Renovations today. (one question)

[Erin K]

So today I start renovating the coop. I got an inexpensive small 4x8 A Frame deal on craigslist. Love it for it's smallness, we have a tiny backyard. The idea was to move it around every few days and let them muck up the yard under it.

Problems:
A raccoon got in. That's the big one, It doesn't have a bottom and to be moveable it didn't have anything going under the ground, so it got dug in.

Lost a bird.
There is no door. To get let them out you just sorta lift the lighter end and they run out. To get them back in, however... well you sorta guide them over then lift, then one goes in, then you get another and encourge her in while the first one runs back out... repeat. There is a door to get the eggs, but not down in the run area.


So today I am all ready. I got my hardware cloth, got my u shaped nails (fencing staples I think?) Got hinges and a board that is the perfect size for a door. Went ahead and got some boards to sure up the sides, there were a few cracks.

I'm picking a spot, digging a trench, burrying the hardware cloth and putting the door on.

One question: Do I attach the coop to the hardware cloth? I mean I don't just make a hardware cloth ring and set the coop on, I can use those u nails to actually attach the coop to the cloth right?

 

[ChickInDelight]

Pictures always help us visualize. (I am not actually a builder.)

 

[Erin K]

I got the door done! Super easy. It turned out a discarded cabinet door my husband found was exactly the right size, so all I had to do was attach it with hinges.

I got my answer on the buried hardware cloth too. You do attach it.

I'll take pics. It's just a simple little coop, but it's working well for us. Just needed some work to make it more fantastic.

 

[LoveMyChicks-Tabitha]

Quote:
I would love to see the pics. Thanks!

 

[DazeGoneBy]

Quote:

I can soooooo picture this in an "I Love Lucy" episode.

 

[Erin K]

Quote:

I can soooooo picture this in an "I Love Lucy" episode.

then you are totally picturing it right. The lady who sold me the coop made it sound so easy, "You lift this up and they just waddle on in there and go up the ramp to the coop." And I'm sure that's the way it worked for her. For my chickens though it was a mess. My only hope was to catch Nancy, my leader chicken, then the others would WANT to be wherever she was so they would come to get in and I had to hope Nancy would stay in.

Ridiculous.

In other news: they are afraid of the door. I'm sure they will adjust but for now it's very scary.

 

[riverchicks]

I find that the chickens will do almost anything for food. You can always toss in a couple grapes and the girls will run in to get them.

 

[Erin K]

The coop by Erin K Creatoins, on Flickr

So here is what I'm working with. Charlotte is our fat lazy cat who watched out for the hens. Sorta... I mean she is physically there and they are there, but I'm pretty sure she doesn't care about them.

I put in the door. I've done one short side of the dig a trench, put hardware cloth in, apron it out bury it thing. That is a ton of work. My kids, especially the baby, got sick of me being outside doing that. I'm not sure if I will work more tonight after bedtime (when it's cooler) or tomorrow during nap time.

These chickens are bringing me no end of joy.

 

[Erin K]

Oh and I'm going to put hardware cloth over the green mesh stuff. I like the idea of the green stuff because it doesn't cut us when we mess with it, but I can't understand why the raccoon couldn't just rip it open. So it will get reinforced with hardware cloth.

 

[Erin K]

Do you think it would be cooler if I sprayed the roof white? Or turquoise (my favorite color) I fee like the shiny metal is just asking for it to be crazy hot. On the other hand they don't go upstairs during the day so maybe it doesn't matter?

Would painted LOOK nicer? I feel like it's very un-cute. I have coop envy, but I need to work with what i have.