Self-sufficient set-ups?

[Jowsi002]

Hi!! We’ll be building our coop this spring and want to plan in as much self-sufficiency as possible. What do you have that makes your coop more self-sufficient?

 

[NuggetTheChicken]

Not my coop, but some people collect the rainwater to give to the birds, by putting pvc pipe around the edge of the roof, and collect it in a large barrel.

 

[blackdog043]

I currently have 23 layers in my set up. I have 3 no waste feeders that hold 50 + lbs of feed, between all 3 and I have 2, 14 gallon horizontal nipple waterers. I top everything off once a week. I rotate my feed by dumping everything left in all three, into the one that gets used the most. This way, I make sure the feed is always the freshest available to them.

I use poop boards that I sift daily and put all the poop into my compost pile. This takes me 5 - 10 minutes a day. You could avoid this by using deep bedding, but you will have to clean out under the roosts when needed, depending on how many chickens you have. They poop a lot while they are roosting. I prefer doing the daily sifting, it's quick, easy and my coop doesn't stink or draw flies from having a lot of poop in the bedding. I should add that I only clean my coop bedding out once a year or longer. I do add some fresh pine shavings on occasion, to freshen it up.

I use deep litter in my run. I add more stuff as needed or when I am doing yard and garden clean up. Deep litter will keep your run from stinking and drawing flies. It will also give your chickens something to scratch in and take dust baths in.

I feel I have a pretty easy set up, that doesn't take much time daily. 5 - 10 minutes in the morning and collect eggs in the evening.

I recommend a walk in coop, it will make your life a lot easier.

 

[rosemarythyme]

x2 to the above, plus I'll add an auto door and a coop camera can be useful additions as well. Auto door will let the chickens out and then lock them in on a timer or on sunrise/sunset - good for vacations, late risers, or folks who might not reliably get home at dusk each day to lock up. Coop camera is an easy way to check on what's going on inside (or outside) the coop without having to get up and go outside... I installed one mainly to do head counts in the evening (my hubby used to go out rain, snow or shine, each evening, to do so) and to keep an eye on things during days with bad weather, when the birds don't want to go out.

 

[Fluffyflufffluff]

Hi!! We’ll be building our coop this spring and want to plan in as much self-sufficiency as possible. What do you have that makes your coop more self-sufficient?

Initially, It's not gonna be as self-sufficient as want, but you can always make the feed in a safe place where they can always comeback to eat.

 

[igorsMistress]

A walk in coop with a waterer, deep litter, a roost and nest boxes, nothing else. An automatic pop door is on my list. I turn the litter about every other day and have to get it wet once in a while when the air is very dry, then fully r&r once a year. I also vacuum the dust off flat surfaces once a month. My flock ranges in size from 8 to 18 birds depending on time of year. Gravity feeders made from PVC are great to have as well.

 

[aart]

We’ll be building our coop this spring and want to plan in as much self-sufficiency as possible.

What exactly do you mean by 'self sufficient'?

 

[Jowsi002]

What exactly do you mean by 'self sufficient'?

Mainly, I’m looking for ways that I don’t have to run water or electric/heat (if needed) out to the coop before we start building, but whatever tricks everyone has, I’d love to hear!

 

[aart]

Mainly, I’m looking for ways that I don’t have to run water or electric/heat (if needed) out to the coop before we start building, but whatever tricks everyone has, I’d love to hear!

I carry out water every morning, gallon jug is enough.
I do have an extension cord(heavy duty outdoor rated and properly protected)
to keep waterer from freezing...and for winter lighting.
If you can run power out there, it will make things easier in winter due to the water freezing.
You won't need heat if coop is properly spaced and ventilated..

 

[Jowsi002]

Has anybody added solar to their coop? I was thinking solar-powered lights(as needed) but curious to see what others have come up with. I love the rain barrel and no-waste feed ideas! There’s also an intermittent stream that runs parallel to where the coop will be, is there some way that I can tap into that for their water somehow? Was thinking of diverting it so it will run to the coop then back out to the stream, ideally.