REQUEST FOR TOP TEN COOP FEATURES

[Red Barn Farms]

That is a GREAT idea! Do you have any pictures of this? I would love to see it, and the fiberglass roofing - trying to picture which kind that is....

You might be able to tell some from the following images, I didn't have my 'good' camera with me when I made this and was using my Kodak Zi6 video cam to make these.

first image shows the fiberglass roofing towards the top.



This shows the storage unit I salvaged into a nice area to hold supplies.



At the moment I do have hay for the youngsters to bed down on at night. But if not the fiberglass roofing sits on top of the storage unit that can be lifted off then taken outside to the hose to be cleaned then sit back on top again.. Works very nicely.



Hope this helps some. I just cut out a hole in the barn wall last night and added a window. I'll be moving the unit to below the window and then use 2 x 4's to make their permanent roosting spot. That way the girls can look outside at the final rays of sunlight for the day.



I still will need to install trim around the 2 x 4 window frame to give it the completed look. I'll then add a solid glass panel on hinges to be closed for wintertime.



I don't have a backyard 'coop' as such but my flock has the run in part of my barn. So, they have an area of roughly 30 x 60 sq. feet. They also can spend their days in the outside runs.

 

[Red Barn Farms]

My next project will be using a 50 gallon barrel to make a water system using pvc pipe and adding the water nipples. I'll sit the barrel outside under a gutter down spout to catch fresh rain water. If your away from home for short trips etc like we are at times it sounds like the way to go. Then in the late fall I'll just use those heat tape strips wrapped around everything so I'll not have freezing problems. I remember how it was when growing up raising 250 head of cattle in the winter, lol. NOT so fun!

 

[teesquare]

Thank you for taking the time to post the pics RedBarn! I can see exactly what you did , and how it works. Looks very practical. Rather than fiberglass roofing - I am wondering if a thin piece of sheet acrylic, or plexiglass would work for the "floor" of the poop board or tray? It would be smooth, and be easier to clean. I see that you have sand on the floor - or is that Sweet PDZ -or some other zeolite based adsorber?

 

[Red Barn Farms]

Your welcome! I'd think any type of flooring, roofing, etc would work. As long as it has a slick smooth surface area like you mentioned. I have some vinyl floor covering that was left over from when we remodeled the kitchen i could even switch to that. Thanks for reminding me,

Nope, It's just very dry dirt in a 30+ old barn! It's very easy to rake through. It's almost like a mix of sand and dirt though. I'll probably add some PDZ to it.

Keep us posted on what you finally decide. Be interesting to see the images.

 

[teesquare]

Thank you Redbarn!
Going this weekend to a breeder to look over the chickens, and hopefully - start building within a week or two. I will photo document everything for sure!

T

 

[curiositykt]

What is PDZ?

 

[teesquare]

It is a zeolite processed for adsorption of moisture and odors. If you search "Sweet PDZ" on the internet - you will find the manufacturers website...Not sure if it is o.k. to post their link...

It is cliniptolite as a mineral, and is sold in many industries, but the PDZ brand is very successful in this market.

T

 

[Eggcessive]

My biggest suggestion is to always use screws to put everything in--roosts, door hinges, plexiglass over hardware cloth covered windows, etc. The guy that has helped me for the last 1 1/2 yr with my coop loves nails, and I don't know how many times I have moved roosts and doors around when things change. I put up a screen door covered with hardware cloth last summer and he used nails on the hinges. My outside door wouldn't close over it later on. Things in a coop are always temporary, I have found. The chicks don't like a particular roost--you can change it.

 

[Treehill Farm]

My coop has a steel floor. All I have to do is sweep and occasionally hose it out. I use a floor scrapper if anything is stuck. Use the DLM under the perches. I second the roof vent, makes a huge difference.

 

[teesquare]

My biggest suggestion is to always use screws to put everything in--roosts, door hinges, plexiglass over hardware cloth covered windows, etc. The guy that has helped me for the last 1 1/2 yr with my coop loves nails, and I don't know how many times I have moved roosts and doors around when things change. I put up a screen door covered with hardware cloth last summer and he used nails on the hinges. My outside door wouldn't close over it later on. Things in a coop are always temporary, I have found. The chicks don't like a particular roost--you can change it.

I am with you on the use of screws! I have a 1800 sq. ft. deck on my house - and not a single nail in it- because I learned long ago that nails will back out - especially in a weather region with so many freeze-thaw days in one year ( which can cause dimensional change wood and nails causing them to back out).
So - screws offer both permanence and changeability when YOU desire - vs - having to keep nailing the structure back together.