Started the new coop build

[Sono]

Today I got started on the new walk in coop build, ran out of screws so will continue tomorrow if I get the screws, deck is cut and down but not secured yet, once secured Ill start the roof then get the walls up. Going with 8x8 coop and run will surround it ( approximately 12x20. My neighbor was joking but I decided to paint the shop and coop KFC themed with a drive through LOL
Anyways here is the start of it, Using all reclaimed lumber from a deck and fence tear out.

 

[SilverBirds]

Good luck!

 

[Sono]

what is the best substraight to put on the ground to keep them out of the mud? I was researching and some are saying mulch ?

 

[SilverBirds]

what is the best substraight to put on the ground to keep them out of the mud? I was researching and some are saying mulch ?

Inside or outside of the coop?

 

[Eagle343]

A good start.

 

[Sono]

outside The inside is raised and floored

Inside or outside of the coop?

 

[gtaus]

what is the best substraight to put on the ground to keep them out of the mud? I was researching and some are saying mulch ?

I would answer first by saying whatever you can resource for free!

In my case, I was able to get free wood chips from our local county landfill. After my chickens ate and ripped up all the grass in the chicken run, I laid down about 2-3 inches of wood chips in the chicken run. That worked great for me and kept the run from getting all muddy when it rained. If that is all I would have done, I think it would have been enough.

After a few months, I decided to turn my chicken run into a chicken run composting system. I started dumping all my grass clippings into the run. All the weeds from the lawn and garden would get tossed into the chicken run. In the fall, all my leaves got dumped into the run. I just kept on throwing whatever organic material I had into the chicken run.

The chickens love all that litter in the run. They are constantly scratching and pecking through everything looking for bugs and worms to eat. In that way, they are constantly mixing and turning the compost material, helping it to break down even faster. After about 6 months, I started to harvest some of the compost and it was fantastic.

Last fall, I had as much as 18 inches deep of wood chips, grass clippings, weeds from the lawn and garden, and leaves in the chicken run. Over our Minnesota winter, that has broken down and composted to about 12 inches deep today. It's just loaded with black gold compost ready for harvesting anytime I want.

Although I think wood chips would be enough to keep the run clean and mud free, I am so much happier with my chicken run compost system which provides endless hours of activity for my chickens as they forage for food in the mulch. The mulch never smells bad. After a heavy rain, the run smells like a forest floor - very natural, very fresh smelling to me.

If you garden at all, then a composting system would be a great option to consider. I tell everyone that my chicken run compost is much more valuable to me than the eggs I get from the chickens as a bonus.

Whatever you decide to use, I hope you continue to post your progress on your build and keep uploading those pictures. Everybody loves pics!

 

[Sono]

I would answer first by saying whatever you can resource for free!

In my case, I was able to get free wood chips from our local county landfill. After my chickens ate and ripped up all the grass in the chicken run, I laid down about 2-3 inches of wood chips in the chicken run. That worked great for me and kept the run from getting all muddy when it rained. If that is all I would have done, I think it would have been enough.

After a few months, I decided to turn my chicken run into a chicken run composting system. I started dumping all my grass clippings into the run. All the weeds from the lawn and garden would get tossed into the chicken run. In the fall, all my leaves got dumped into the run. I just kept on throwing whatever organic material I had into the chicken run.

The chickens love all that litter in the run. They are constantly scratching and pecking through everything looking for bugs and worms to eat. In that way, they are constantly mixing and turning the compost material, helping it to break down even faster. After about 6 months, I started to harvest some of the compost and it was fantastic.

Last fall, I had as much as 18 inches deep of wood chips, grass clippings, weeds from the lawn and garden, and leaves in the chicken run. Over our Minnesota winter, that has broken down and composted to about 12 inches deep today. It's just loaded with black gold compost ready for harvesting anytime I want.

Although I think wood chips would be enough to keep the run clean and mud free, I am so much happier with my chicken run compost system which provides endless hours of activity for my chickens as they forage for food in the mulch. The mulch never smells bad. After a heavy rain, the run smells like a forest floor - very natural, very fresh smelling to me.

