Show me your coops!

[connieconnie]

Oh duh! Didn’t think of that! yes it is. But if you don’t want to build it yourself try and find something simple. It was 4 pieces that slid together! Super EZ

That does sound EZ !
I think there are some british alternatives, they can just be super pricey (because britain expensive , anything with 'british made' on it and they amp up the price).

Might be safer for me to DIY, especially with everything on lockdown with Covid-19. We'll use reclaimed wood and what we have, therefore costing us nothing! my family is pretty good at diy, but it would be good to get some recommendations on design and features.

Like coop trays (for the base), do they actually make things easier?
Are egg boxes on the side of the coop good? or do they spook the chickens when you open them?
how many and how high to have the perches? etc

Thank you for the help btw! any and all advice is appreciated! I really am new to this my first chickens ever!

 

[Vicker]

I've gone from a stationary coop and run to portable ones. I move them around to keep some vegetation alive. Chickens will eliminate any sign of life very quickly if they stay in one place. I use electric poultry netting (not necessarily always turned on) to easily reconfigure the run layout to make sure there is always some grass growing somewhere. I made a scaled-down version of the chickshaw, which allows the droppings to fall right to ground and it can be moved as often as you want. It's 4X5 and easily held 20 chickens because they were only in there at the same time while they slept. These days, I use it only to transition youngsters from the brooder to the big girl coop. We use the large metal coop for the main coop now. We move it in Spring and Fall. I always keep some food and water in the coop because I close them in at night. I don't want to have to get up as early as they do to let them out. I will never use smelly poop boards that have to be cleaned frequently ever again, after using the deep litter method. I use deep pine shavings sprinkled with diatomaceous earth. I skim off droppings occasionally if necessary. I keep adding fresh shavings and a little sprinkle of DE as needed. Some people contend that DE is bad for their respiratory system. I've used it for years on all kinds of animals and have never had a problem. My chickens are healthy and the place doesn't smell bad. No matter how much roosting space you create for them, they will leave half of it empty. They fight over one spot, crowd together on purpose, and even sit on top of each other. Reds, Orpingtons, Barred Rocks, Ameracuana, Dominiques, Brahmas, Australorps, Wyandottes--they've all gotten along together in one flock.

 

[urbanhenhouse]

I'm a big proponent of being able to walk in with a human sized door, and to have an overhang over the egg door, so I don't get rained on while collecting eggs
Otherwise, I like having a boot tray under the perches to easily dispose of droppings in our compost.

Such a fun time! Good luck!

 

[connieconnie]

I've gone from a stationary coop and run to portable ones. I move them around to keep some vegetation alive. Chickens will eliminate any sign of life very quickly if they stay in one place. I use electric poultry netting (not necessarily always turned on) to easily reconfigure the run layout to make sure there is always some grass growing somewhere. I made a scaled-down version of the chickshaw, which allows the droppings to fall right to ground and it can be moved as often as you want. It's 4X5 and easily held 20 chickens because they were only in there at the same time while they slept. These days, I use it only to transition youngsters from the brooder to the big girl coop. We use the large metal coop for the main coop now. We move it in Spring and Fall. I always keep some food and water in the coop because I close them in at night. I don't want to have to get up as early as they do to let them out. I will never use smelly poop boards that have to be cleaned frequently ever again, after using the deep litter method. I use deep pine shavings sprinkled with diatomaceous earth. I skim off droppings occasionally if necessary. I keep adding fresh shavings and a little sprinkle of DE as needed. Some people contend that DE is bad for their respiratory system. I've used it for years on all kinds of animals and have never had a problem. My chickens are healthy and the place doesn't smell bad. No matter how much roosting space you create for them, they will leave half of it empty. They fight over one spot, crowd together on purpose, and even sit on top of each other. Reds, Orpingtons, Barred Rocks, Ameracuana, Dominiques, Brahmas, Australorps, Wyandottes--they've all gotten along together in one flock.

I never though of metal coops! I guess you can clean them better than the traditional wooden ones?

I love the idea of a mobile coop And keeping accessible food and water inside so you can sleep in I also didn't realize that diatomaceous earth could be used as a sort of disinfectant as well! Though you only put it in their food to prevent parasites.

Ahaha! Of course they all want the same spot But I suppose their silliness is part of the charm of chickens! Sounds like you have a wonderful flock!

 

[connieconnie]

I'm a big proponent of being able to walk in with a human sized door, and to have an overhang over the egg door, so I don't get rained on while collecting eggs
Otherwise, I like having a boot tray under the perches to easily dispose of droppings in our compost.

Such a fun time! Good luck!
View attachment 2107550

Did you build that yourself? really impressive!

It rains a lot here in the UK, so your rain cover point is super relevant! Just started composting so easy clean and collect would be super useful Thank you!

 

[HENS-and-MARES]

Hi,

I'm building a chicken house to go in our fenced run in our back garden. However I would love to get some ideas and inspiration from those who have had chickens before (And knows what works and what you like or need).
Please show me a photo or drawing of your coop and any reasons you like the design

I'm planning to have 5 to 6 chickens. And based on other threads I've seen, is that you want to build for double. What would you suggest for 10 hen house?
If possible please include measurements (so a dummy like me can figure out the size)

I've also seen that sand is highly recommended, what's your opinion?

Thank you so much for all the help and advice!

This is the inside of my coop. The run now has part of a roof now and has been moved.

 

[HENS-and-MARES]

Sorry, don’t know why it shows all the images twice.

 

[connieconnie]

This is the inside of my coop. The run now has part of a roof now and has been moved.View attachment 2108905View attachment 2108899View attachment 2108900View attachment 2108901View attachment 2108902View attachment 2108903View attachment 2108904View attachment 2108905View attachment 2108899View attachment 2108900View attachment 2108901View attachment 2108902View attachment 2108903View attachment 2108904View attachment 2108905View attachment 2108899

Thank you for the photos! It looks great, I love they huge windows bringing in natural light! It's like a fancy chicken hotel with floor to ceiling windows lots of space! How many chickens do you house in there?

 

[HENS-and-MARES]

Thank you for the photos! It looks great, I love they huge windows bringing in natural light! It's like a fancy chicken hotel with floor to ceiling windows lots of space! How many chickens do you house in there?

11. But we ordered 15 more that are arriving the 30th. But they are chicks and won’t move in soon. The thing the pictures don’t show is a side space for pullets and new birds. Has a little space that the chickens can’t get into. We got lucky. The people who lived here before us knew what they were doing.

 

[connieconnie]

11. But we ordered 15 more that are arriving the 30th. But they are chicks and won’t move in soon. The thing the pictures don’t show is a side space for pullets and new birds. Has a little space that the chickens can’t get into. We got lucky. The people who lived here before us knew what they were doing.

Thank you! That is lucky! good luck with your new chicks