The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[uglychickens]

Hey all, still alive. I'm 1169 posts behind, so I'm dropping the idea of catching up for now. I just wanted to update that I finally got all the windows & doors in my new coop. Just in time for winter as the temps at night are dropping near freezing here. I hope you're all staying warm and happy. Please take care!

Wow we're still in shorts and tees

 

[lazy gardener]

thanks. My coop is similar only I covered it with 1/2" hdw cloth. And I put a loft in the back half which is insulated. This extra construction detail is what made the coop too heavy to move. It was also a beast to cut each end panel to match the curve of the cattle panel. Of course the hoop is not completely symmetrical, so I had to make a template of the arc on either side of the loft door to fit the plywood... eight panels in all b/c I insulated it. I definitely would not recommend a hoop coop if you intend to put in a loft. The construction details were Way too difficult and time consuming. I thought I'd be saving time and materials by going with a hoop.... not so with the loft. I also thought I was being smart by putting corrugated plastic roofing over the loft. Not a good idea b/c of the discontinuity between the roofing and shade tarp in the front. Live and learn! It would have been possible to still insulate the roof by sandwiching the flexible Styrofoam between 2 layers of tarp, and foregoing the roofing material. If I ever build again, it'll be stick built using traditional framing. The advantage is that I feel that it's predator proof, and the girls can come and go from the upper level to the lower level. Lately, I've not been shutting them in the loft at night, allowing them to come out the pop door into the lower level in the morning.

 

[jlynnet]

I dropped my extra Roos off at freezer camp today. Kinda sad but it had to be done. I was happy to see 4 of them go. Sad to see the SFH go, but I can't keep them all.

 

[Leahs Mom]

thanks. My coop is similar only I covered it with 1/2" hdw cloth. And I put a loft in the back half which is insulated. This extra construction detail is what made the coop too heavy to move. It was also a beast to cut each end panel to match the curve of the cattle panel. Of course the hoop is not completely symmetrical, so I had to make a template of the arc on either side of the loft door to fit the plywood... eight panels in all b/c I insulated it. I definitely would not recommend a hoop coop if you intend to put in a loft. The construction details were Way too difficult and time consuming. I thought I'd be saving time and materials by going with a hoop.... not so with the loft. I also thought I was being smart by putting corrugated plastic roofing over the loft. Not a good idea b/c of the discontinuity between the roofing and shade tarp in the front. Live and learn! It would have been possible to still insulate the roof by sandwiching the flexible Styrofoam between 2 layers of tarp, and foregoing the roofing material. If I ever build again, it'll be stick built using traditional framing. The advantage is that I feel that it's predator proof, and the girls can come and go from the upper level to the lower level. Lately, I've not been shutting them in the loft at night, allowing them to come out the pop door into the lower level in the morning.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I think the biggest problem with lightweight for a hoop is the night predator issue. If it's light they can sneak under.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

I think the biggest problem with lightweight for a hoop is the night predator issue. If it's light they can sneak under.

The only way I can think to make a movable coop predator proof is to have a floor. Since many animals dig, it would not be hard for them to dig under a heavy or light structure. The more I see the hoop coops the more I think they are best if they stay in one place or have an electrical fence around them. That said we have a moveable coop, it it very heavy, lots of wood but netting instead of hardware cloth. Both My DH and Toddler boy make sure the area around it smells of ammonia. It took my DH a while to start helping but after chasing off an animal trying to get into it, he got over any issues he had. So we have not lost any chicken inside of it but still I don't like how it is not safe. And I'm not sure the netting would hold against an owl which we have in the area. The other night it was just circling the coop walking around it like Joshua did Jericho on the seventh day.

high winds can mess with a lightweight hoop, and snow can collapse them too.

 

[Sally8]

The only way I can think to make a movable coop predator proof is to have a floor. Since many animals dig, it would not be hard for them to dig under a heavy or light structure. The more I see the hoop coops the more I think they are best if they stay in one place or have an electrical fence around them. That said we have a moveable coop, it it very heavy, lots of wood but netting instead of hardware cloth. Both My DH and Toddler boy make sure the area around it smells of ammonia. It took my DH a while to start helping but after chasing off an animal trying to get into it, he got over any issues he had. So we have not lost any chicken inside of it but still I don't like how it is not safe. And I'm not sure the netting would hold against an owl which we have in the area. The other night it was just circling the coop walking around it like Joshua did Jericho on the seventh day.

high winds can mess with a lightweight hoop, and snow can collapse them too.

Joshua fit the battle of Jerico,Jerico.......And the Walls came tumbling down. Eeek, I hope not!

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I think the biggest problem with lightweight for a hoop is the night predator issue.  If it's light they can sneak under.

Presuming it is sturdy enough to not get crushed ... a "skirt" of hardware cloth or chicken wire might help prevent animals from digging under a portable coop.

 

[lalaland]

here's my sole cream legbar pullet and her friend checking something out

was wondering what they were looking at.......

so I looked up, too!

 

[MEMama3]

here's my sole cream legbar pullet and her friend checking something out was wondering what they were looking at....... so I looked up, too!

That is too stinkin' cute!