If you garden at all, then a composting system would be a great option to consider. I tell everyone that my chicken run compost is much more valuable to me than the eggs I get from the chickens as a bonus.

Whatever you decide to use, I hope you continue to post your progress on your build and keep uploading those pictures. Everybody loves pics!

Yes, I throw a lot of food waste in the run ( Lettuce, mellons...they love mellons , Bread and other stuff as special treats ) The soil here is rich, black as my property is an old creek bottom, no clay at all so there is an abundance of worms too ! The current coop is just the perfect size for them but since Im adding more hens at the end of the month they need to move from a Townhouse to a Manson ! Where the current coop is, it is lower level and water tends to pool a bit so it gets muddy. Where my new build is, it is on the side of the garage, a higher elevation with a natural slope so water runs off ( still will be muddy once the chicks eat it bare ) so I wanted to build it up with a drainage substrate so they are out of any mud unless they dig to it. What I like most about the location is I can use the gutter system on the garage to fill the holding tanks for water, also run an exterior (protected) outlet for a heater for the water system as well, so everything is accessable instead of an extension cord running across the field. Once the girls are relocated I will be selling the other coop and use that for other upgrades ( solar fans, automatic coop door ect...) I do have a couple composting piles ( leaves, grass ) and I like your idea for the black gold and Im sure the girls will love it too. Yes I will continue this thread as the build goes with pictures and updates. Correcting a few mistakes I made with the old coop and upgrading those issues with this new build, one was the water system as the bottle filled there was no overflow for the water to run off outside, eliminating the heat lamp and getting a water heater for the water jug instead so it doesnt freeze in the winter as well as heat tape for the piping so they have water year round inside and outside of the coop. I use drip water nipples and recently got the self filling water cups, not sure if I want to use the cups and stick to the nipples since they all use them with no issue. I had some nipples that incorporated a ball with 2 metal rods that seemed to leak, the ones I have use a silicone diapham and are true seal so no leaks but Im having a hard time finding more? Thought I got them on Amazon but not finding them in search or past orders? BUT although the coop is bigger the run is BIGGER and Im sure they will be happier with more room to roam, Also inside with have better perches and I may install a "gym" in the play yard for them as well. Looking around for the best price on Hardware cloth which is ungodly expensive now, otherwise Ill have to stick to the chicken wire . The run will be 6' high and need to bury about a 1' to prevent preditors digging under, and will also be putting a roof over the run to keep as much water out of the run areas ( it should actually stay 100% dry with a roof except for any wind blown rain getting in from the sides )

 

[gtaus]

eliminating the heat lamp and getting a water heater for the water jug instead so it doesnt freeze in the winter as well as heat tape for the piping so they have water year round inside and outside of the coop.

I have the old fashioned metal 3 gallon founts and use a heated metal base for winter. It has kept the water from freezing even down to -40F in the winter. But, I keep my food and water inside the coop, so it is not directly exposed to blowing wind outside.

My chickens live in the coop in the snow months, so I have no need to provide any food or water outside.

need to bury about a 1' to prevent preditors digging under,

Lots of people are using a predator apron, extending maybe 2 feet out on the ground. They claim it stops the digging predators just as well, but a whole lot easier to install because you just lay it out on the ground, and then maybe throw some dirt on top of it if you want it hidden from sight.

putting a roof over the run to keep as much water out of the run areas ( it should actually stay 100% dry with a roof except for any wind blown rain getting in from the sides )

I would like to have some kind of roof for part of my chicken run so my birds would go outside in the winter. When they see snow on the ground, they will not leave the coop.

If you plan on having a chicken run 100% dry, then a chicken run composting system would probably not work. It's the rain mixed in with everything else that gets the composting going well. I know my dry deep bedding in the chicken coop does not really start any composting until I dump it outside in the run where it gets wet.

Anyways, sounds like you have lots of good ideas and I look forward to reading more about your setup.

 

[3KillerBs]

what is the best substraight to put on the ground to keep them out of the mud? I was researching and some are saying mulch ?

Coarse wood chips, the sort you get from a tree trimming service, are often considered the gold standard for controlling odor and mud.

Any sort of dry organic material works -- though some things have to be managed to prevent packing, matting, and the formation of anaerobic pockets.