The golden question: is my coop too small?

[Chick_a_dee]

The best incentive for your chickens to go outside is a scoop of cracked corn thrown out the door. They'll do anything for cracked corn

and BOSS. We stock up with cracked corn and BOSS (you can get a goooddd deal on BOSS at Costco btw) in the winter to give them an incentive for going outdoors on cold days. We also prepare hot mash meals for them which they eat outside on the colder days. If you find your chickens don't like the cold snow, we've thrown hay or straw down for them to walk on and by the spring its all mulched up and ready for the garden.

 

[churchillcoop]

Well after much support from you all I doubled the size of my coop and run over the last few days. MUCH better. Now for venting...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/40863559@N07/4785954063/

Thanks all!

Jeff

 

[patandchickens]

That looks great! Boy you work fast, c'mon over here, I got a roofed run needs to be finished and a whole lotta fencing needs to be put up! LOL

That should be very gracefully winterizeable. You can cover much -- but by no means all! -- of the sides with plastic or whatever, so that the run will be appealing for them to use and you will have a wind-free area to ventilate into when needed.

Good job,

Pat

 

[churchillcoop]

I would be glad to pop over for you and finish your run! I really enjoyed making this!! Any suggestions for roosting perch placement in the run?

Jeff

 

[Yay Chicks!]

I read somewhere also that even if your coop floor space is a bit small you can compensate if you have some extra roosting space.

 

[churchillcoop]

I am going to install a good sized roosting perch in the run today.. I was told that the chicken wire I used is not adequate and should use something more industrious such as hardware cloth.. I went to go buy it yesterday and it was $20 for a 5' length. Is this pretty typical?

Jeff

 

[Tigerjane]

Quote:
Maybe in your area? Here in central Texas 5ft is about $7. A common compromise is to put the 1/2" galvanized wire on the bottom 3ft, and then a more economical option on the rest. Not as secure though. And you LIKED building the coop?!?!? Man, I wish you lived near me . . .

 

[patandchickens]

Go to a feedstore. You can buy it in larger size rolls for less per foot. Ask the guy behind the counter, they usually have it out back (or need to order it for you).

Also consider using 1x1" welded wire rather than hardwarecloth, at least for the parts that are above chicken level. It is cheaper and just as good, and significantly more economical.

Feed stores... your friend

Pat

 

[aka Rachel]

Our coop is 4x8, and the chickens free range all year tho sometimes they don't leave the coop in the winter even tho they could...wonder why?

So this past winter (our first winter) we had a full grown rooster, hen and three other almost full grown chickens. They didn't fight but I would like to expand the coop. Also I built the coop that small thinking that the chicken body heat would hlep keep them warm...didn't really happen, even tho the coop is well insulated.

I also put in a side box, I guess it has about 6 square feet. They use it a bit, but I think thats where the extension is gonna go with another human door for access. I wish I had build external nest boxes too *shrug*

 

[Chick_a_dee]

I got my hardware cloth extra cheap at Home Hardware. They sell it by the foot, and I was lucky because they didn't quite have as much as I really wanted so I got it for like half price bahahah