Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[no fly zone]

Bonus wildlife pic

 

[Shadrach]

Wind and rain.


7 out of 19 hens are laying their eggs in the new coop nest boxes. Still no great rush to roost in it yet.

I'm waiting for a dry day to make some new coop alterations and have an attempt at making something similar to Molpets enclosure. I've got wood for the rectangular base and maybe enough wood for the door frame. I only need one door because the other end fits around the profile of the plastic coop roof. I can get the mesh next month and if the rain stops, start getting it built.
I've worked outside in all weathers since I stopped trying to be an engineer. I've had enough of it. It's not so much the outside bit, it's the work bit.
I'm going to put a window in the coop. No coop I've ever built had a window as such. It's going to have to go in the human access door. With the new roost bars the chickens will then be below the adjustable vents on the ends of the coop. I want to draw more air in at the bottom of the coop and vent it where the front and back sections meet the roof. I can close off the adjustable ones then and convection would keep the air moving. This is also the reason that it needs to be a window for light rather than a hole covered in mesh, a hole in the place I want the window would mess up the air flow.

What do I think about the coop?
I can't recommend it to anyone who isn't prepared, or able to make alterations. There are a few things that I think most chicken keepers would find frustrating. The roost bars are in the wrong place and too slippery (they're plastic tube). The the round vents with adjusters looks a good idea until you see they are at the same height the chicken would be on the roost bar. There's a pair on both coop ends. The wind would howl through one of them no matter how one positioned the coop.
It needs to be off the ground. It's just sensible. You can check the underside of the coop if it's off the ground and underneath provides shelter. It's not a walk in coop and part of it's attraction is it is portable. This means it needs a frame. The frame needn't cost much, but it is one more thing that is needed to make the coop useable imo.
It is strong. It got a lot of rough handling getting it in.
The human door for the coop is a good size. One could reach down a roost and take a chicken off it without many contortions. It looks great for cleaning as well, then you notice that there is a two inch lip at the bottom of the door. Rather than scraping stuff out into a barrow or bucket you now have to use something like a dust pan and brush to get the stuff out.
The fit and finish could do with some improvement. Everything comes with rough edges. The plastic swarf hasn't been trimmed off.
The nest boxes do work well. They stay dry and you can either lift the lid enough to remove an egg, or you can slide the roof into the coop leaving the top fully open.
The pop door is a bit small. Henry can go through it but it's a squeeze.
I think water can get in through some of the places the ends are joined to the roof.

Would I buy another?
I would. The good points outweigh the bad points especially if one is prepared to make a few alterations.

 

[pennyJo1960]

@Shadrach Looking at smudge closer than I have lately his comb is black farthest from the body He is large rooster and pushing 4.
I will be keeping an eye closer on him..

 

[no fly zone]

Chippy & Pinecone

 

[Iluveggers]

One of the new chicks fell asleep in my hand! I try to feed them wet mash every day and pick them up to put them back in the brooder so they allow me to handle them without a fight if needed. Obviously this one was pretty comfortable! She’s a Welsummer named Latte.

 

[no fly zone]

It's been 3 weeks since poor Achilles was euthanized and so far no other birds are showing signs of illness. Sky has been eating a little the past few days, although her crop was completely empty at bedtime tonight.

 

[BDutch]

Wind and rain.


7 out of 19 hens are laying their eggs in the new coop nest boxes. Still no great rush to roost in it yet.

I'm waiting for a dry day to make some new coop alterations and have an attempt at making something similar to Molpets enclosure. I've got wood for the rectangular base and maybe enough wood for the door frame. I only need one door because the other end fits around the profile of the plastic coop roof. I can get the mesh next month and if the rain stops, start getting it built.
I've worked outside in all weathers since I stopped trying to be an engineer. I've had enough of it. It's not so much the outside bit, it's the work bit.
I'm going to put a window in the coop. No coop I've ever built had a window as such. It's going to have to go in the human access door. With the new roost bars the chickens will then be below the adjustable vents on the ends of the coop. I want to draw more air in at the bottom of the coop and vent it where the front and back sections meet the roof. I can close off the adjustable ones then and convection would keep the air moving. This is also the reason that it needs to be a window for light rather than a hole covered in mesh, a hole in the place I want the window would mess up the air flow.

What do I think about the coop?
I can't recommend it to anyone who isn't prepared, or able to make alterations. There are a few things that I think most chicken keepers would find frustrating. The roost bars are in the wrong place and too slippery (they're plastic tube). The the round vents with adjusters looks a good idea until you see they are at the same height the chicken would be on the roost bar. There's a pair on both coop ends. The wind would howl through one of them no matter how one positioned the coop.
It needs to be off the ground. It's just sensible. You can check the underside of the coop if it's off the ground and underneath provides shelter. It's not a walk in coop and part of it's attraction is it is portable. This means it needs a frame. The frame needn't cost much, but it is one more thing that is needed to make the coop useable imo.
It is strong. It got a lot of rough handling getting it in.
The human door for the coop is a good size. One could reach down a roost and take a chicken off it without many contortions. It looks great for cleaning as well, then you notice that there is a two inch lip at the bottom of the door. Rather than scraping stuff out into a barrow or bucket you now have to use something like a dust pan and brush to get the stuff out.
The fit and finish could do with some improvement. Everything comes with rough edges. The plastic swarf hasn't been trimmed off.
The nest boxes do work well. They stay dry and you can either lift the lid enough to remove an egg, or you can slide the roof into the coop leaving the top fully open.
The pop door is a bit small. Henry can go through it but it's a squeeze.
I think water can get in through some of the places the ends are joined to the roof.

Would I buy another?
I would. The good points outweigh the bad points especially if one is prepared to make a few alterations.
View attachment 3167233View attachment 3167234

Across the North sea the weather is much better. 28C and sunny today!

Nice that the chickens slowly adapt to the coop.
The 2” lip is probably good for strength?

I’m curious about the changes you are making. (Coop pics?). To me it seems difficult to alter things in plastic. But I’m always eager to learn.

 

[ManueB]

Chippy & Pinecone
View attachment 3167509

It's been 3 weeks since poor Achilles was euthanized and so far no other birds are showing signs of illness. Sky has been eating a little the past few days, although her crop was completely empty at bedtime tonight.

Such a cute pair they make together! So far so good then, I hope it goes on like this and that Sky will keep on eating enough to sustain her.

One of the new chicks fell asleep in my hand! I try to feed them wet mash every day and pick them up to put them back in the brooder so they allow me to handle them without a fight if needed. Obviously this one was pretty comfortable! She’s a Welsummer named Latte.

View attachment 3167523

Wow! It only happened twice that I had to catch one of mine and they cried to their momma like I was going to roast them.

I've worked outside in all weathers since I stopped trying to be an engineer. I've had enough of it. It's not so much the outside bit, it's the work bit.

That's a blatant lie.

 

[ManueB]

We had a bad thunderstorm yesterday and it lasted until dinner. So Chipie decided in a panic that she was going to sleep in the coop.
It was a disaster.
I'm feeling pretty discouraged, the only positive aspect was that there were no casualty. I'm waiting to see if she will go back to her usual dog crate tonight or try the coop again.

 

[RoyalChick]

We had a bad thunderstorm yesterday and it lasted until dinner. So Chipie decided in a panic that she was going to sleep in the coop.
It was a disaster.
I'm feeling pretty discouraged, the only positive aspect was that there were no casualty. I'm waiting to see if she will go back to her usual dog crate tonight or try the coop again.

Oh no! What disaster? I assume she got attacked by the others? But if no casualties maybe that is OK?