Trailer Coop Build (Pic heavy)

[ColoradoPip]

Haha I am sure it will be!

Chicks, 25 total, 10 are straight run so I expect some roosters. I hope to end up with 20. Plus I have 3 six year olds that need to move in first! That'll be whiskey bottle worthy I'm sure! 6 years in 1 coop, now a new much much much bigger one!

On a side note, no one told me how adorable feathered feet are!!!!!

 

[ColoradoPip]

The saga continues. Today I added a piece above the nest boxes so the girls can't get up there.

I started adding chicken wire for the temporary brooder section but didn't take pics. Later I will brood under the roost bars in the front, but this time I have a larger brood than I will have in the future, so they get the back 4x8. Should be at it again tomorrow evening and Saturday. Snow is coming on Sunday and I want it to be complete.

 

[Ted Brown]

Can I suggest you keep your eyes peeled for a branch with smaller branches and attach parallel to and along long roost & drop boards. Your brood will think you care for them.

 

[ColoradoPip]

Can I suggest you keep your eyes peeled for a branch with smaller branches and attach parallel to and along long roost & drop boards. Your brood will think you care for them.

Like for a step in front of the trays? Or attach the the top edge of the trays?

 

[Ted Brown]

Like a step along the trays. Mine like the branch to go up at night and as a diversion diring the day..

 

[aart]

That ramp is too steep, especially for getting down....it's hinged tho(?) just stick something about a foot high under low end.
I'm betting they will jump from ledges in front of low nests then up to poop boards.

Like a step along the trays. Mine like the branch to go up at night and as a diversion diring the day..

Like this? Not sure Pip has space for that.

 

[Ted Brown]

@aart No, not sticking out. I was thinking attach parallel to the front of his trays, set out just enough to let the birds use it.

I looked at the layout and worried about access by Pip's birds, the whole thing looks long and narrow and nothing up to longest roosts.

Mine fly yes but mostly use the ramp to get up/down; they use my branch to get up (occasionally down) at night but I also see them on during the days as well.

 

[rosemarythyme]

@aart No, not sticking out. I was thinking attach parallel to the front of his trays, set out just enough to let the birds use it.

Yeah a branch actually works pretty well in that fashion, I did something similar when teaching my original group of chicks to roost and they'd climb up and down the branch. Once they got the hang of it I removed the branch but no reason it couldn't be left in place.

 

[aart]

I have a few branches out in the runs, they like them, but ramps work fine in the coop.

 

[ColoradoPip]

No worries about access to the roosting bars, I had already made another 2x6 ramp and had cut steps for another but have decided I will add steps to a piece of plywood that goes from the nest box lip to the high roost bars. I now need to shift the other ramp but that'll take 5 minutes. Here's why.

Today I added the temporary brooder area, which is about half the floor. Plywood, chicken wire, a few hinges, a screw in eye, and a keychain clip

I added a hinged piece of plywood to the lip of the nest box extending to the poop tray on the right. I like it so much it will become permanent and I'll add steps to it.

Once that's open I can step over the chicken wire

But I also made it a gate because, why not

That should give the chicks a place to grow. The chickens a place to live. And they can both see each other and sort of interact with the chicken wire separating them.


Then I made two doors the exact same way. Started by cutting 10" wide by 12" tall holes. Welll, close enough to that based on my ability to cut holes in a standing wall Then cut 2.5" wide strips of 3/4" plywood to make a holder for the door.

Then I added some 2.5" strips of 3/8" plywood to create a track and hold the door in place.

Added another strip of 3/8" plywood along the bottom so no critters can lift the closed door

I also got 1 piece of fascia up. No pics though, it was getting dark. Whew. Just in time for some bad wind and weather, so now I can see if there are any final leaks. I seriously doubt there will even be a drop of wetnesss inside after everything I've done!!!

I think the inside is ready with <1 hour of work, adding steps to the plywood and changing the other ladder's direction. Then I neeed to finish the outside.