the new coops, pic heavy, let me know what you think

[jeb251]

well, I have been around chickens since the day I came home from the hospital as a baby so you think I would know not to buy more chickens if you don't have the coops already built, but I did it, I got lavender orps, bcm (both from Paul Bradshaw at Greenfire Farms, great to do business with by the way), buff bramas, black americanas and white americanas, oh yea and blue polish, so what do I do now, I guess I build, I decided I would build 6 connecting coops with a rain water capturing system that is cooled for summer and heated for winter as we get some pretty cold weather here and filled with fresh water every time it rains. I use a nipple system that is heat taped in the double layer coop and it works great, so it was a good place to start the new system will supply both sets of coops. I wanted sand in the runs because my property is very heavy clay and it gets muddy pretty fast, so I decided a sand box under the coops would work good since I have about 8 tons of sand left over from a septic job, so without further here are some pics of what I have done so far.

this is how I connected the parts for the sand box

and the boxes completed, the runs will set on top of the boxes

some of the birds picking out there rooms

and the hardest part the sand, it took two loads per box

the help showed up just in time to level the sand in the last box, those bums

and the boxes filled with sand and leveled

next step is to build and wire the panels for the sides tops and backs, they will be painted white, I designed this on google scetchup but cant figure out how to get a pic on here, any help? figured it out

I'll be posting updates as progress is made

 

[joletabey]

WOW!

 

[PJCluck]

Is that P/T wood used in the sand boxes? I heard that's frowned upon by the strictly organic crowd and inspectors. What do you think?

 

[jeb251]

I use it in all my tractors and coops always have, I've never had a problem in 45 years

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

I've used the same wood - all different kinds actually - I've never seen any difference with my chickens no matter the kind of wood. The only one I wouldn't use is cedar - except on the outside of a coop as decorative or something as I've seen some do.

Chickens are much more hardier than some people make them out to be.


BTW I LOVE the coop designs. - if I had the ability and room I would definately think about doing something similar.

love it, very creative.

 

[jeb251]

thank you

 

[alaskachick]

I like the water system you are building. How can I do something like that using snow and ice as I am in Alaska? We get no rain in the winter, but loads of snow, and ice

 

[Lbrad7]

WOW!!!! Looks like you are going to have an AWESOME set up!!! Can't wait to see the finished product!

P.S. People are going insane over this organic thing. I do believe that "garbage in garbage out" but come on!...inspectors complain over pressure treated wood???? Give me a freaking break!!!!

I would use nothing else!

Great job so far buddy!!! Can't wait until you finish it and move the birds in! Please post pic!

 

[WyandotteTX]

thats irrelevant because that doesnt look to be pressure treated wood to begin with.
btw love the design and cant wait to see the finished product!

 

[Dorte]

Nice setup! How many birds in each unit?


I don't think the "organic crowd" are necessarily afraid of sick chickens when they shun pressure treated wood, its more the concern of leaking chemicals into the environment. I really don't know enough about it to judge if that is a valid concern or not.