storage solutions?

[sayccrn]

Hi guys! I have five chicks varying ages. I am trying to figure out a storage solution for the coop needs. I should have built it into the coop I just made, but that would have made it even harder to move, plus, I didn't even think of it! lol But their supplies are big and bulky and I am not sure how big a stoarge solution I will need. Any ideas for 5 chicks? their bedding, their food, grit scratch, treats toys. How much space> What do you use?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Anything bulky I keep in the garage, both because of the amount of space it uses up, plus with feed products I want to keep them protected and cool. I also luckily have a little lean to/rain shelter thing near the chicken run, so some stuff goes there, like the peat moss for their dust bath and a metal trash can for their feeder at night.

I use wood chips for bedding so that's in a massive pile across the driveway (doesn't help, I know).

For smaller volume things like grit, treats, I cut up some wood planks and got shelf brackets and made shelves inside the coop.:

 

[sayccrn]

Welp, I don't even have a carport, so the garage is out. I was thinking maybe one of those resin plastic trunks/chests, like at a pool. 75-100 gallon? I could either keep it kind of protected on my screened porch or put it out by the coop (but it would be in the sun), which is small (Approx. 4x4) and I have no room for storage in it, and I can crawl in it, but not walk in it. Maybe I can keep the bedding, grit and toys in that, and get something else for the food on the porch? But it would have to be pretty airtight. We had a hole in the screening a few years ago and an opossum came in and helped himself to the cat food! lol

 

[aart]

I was thinking maybe one of those resin plastic trunks/chests, like at a pool.

That might work...with a metal can inside for feed.
My coop is part of a very large shed, so lots of room to store stuff.
I keep my feed in a 30gallon garbage can to deter rodents

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[sayccrn]

Oh..very cool is that feed and scratch? I may get the can and keep that on the screened in porch, and get the resin one for the non perishable items. Thank you so much!

 

[aart]

Oh..very cool is that feed and scratch?

Yes.
I leave the bags in there, fully empty the can bags into a bucket before adding fresh feed.
Here's how the divider works

 

[sayccrn]

OH!! Thank you so much! I can do that! YAY!! It's coming together. Maybe I can go to goodwill tomorrow. everyone is buying there new summer storage, so maybe someone is giving their old stuff to goodwill, that would be perfect! Thanks so much! Oh and I also updated those things on my profile.

 

[rosemarythyme]

A deck box should work well, and they're usually waterproof and look pretty nice. I also like the mini cabinets with doors that swing open, just so you can pull stuff out as needed rather than lift it out, but either one could work.

 

[Tamdog]

I have learned the hard way to always use the metal cans. Squirrels and rodents always eat big holes in anything else. It does not take but ONE small seed of corn accidentally dropped into a plastic bin ( in which you are not storing anything else they would want to eat) and then - bingo-you find a big ole chewed out one morning. It absolutely does NOT matter how thick the plastic or resin is - Squirrels are monsters.

Plus, I have found that I rotate my storage stuff so many times that I end up not thinking and put food in the plastic-( and regretting it) So why not go ahead and get all the containers that are squirrel proof. I buy the BIG metal trash cans and the small ones as well and line them up. My husband hates it because he says the little ones cost as much as the big one- but I like the little ones for things like grit and oyster shells and the big ones will hold two 50 pound bags of feed.

 

[sayccrn]

A deck box should work well, and they're usually waterproof and look pretty nice. I also like the mini cabinets with doors that swing open, just so you can pull stuff out as needed rather than lift it out, but either one could work.

I thought about the cabinet ones too, but where it will go is facing where most of the rain comes from and little critters can open it too. was thinking the box may be best to keep both the animals and the rain out.