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

[Oosik]

Things I learned and put into use on coop rebuild:

* Raised coop about 2 feet off the ground. It was much easier to dig 8 holes than to try to level the ground. The raised coop prevents mice from having a home below the coop and it gives shelter to the birds during the day. Birds hang out underneath the dry coop and they have natural dusting material.

* Make the coop walk in and about 7 foot tall to maneuver inside.

* Make it bigger than you think necessary. My second coop was just shy of 6 x 8. "Just shy" avoids gaps and saves on material - it's easier to cut off an inch or two than add a piece to cover a similar sized gap.

* Much more ventilation than in my first coop. Used decking floor boards so that I would have some ventilation from below, window to crack open, ridge vent.

* Exterior accessible nesting boxes - avoid having to get into coop with a bunch of chickens just poised to exit at the nearest opportunity.

* Nesting box bottom set on 10 percent slope so eggs roll down and into an area that the chickens cannot reach - cleaner eggs and no egg eating.

* Used 2x4 framing to create dispenser for oyster shell / grit.

* Exterior light set on motion control.

 

[donnavee]

Quote:

My chicken sitter would agree with this one - 1st time sitting and she locked herself in the coop. After belly crawling through 2 pop doors she finally made it to freedom without having to call her DH on her cell phone.

 

[Nicole01]

1. Make the coop and run TALL enough to walk in if possible. This makes for easy cleaning and visiting.
2. Roof on run is very nice! We used corrugated steel tan color. It keeps the rain and snow out.
3. Use hardware wire 1/2 in if possible! We use welded wire and weasels can get in and kill the flock.
4. Make the coop and run bigger if possible, they need the space to reduce pecking.
5. Cover the run in plastic before it snows, it will provide extra space during winter, which is very nice!
6. Use construction sand in the run. It takes 2 minutes to scoop the poop out daily with a litter box scooper.
7. Invest in some diatomaceous earth food grade. It will prevent mites, bugs, and flies.
8. Put a door on the outside of the run in case you want to free range your birds.
9. Cleaning the coop a few times a day will eliminate flies during the summer. Keeps the coop smell free.
10. Ventilation is very important!
11. Build your coop and run under trees, so there is plenty of shade. The summers get very hot and can cause deaths.
12. There are always improvements to be made, expect to spend 10x's more then you originally planned.
13. If you want very people friendly chickens, handle them daily from day one. Leghorns are skittish, don't expect them to be people friendly, but they are awesome layers. All 8 of my chickens jump in my lap when I sit in their coop. I handle them daily.
14. Make sure your coop is very secure and predator proof. Even from humans, sad enough, some people will steal your birds or poison them. I've read many stories. Cover all ventilation with wire.
15. We use pine chips inside the coop, very easy to clean and helps absorb the poop.
16. We have a light in our coop, along with an outlet to run a fan in the summer. I have a wireless thermometer in the coop to keep an eye on the temp.

Products I keep handy----

1. Blue Kote, the flock will always pick the lowest ranking chicken and sometimes draw blood. Blue kote works wonders.
2. Diatomaceous earth food grade only
3. Poly vi sol infant vitamins without iron in case of illness
4. Corid, in case of the deadly breakout of coccidiosis when starting a flock
5. Probios when starting a flock, keeps their digestive system healthy.
6. Sunflower seeds(when a little older). I sprout them for nutrition for oranger yolks and throw seeds in run as a treat for them to scratch with a little cracked corn.
7. Oxine, best product for disinfecting the coop, without activating it.
8. Antibiotics, I only use in emergencies, I use amoxicillan(fish mox)

Sorry for the extra list, I spoil my chickens. I also sprout alfalfa for the winter months. They also get fruit and some table scraps(nothing with extra salt or fatty foods).

 

[HEChicken]

Quote:
Are you saying you raised the coop 2 feet off the ground AND made it a walk-in 7' tall coop? If you don't mind me asking, how does that work? Do you step up the 2' to the coop and then walk in, or have a ramp for people too?

 

[dbcooper02]

This would be my answer as to how to access a raised walk in coop.

 

[clairabean]

Electricty and water is nice. More so in winter.

And they like wifi or cable TV.

 

[clairabean]

Build coop, THEN get chicks.

 

[Hodawg]

Quote:
Bingo, clairabean!

My advice....have a plan. But don't be too rigid with your plan. The old saying goes that, in battle, plans are good until the first shot is fired. After that they are worthless. Same goes for building a coop. Be prepared to improvise, adapt, and overcome. Nothing will go exactly as planned. As Mike Tyson once said......."Fight plan? Yeah, everybody's got a fight plan 'til they get hit in the face." So my advice is.....don't fret it, just build it.

Beers y'all,
Ken

 

[canesisters]

Quote:
Attach a toilet seat lid to your seat. make sure you put the lid down when not in use and then whenever you are ready to sit you've got a clean spot.

Or you with a couple of hinges, and plywood you could make your own lid. I've seen this in the bird room at a pet store before.

I just got rid of an old toilet seat because I couldn't think of any way to incorporate it in the coop I'm building that wouldn't prove to my neighbors that I really am nuts!

I'm suddenly seeing old toilet seats framing pop doors with little toilet seat covers roofs.... tiolet seat shaped windows with tiolet seat cover 'shutters' ..... Oh my! The possibilities are endless! !!! !!!!!!

 

[ontimeborzoi]

I use deck screws and a cordless drill for everything...I built my own house and deck, and I build my coops, and screws are the way to go. I can change my mind midstream and don't have to destroy any materials taking things apart, and all my fingers are undamaged!
Make it bigger than you orignially planned.
Use sand in the runs, and I also put a few inches inside the coop, covered with pine shavings.
Cover at least part of your runs. The chickens will appreciate it when its pouring rain. Having finally covered mine, would never return to open top runs!