Show me your dog kennel coops!!

[hac1224]

We already have a large coop and 30'x30' run for our standard chickens, pekin ducks, and pygmy goats, and that run will be expanded again by another 18'x30' soon. Now I also have an empty 10'x10' dog lot that I'm thinking of setting up for bantams or OEGBs (maybe not until spring, so I've got some time). I'd love to see setups that use dog lots/kennels just to get some ideas.

 

[pattyjean73]

Currently I have a 6x12 dog kennel coop. It's not the best nor is it the prettiest. But it is functional and houses my 6 hens without problems. I built a 3x6 wooden box that is raised off the ground for sleeping quarters. It has a chainlink top to keep over head predators out. Then topped with a tarp to repel rain. Works great! I'll see if I can figure or how to post a pic.

 

[jetdog]

10x10 dog kennel with a corrugated roof, total wired bottom before sand. Works great stays dry with a 1ft overhang.

 

[teamfluffybutt]

New to chickens here and had to find a place to keep them safe due to lots of wildlife (foxes, raccoons, owls, hawks, snakes). We had a 4 1/2 x 17 foot dog run for our escape-artist Basenji. It had fencing from the juvenile detention center for the door (the guy who built the run had some left over from that job) and since she got our 70 lb big dog, her loyal second-in-command, to pull the chain link fence apart at the bottom, we had to add cinder blocks to the bottom 3 feet. She climbed chain link, too, so it's entirely roofed with chain link. Sadly, she's gone now after 17 years of spending most of her time on the sofa in the house and minimal time in her expensive kennel, but our 2 little bantams now live there (we want a couple more already). We often leave their coop open and keep the run door shut during the day, with additional supervised free ranging time. We close the outer coop doors at night but their pop door stays open. The coop-inside-the-secure-run set up hopefully will protect them against the big predators, but we'll have to see how we do with rodents or snakes. Still figuring out how to deal with the concrete floor. They don't seem to mind it, but I shovel leaves/dirt into the bottom of their coop for them to scratch in, then occasionally sweep/hose out the whole thing when it needs cleaning. (Cinderblocks are blocking drainage holes.) I also keep a big pan of wood ash/dirt in there for them to dust bathe in. The upstairs roosting area has sweet PDZ (which I love).

 

[Biologrady]

We had space in the shed, and the spare kennel fencing, so we added ventilation and a pop hole , put Ivan's old (huge)crate inside the shed against the pop hole, put an old ladder outside and a sawhorse inside, and voila! Happy chickens. Will need to add nest box space inside eventually, but working great for now.

 

[JanetS]

teamfluffybutt--put a couple inches of sand over your concrete. Inside the coop/run and outside. Easy clean up and your chickens will love it. We've never had any bantams. How are you enjoying them?

 

[teamfluffybutt]

Thanks, will likely try the sand. Love our bantams! Suspect chicken math is going to be showing up around here...

 

[FarmGirlAngie]

This is my temporary dog kennel coop for our 8 chickens:




It worked great during the summer, but the winter months are coming and changes are coming soon.

By the way, the kennel is 8x10. Six ft high. Houses 7 pullets and 1 rooster. Covered with an old tarp to keep out sun and rain. The nesting boxes (6) are to the left corner and the roosting area on the opposite side of the coop. Their food is on an elevated self-feeder and water in a planter. The flooring is dirt and rock, which I have been slowly getting rid of the larger rock as I clean up poop. Excess food is stored in a large trash container to keep dry and away from mice and bugs. We covered the lower half of the kennel with weed barrier to prevent the chicks (now all grown) from escaping and becoming lunch to one of our dogs. Everything is recycled material for the exception of the trash can.
I've made improvements as I learn and discover better ways. Many thanks to this site from everyone's input. I'm still far from getting it right for a year-round coop. It would be nice to get it perfect the first time

 

[Biologrady]

Those look like happy fluffybutts!

 

[chynasparks]

Love it, the dog looks like he's saying "what are you all doing in my house! Haha. Jokes aside, the kennel coops look great.