The Chicken Coop ... UPDATE

[JulieZ]

Rodney had this done & complete in 3 weeks & our chicks went out in 4. We tried to keep them in the back bedroom but it was harsh with smells, despite daily cleanings. We had to keep the door closed due to the dog. The first night they were out there ... I didn't sleep much. I continued to check on them. So here it is .... our poop coop ...

This is the siding to an old pool. It's buried 3 feet down into the ground & goes all around the coop except the corner so Rodney placed a board 3 feet down. Our dog thought she was smart enough to dig through it & ripped her little paw all up. We'll be fixing this part.

Here are our babies IN the shed. We have a heater we set up through the night & with the lamps, the temp stays at 85 through the night. This week the temps are to be dropped to 80 BUT I need advice on this one. With the temps still being in the high 40's at night, I'd like to keep the temps at 85 still. They have another area they can walk off to if it gets too warm. Does this sound reasonable? I zoomed in on the chickens in this shot ... there's more room not photographed from my stand point. We do not have their nesting bins up but that's in the works. Feed back welcome ...

 

[Backyard_Chicken_rancher]

It looks great hubby did a good job as for the heat I would say as long as they have room to get away from it yet can still come back to it if need be then it should be alright but I'm sure you will find the right answer here from others good luck to you and post more pics as they grow would love to watch them progress.

 

[JulieZ]

I agree with the temp & room to move. I will sleep a little better at night knowing they are comfy no matter what side of their brooder they decide to hang out at.

I forgot to ask if our coop looked big enough to house 19 grown chickens & if I have room for anymore? The inside shed is a 10x12 which is the most important because we'll be placing them inside every night. The run is 12x10.

Also forgot to mention that we will be placing more of that pool siding all the way around on the outside of the chicken wire this weekend to keep coon & possium fingers out. Looks like we will also be creating another "catch door" on the outside of the coop. I'll have to enter one door, close it, then enter into the main coop. Extra safety never hurts.

Here is the update on some of my chicks. This thread is over in the "What breed or gender is this" ....

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=300070&p=2

 

[JulieZ]

Scratch my question about space & how many chickens in the space we have ... I found it in another thread. We will be sticking to 15-20 chickens to assure plenty of room & less fighting. Hopefully. : )

 

[JulieZ]

To insure our biggest predator, our dog Hannah, would not rip off her paw or under her chin again to get to the chicks, we used an old metal pool "shell" (lack of word) and here is the final touches to the coop. Not even the hawks above or coons below can get into this caged beast. Everything is buried 3 feet down & is metal. It best work ... we are wore out.

 

[cristina33]

Can I offer you some advise ..I too use a metal shed it can turn into a chicken cooker in the summer and a chicken freezer in the winter. If you can put some kind of insulation inside please try . They sweat in the summer . Many times I have had to go out and hose down the shed because it does get so hot. I have 8x10 runs on each side of it. I build a latice thingy to cover the door so they can get lots of air. In the summer I also add a fan. For the winters I use lots and lots of bedding. Trust me on this one I learned alot the hard way. I will try to post some pics as soon as I can I am making chicken wire doors today for added air.

 

[chickeydee]

Do you have any windows in it. You need to put some in .

 

[JulieZ]

Right now we leave the shed doors cracked just enough to where they can not get out but air can get in. The doors are "broken" in a way to where we can leave the top part open and the bottom stays more closed. The roost was placed in today & I checked on them a few moments ago & the warmth is perfect. A few chicks were under one of the 4 lights so they are smart enough to know where to go. As far as the summer months ... being in Florida ... this is an issue we will have to address right away. We will be mounting up multiple fans for the summer months but perhaps a window would be wise because what happens when it's time to go in at night ... will the fan be enough? Adding a window to the shed ... I'm thinking cut a square high up, add some chicken wire & call it a night? Thanks for the heads up ... I hate to admit it but I never thought of a window through the summer months. I was about to leave it all up to the fans.