The Girls Moved into New Coop

[cdawson41]

Well lots of work has taken place. We got our chickens at the beginning of summer and they started out in this home.

Then I found that it was not working out for myself or the girls. So I talked to DH (dear hubby) and he came up with plans to make a place that would work for them and for me, trying to make it easy access due to the fact that I've had several back surgeries in the past year and am getting ready to have another. He wanted to make it a joy for all of us, and WOW did he do it.

He started off making a nice yard for them with a divider wall down the middle incase I decided to get more and we needed to have them seperated for a time.

So with the help of our sons and grandson the holes were dug, poles were set in concrete and the yard went up.

He put a real door on the yard making it easy for me to get in and out.

We found this Amish built storage shed on craigslist and started revamping it. He came up with a plan to put the house on the outside of the yard so that it didn't take up any of there room and again was easy for me to get into.

Putting in the nesting boxes

Building the roost, which he made hinged with a way for me to lift it up and hook it to the ceiling so when cleaning it wouldn't be in the way.

The inside of the coop

The back of the coop/entrance into the yard.

And the walkway/hallway that gets them from the coop to the yard.

Tomorrow I will try to get a picture of the entire setup in one shot, thought I had one but didn't.

The girls really loved it and did a lot of checking around.

 

[cdawson41]

Okay so it's 2 am and I finally figured out how to get the pics on here. Seriously our grandson is not the door into our yard. LOL. Maybe this pic will actually be the door. I need to go to bed. LOL.

 

[buildingmyark]

Major upgrade for the girls (and you, of course)! Yall did a great job! We had to do a second coop too. Oh well, ya live & learn, right?

 

[teach1rusl]

You're the folks who scored the great deal on the amish shed!! Like, for $200 when they wanted $450 or something??? I love the hinged roosts! You know, if you guys mounted the nest boxes up higher on the wall, right before the slant, you would have more floor space for the birds, and you wouldn't have to stoop to collect eggs...just a suggestion, since the unit is most likely just screwed in/on.

 

[cdawson41]

Yes we are the ones that got the deal on the Amish shed.

DH was going to put the nest boxes higher but we are considering getting more chickens so he was going to put a second row of boxes above the ones we have. On a side note the girls are loving life. Today is the first full day in the new digs and wooo hoo all four of the hens laid eggs in the nest, so today is our first day for all of them to lay, terribly excited about that.

 

[teach1rusl]

Well you know, since 3-4 hens can/will use one nest box, four nest boxes could comfortably accomodate 12-16 hens...just sayin'...lol. But maybe you're talking a lot more hens...

 

[swimmer]

Your DH is a handy guy to have around. Nice job.

 

[True Grit]

What a sweetheart! Give DH a hug for me! Lovely coop and run.

 

[cdawson41]

Told DH the idea about of moving the boxes up, he is now taking that into consideration and telling me how he can accomplish that LOL. Then I read all the wonderful comments everyone is posting and he may now be unable to enter the coop without making the door wider to get his head through. But that's all good, he deserves the wonderful remarks!

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

Nice!

I see PLENTY of room for expansion! You could have a regular Chookago there!!