Things you've learned while building your coop...

[Coopa Cabana]

Quote:
Excellent advice!

 

[gibsonbuzz]

Don't forget the most important thing.....YOUR WIFE IS ALWAYS RIGHT! NO MATTER HOW WRONG SHE MAY BE!

 

[rchucks]

Great thread. I'd try to make the coop look like an extension of your home rather than some chicken coop. Design and style shouldn't be forgotten. As far as the run goes, the single smartest thing I did was to put shade cloth as a roof over the entire run. Obvisouly, it blocks alot of the sun, making things nice and cool for the chicks, it also keeps about 90% of the snow and rain out of the enclosure, not to mention predator control from above.

 

[BeckyBird]

I'm sorry, I did not read all the previous posts. SO if I'm repeating something that was already said, well, then it must be important LOL!! Hehe,

*I hate chicken wire. Predators can rip chicken wire apart.
*Wire spacing must be smaller than 1". Snakes can fit through 1" and kill chicks & eggs. Even large chicks--if the cannot eat it, they will just spit it back out. You will have a poor dead half eaten chick, with a slimy stretched out neck. 1/2" hardware wire is good. In fact, no holes anywhere that are larger than 1/2". (My personal preference.)
*Reinforce the floor of the run. If not, Predators can dig under and get your birds.
*Door latches must be secure.
*Make the floor easy to clean from the start. This is a must if you want clean birds. A Wire floor, or dry deep bedding is good. If the bedding gets wet though, it will dirty up your birds.
*Don't use staples to attach wire to wood. Use screws, bolts, or a heavy duty staple gun (the kind you attach to a compressor.) Not the hand-held staple gun--dogs can rip the wire right off the frame if you use weak staples.
*If your birds are valuable, remember there are human predators too. Find a good lock.

All of these recommendations are from my own errors. In fact, we just had a dog attack 2 weeks ago. I lost my favorite pet chickens, including the one in my avatar. I lost some that I've had for 4 years. I thought my pen was secure, as we've had dog attacks before. I thought I had everything just right. 4 years, sigh. However, they found a weak spot in the chicken wire, and now I am at a loss. The chicken wire had 1" wide wooden stakes nailed over top for added security, but the dogs ripped the stakes off the house, then ripped the chicken wire off.

If you live out in the country, you will have to deal with more predators than usual. So my advice--go overboard with your safety measures. Make it so nothing can break into your coops--from a tiny snake to a large strong dog. The worst predator attacks we've had were from stray dogs. They will kill everything in sight, and just leave it there.

So I am remodeling my broken coop, and I will be using my own advice.

 

[pamiejune]

It sounds like you live in a rough neighborhood - I'd be out there, in my easy chair, waitin', with a shotgun, and pretty soon there'd be no more stray dogs around...

 

[Rockerchic]

Thanks for the measurements needed for pop door and nesting box. I'm doing a re-purpose on an old bathroom vanity ($65 at the local Habitat for Humanity Restore)

, to make a coop for 3 standards. When done, this will be insulated, and enclosed in a chain link dog-type run. What do you guys think about gravity feededs inside/outside the coop? (and how do you make one?) Also, I'm heading to the dollar store to find a cheap dish pan to use in the nesting box. I live in San Diego, with my three rocker chicks, Cher (PBR), Madonna (Ameracauna), and Pink (RIR). Pictures to follow.

 

[bigdaddyabc]

Quote:
This advise should be posted on every thread of every website on the entire internet. period. Just ask my wife. Truer words were never written. Happy Wife, Happy Life.

 

[BeckyBird]

Luckily, we've never had people steal anything. But over the years, I learned the hard way, what a predator can get into. We've had hawks, weasels, foxes, snakes, and dogs attack. I cannot free range anything, unfortunately.

 

[Zahboo]

We have had to do bolted doors and padlocks because of our neighbors, We have had two padlocks broken, but magically they were never around about that time (little liars) So I think security just depends on your personal, if you have a chainlink pen around your coop, locks and such are lower, if you have annoying neighbors, then you have to lock, bolt and supervise.

 

[pamiejune]

"Annoying" neighbors?!?

I think that's a little too nice - I'd put up a webcam, catch 'em in the act, and take it to the police! Bye-bye, "annoying" neighbors!