Show me your silkie coops!

[silky ma]

here is 2 images of what I built last year for my silkie chicks. I used Herculiner to seal the bottom and sides so I could remove bedding and hose out when needed. I used plastic large planter boxes to fill in the square holes for the nest boxes- easy clean up.
Well some like to sleep in them but not lay eggs so I ended up putting small boxes inside .Again some like to lay in those boxes others still preferred to scream bloody murder at me till I let them inside to be broody in my 2 large cat carriers. Needless to say back to nest box construction! Both tops prop up easy with dowling...hinge idea didnt work. For the summer heat I layed Hardwire over the rear door opening so I can nite prop it open. I built an over sized wire door for the front.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Wow I love those coops

 

[Freckle Face Farm]

Here's Tudy watching them deliver the silkie shack!!

Finally have the floor done!!

DH started framing the silkie pens!!!

Pookie our jack inspecting the job!!!

Some of are silkies checking out there new digs!!!

I think they should like there new home!!!

Now my DH needs to build them on the other side for the rest of the silkies...The silkie shack is moving along nicely!!!

With Pookie as my inspector who can go wrong!!!

 

[CrazyFowlFreak]

I have no pics, but mine are in the garage in a triangular tractor made from 2x4s and chicken wire. The tractor is on housewrap for ease of cleaning and they roost on a wooden box that is 12x20.

 

[kezabel]

Quote:
Nope I have silkies that roost too, they were raised by one of my bantam cochins so when mum decided to teach them how to roost they followed her up and now they still do it every night. I was hoping they wouldn't because the roost isn't very big but there is plenty of room under the nesting boxes for them to snuggle in the wood shavings but nope they roost

 

[Germaine_11.20]

 

[minister man]

Wow, what great looking coops! Freckle Face Farm, I like your pens. I would like to build a lay out like that. Now that you have used it for a while, is there anything that you would do differnt? What size are your pens? how many birds do you house in them? I am thinking of building pens for pairs but am struggling to decide how large they should be. I know that the min is 2 sq feet per bird, but it seems that a pen that is 4 sq feet ( 2x2) is too small, so what size would be good?

 

[Freckle Face Farm]

Quote:
Each pen is 6 ft long and 4ft deep..I love the height it is 32 inches high perfect for silkies and the thing I would change is the bottom 2x4 I would make2 x 6 or 2x8 because they throw the pine shavings out..I also had hanging waters but they kept bumping and spilling water so I put the waterers on stepping stones and have hanging feeders works great... 4 or 5 in each pen..

 

[minister man]

thanks,

I would like to build a set up sort of like that but I want to house the birds in pairs or trios, so I guess the pens could be a bit smaller. It is always nice to know what a person would change so we can learn from each other and learn what each other has learned. No point of reinventing the wheel. How big a pen would you build for a pair? The hen would be laying and setting in the pen as well.

Thanks again

 

[Freckle Face Farm]

Quote:
I would make at least 3 ft pens for pairs or trios....Because they still have to have room for egg laying and there feeders and waterers...