Share your favorite customization

[A.T. Hagan]

There are several things that any chicken tractor I build have to have that can also be built into a fixed coop.

#1 - I have to be able to easily reach or step inside the roost area to collect any bird I want. My present fixed yard roost house dates back from when we first bought the property and I cannot easily reach all of the birds when they are on the roost. I can step inside any of my chicken tractors to pick up any bird I want (after dark) without having to stand on my head to do it.

#2 - I want to be able to collect the eggs without having to go inside.

#3 - Waterers need to be kept mostly shaded. Feeders need rain protection. I need to be able to get them all out for refilling without standing on my head or complicated gyrations.

#4 - This only applies to tractors. ALL feeders, waterers, nest boxes, roosts and everything else must be off the ground so I can move the tractor without having to take stuff out first.

#5 - Apron wire or buried wire around the outside bottom of the perimeter to deter predators is a must.

 

[Lisa202]

Quote:
I really like your roost setup. I have a poop door underneath my roosts, but the wire (that is put there for safety I guess) stops them from using all that floor space. (photo below) Your set up is perfect. Plus it gives them a draft free place to be when it's really cold. Hopefully I can modify my set up in the spring.

I'm new to this as I just put my 6 week old chicks out in their coop and run this weekend, but my advice would be 1/2" hardware cloth on the bottom of the run. I don't have to worry about rats digging their way up into the run.

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Quote:
I really like your roost setup. I have a poop door underneath my roosts, but the wire (that is put there so safety I guess) stops them from using all that floor space. (photo below) Your set up is perfect. Plus it gives them a draft free place to be when it's really cold. Hopefully I can modify my set up in the spring.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/65913_chickens_outside_019.jpg

I'm new to this as I just put my 6 week old chicks out in their coop and run this weekend, but my advice would be 1/2" hardware cloth on the bottom of the run. I don't have to worry about rats digging their way up into the run.

Thanks. We used to have a droppings pit under the roosts, but the droppings stayed on top of the wire at least as often as it fell through. It was a messy disaster. AND it took up valuable floor space, so we switched to the droppings board, which we made removable for ease of cleaning. Some day I'd like the droppings board made wider so that when the larger chickens decide to sleep with their beaks toward the windows, the droppings fall onto the board instead of the floor/shavings.

We don't have any wire on the floor of our run (just 12 inches down, all the way around it) and we've never had a problem with anything digging up under the run.

 

[Lisa202]

Quote:
I really like your roost setup. I have a poop door underneath my roosts, but the wire (that is put there so safety I guess) stops them from using all that floor space. (photo below) Your set up is perfect. Plus it gives them a draft free place to be when it's really cold. Hopefully I can modify my set up in the spring.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/65913_chickens_outside_019.jpg

I'm new to this as I just put my 6 week old chicks out in their coop and run this weekend, but my advice would be 1/2" hardware cloth on the bottom of the run. I don't have to worry about rats digging their way up into the run.

Thanks. We used to have a droppings pit under the roosts, but the droppings stayed on top of the wire at least as often as it fell through. It was a messy disaster. AND it took up valuable floor space, so we switched to the droppings board, which we made removable for ease of cleaning. Some day I'd like the droppings board made wider so that when the larger chickens decide to sleep with their beaks toward the windows, the droppings fall onto the board instead of the floor/shavings.

We don't have any wire on the floor of our run (just 12 inches down, all the way around it) and we've never had a problem with anything digging up under the run.

That is exactly what I expect to happen. I just knew the wire would stop a lot of poop from falling through to the floor. And having the chickens able to walk under the roosts with a lot of poop down there isn't a good idea either. Your set up solves both problems.

Did you have to raise your roost bars to accommodate that poop tray under it? How many inches is it from the lowest roost pole and how high is it off the floor?

Thanks!!

PS. love the curtains!

 

[henney penny]

The best thing is the poop boards under the roosts,and second is the rope tied to the poop doors(I have three doors) and run through eyes and hung on the outside of the run so I don`t have to go in the run and close the door or open it,just pull the rope and fasten it on the outside.

 

[chicmom]

Quote:
I like that idea!

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

I like my separate service area where I can also collect eggs. It allows the kids to go collect eggs without risking the dogs getting in or the chickens getting out. Plus, it gives me room to store all my supplies. I would have loved to have it larger, but $$$ is always an issue.

I love the poop boards (in this case, doors with linoleum covering them). I think I'd like to try putting a lip on it and using sand or clay cat litter. Right now I'm using pine shavings, which I scrape the majority of the poo off every 3rd day, throw shavings from the floor up on the roost and occasionally then need to put more shavings down on the floor. It keeps the coop clean, not very cost effective. BTW, I JUST put the chickens in. . . it's not that clean now!! You can see
the opening where I later installed the nest boxes. Above the roosts are vents that I temporarily put a cut up camp mats in each section to keep the cold air out. I'm in the process of making the baffles for the outside.

Running water inside is only a dream.....The only other thing I'd do is put in an auto pop door....maybe I'll get that for an anniversary present. I WILL be hinting!

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Quote:
Thanks. We used to have a droppings pit under the roosts, but the droppings stayed on top of the wire at least as often as it fell through. It was a messy disaster. AND it took up valuable floor space, so we switched to the droppings board, which we made removable for ease of cleaning. Some day I'd like the droppings board made wider so that when the larger chickens decide to sleep with their beaks toward the windows, the droppings fall onto the board instead of the floor/shavings.

We don't have any wire on the floor of our run (just 12 inches down, all the way around it) and we've never had a problem with anything digging up under the run.

That is exactly what I expect to happen. I just knew the wire would stop a lot of poop from falling through to the floor. And having the chickens able to walk under the roosts with a lot of poop down there isn't a good idea either. Your set up solves both problems.

Did you have to raise your roost bars to accommodate that poop tray under it? How many inches is it from the lowest roost pole and how high is it off the floor?

Thanks!!

PS. love the curtains!

We did have to raise the roost bars. They're neither high enough nor far enough away from the wall though, but it was a pre-fab unit, so...not much choice.

 

[My6Chicks]

Quote:
My favorite customization is a door that allow us to sweep all of the pine shavings and stuff from the coop out to a compost pile. The size of the sweep door fits our push broom. You can see it in the lower left hand side of the back.

We also like our totally enclosed run and "hallway". This allows us to leave the chicks for a few days and they can wander from the run to the coop while being protected from predators. Please see coop page for pictures.

 

[LynneP]

A viewing area!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=7693-our-second-coop