet up. Unless they are like a jungle fowl or close to wild stock bantams. The egg layers and meat producers are pretty defenselss as far as flying goes. As long as there is good food and safety they are good to go in the yard. As long as you keep a routine going at night time bribe them a little with a treat in the coop just before they start making their sleepy noises. Locate any errant chooks and herd them back home too. Dont let anyone sleep outside, they usually be gone in the morning.

Hola!! My parent's have a place in the mountains that we visit often, so I know exactly where you are, and we visit SD at least once a month. It's nice to know that I have a friend nearby!

Thanks for the info on how high the chickens can fly. It doesn't look like we'll be letting them out since we don't have a constant night routine ourselves. But everything that we cut or trim goes straight to the chickens so they're getting some greens.

I have another question. Our chicks are about 9 weeks old and they've been inside the coop within their own cage (you can see them in the photos) and our coop extension won't be done for a little while. I'm worried that they're getting a little squished in their cage and was wondering when I could let them join the older hens? I read somewhere that I could let them out at 16 weeks. Do you think it's safe to let them out now? They've been inside the coop for at least a month so the hens know them. Or the other option would be to split the coop in half with chicken wire while the extension is being built.​

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
Hola!! My parent's have a place in the mountains that we visit often, so I know exactly where you are, and we visit SD at least once a month. It's nice to know that I have a friend nearby!

Thanks for the info on how high the chickens can fly. It doesn't look like we'll be letting them out since we don't have a constant night routine ourselves. But everything that we cut or trim goes straight to the chickens so they're getting some greens.

I have another question. Our chicks are about 9 weeks old and they've been inside the coop within their own cage (you can see them in the photos) and our coop extension won't be done for a little while. I'm worried that they're getting a little squished in their cage and was wondering when I could let them join the older hens? I read somewhere that I could let them out at 16 weeks. Do you think it's safe to let them out now? They've been inside the coop for at least a month so the hens know them. Or the other option would be to split the coop in half with chicken wire while the extension is being built.

My place is in the BIG ROCKS... My goats LOVE it. LOL. Out of eighteen acres I probably have about five that are ""useable"" for anything other than looking at and exploring. Me personally I would let them out and see if the hens are ok with them. But be prepared to divide the coop for a little more time.

When I raised a few batches of feedstore chicks I never thougth of marking down on the calendar how long they were in the brooder.... (my ignorance knew no end) I just used to wait till they were all bumping their heads on the cage and had enough feathers to fly a little. Then I would divide a space in the coop and put them out there, for about two weeks. letting them out would also depend on if they are too small and could get through the wires. I woul have a hen peck at them a little but usually only to pull a tail feather. The chiks are pretty agile lots quicker than the hens. Id also put in an extra feeder to divide up the feeding locations.

 

[Chickadee55]

Quote:
In the desert, east of SD.

Why clip their wings? That is to keep them from flying out of a wired enclosure without a top. Hawks and wild cats love chickens! Your coop is nice just besure nothing can reach in and pull a head throught that 2x4 wire. I'd put some smaller hardware cloth around the bottom and corners.

I thought we'd have to clip their wings if we wanted to free range them but keep them in our fenced in yard? How high can chickens fly?

At beachside restaurants they run fishing line over the outside dining area to keep the seagulls from stealing your dinner right off your fork. I'm thinking that might work over the top of my run as well.

We just installed a feeder that's made out of air ducts and we'll be installing an automatic waterer - Thanks to this website for all the ideas!​

Good idea.

 

[LoveHuevos]

My place is in the BIG ROCKS... My goats LOVE it. LOL. Out of eighteen acres I probably have about five that are ""useable"" for anything other than looking at and exploring. Me personally I would let them out and see if the hens are ok with them. But be prepared to divide the coop for a little more time.

When I raised a few batches of feedstore chicks I never thougth of marking down on the calendar how long they were in the brooder.... (my ignorance knew no end) I just used to wait till they were all bumping their heads on the cage and had enough feathers to fly a little. Then I would divide a space in the coop and put them out there, for about two weeks. letting them out would also depend on if they are too small and could get through the wires. I woul have a hen peck at them a little but usually only to pull a tail feather. The chiks are pretty agile lots quicker than the hens. Id also put in an extra feeder to divide up the feeding locations.

Ooooooh! We were thinking about getting some pygmy goats, but it was either them or a garden and I decided on a garden. Your place sounds like fun!!
You're right about the wires. And I didn't even think about the feeders because they're eating different things. The older ones are eating laying crumbles and the guy at the feed store told me to feed the chicks grain. I think we'll split the coop for now - That seems to be the best idea.​