TWEAK MY COOP~Tweaks on the Cheap

[donrae]

Bee, I have a question about the "wings" on the side--how durable are they? Are they mostly for shade and stay up, or do they flap down in wet weather? I'm wondering if they stand up to rain or snow, they don't look too re-enforced to hold much weight?

For nest boxes, I can't beat old Rubbermaid or similar plastic tubs. Seems I get a ton of them, and they lose lids or get cracked. I usually turn them on their sides, just laying on the floor of the coop. When I've tried to stand them up unsupported, the full size hens hop on the sides and tip them over. Bantams don't seem to weigh enough to tip them

I can't see how your current boxes are set up, but if you had a wood frame to just set the tote in, the wood frame could hold the tote by the lip. That could keep them elevated for ease of collection. I guess you could build a shelf underneath if you wanted, but I think even if two hens got in there the lip would still hold.

I just used one of these like you've described...I had a broody I needed to move. She's not the stickiest of broodies, and I wanted to move her the very least amount possible. It was great to just lift up the tote and put it where I needed her to be, she hardly knew she'd been moved. It was also handy when I recently caught her off the eggs and wanted to candle them, I just lifted the whole thing out so she couldn't hop right back on...did my thing and put it back.

 

[RoseMarie1]

Bee, I have a question about the "wings" on the side--how durable are they? Are they mostly for shade and stay up, or do they flap down in wet weather? I'm wondering if they stand up to rain or snow, they don't look too re-enforced to hold much weight?

For nest boxes, I can't beat old Rubbermaid or similar plastic tubs. Seems I get a ton of them, and they lose lids or get cracked. I usually turn them on their sides, just laying on the floor of the coop. When I've tried to stand them up unsupported, the full size hens hop on the sides and tip them over. Bantams don't seem to weigh enough to tip them

I can't see how your current boxes are set up, but if you had a wood frame to just set the tote in, the wood frame could hold the tote by the lip. That could keep them elevated for ease of collection. I guess you could build a shelf underneath if you wanted, but I think even if two hens got in there the lip would still hold.

I just used one of these like you've described...I had a broody I needed to move. She's not the stickiest of broodies, and I wanted to move her the very least amount possible. It was great to just lift up the tote and put it where I needed her to be, she hardly knew she'd been moved. It was also handy when I recently caught her off the eggs and wanted to candle them, I just lifted the whole thing out so she couldn't hop right back on...did my thing and put it back.

I have one of those milk crates for a temp nesting box for mine because loads of times all 4 boxes are full and one will drop one on the ground in front of the nests because she has no nest to get in. So I fixed this one up and they WILL NOT USE IT! SPOILED CHICKENS!

Not one of them have used that nest. It's sitting in a resin back chair so it wont be on the ground and they just wont use it. Hubby thinks it's because it's not up high enough and yours is on the ground?

hee hee good idea on picking it up where she couldn't get back in it until you were done. Wonder how the chickens candle the eggs? Reacon they can smell em or just sense it or something?

 

[donrae]

I have one of those milk crates for a temp nesting box for mine because loads of times all 4 boxes are full and one will drop one on the ground in front of the nests because she has no nest to get in. So I fixed this one up and they WILL NOT USE IT! SPOILED CHICKENS!

Not one of them have used that nest. It's sitting in a resin back chair so it wont be on the ground and they just wont use it. Hubby thinks it's because it's not up high enough and yours is on the ground?

hee hee good idea on picking it up where she couldn't get back in it until you were done. Wonder how the chickens candle the eggs? Reacon they can smell em or just sense it or something?

I do have a milk crate that's currently one of the popular nest boxes...go figure!

Yep, all mine are right on the ground. My coop started life as a greenhouse, so most of my roosts are shelves, and the nest boxes go under the shelves. That's another reason for having them on their sides...gives a roof to keep the poop off.

 

[aussie pete]

some pics as promised of coop from old trampoline




used 3 sections from trampoline dia to form ends

joined end sections with uprights that held up safety net around tramp mat


as i didn't have access to a welder ,drilled & pop riveted joints

more pics soon
Pete

 

[Beekissed]

Bee, I have a question about the "wings" on the side--how durable are they? Are they mostly for shade and stay up, or do they flap down in wet weather? I'm wondering if they stand up to rain or snow, they don't look too re-enforced to hold much weight?

The wings are quite durable and stay up all through the warm months and are lowered in the winter. They are for shade and also for allowing breezes to blow through the coop. They sort of extend the size of the coop much like a porch does for a small house...lots of living goes on under those flaps....currently I have their feed trough under one. It's protected from the rain and sun and also shelters them as they eat so they are not as vulnerable to aerial surprises while their heads are down and busy. On heavy downpours they provide quick shelter as a bird runs to the coop and make a nice, cool place to bed down out of the sun for a nap.

 

[Beekissed]

some pics as promised of coop from old trampoline




used 3 sections from trampoline dia to form ends

joined end sections with uprights that held up safety net around tramp mat


as i didn't have access to a welder ,drilled & pop riveted joints

more pics soon
Pete

Now, that's a surprise, Pete! I've seen others use old trampolines but they used them as is and sitting on the ground as per normal...I've never seen one take it apart and transform it, using the skeleton of it as a hoop house. Now I'm really intrigued.....

 

[Beekissed]

I have one of those milk crates for a temp nesting box for mine because loads of times all 4 boxes are full and one will drop one on the ground in front of the nests because she has no nest to get in. So I fixed this one up and they WILL NOT USE IT! SPOILED CHICKENS!

Not one of them have used that nest. It's sitting in a resin back chair so it wont be on the ground and they just wont use it. Hubby thinks it's because it's not up high enough and yours is on the ground?

hee hee good idea on picking it up where she couldn't get back in it until you were done. Wonder how the chickens candle the eggs? Reacon they can smell em or just sense it or something?

I've never been able to get a hen to lay in a milk crate either...go figure.

They say the chickens can hear sounds and sense movements on levels that cannot be detected by the human ear and instruments, so when no tiny heartbeat is detected they eliminate that egg. Miracle how God designs these animals, isn't it?

I like nest boxes to have outside access, if possible, because I find it efficient and great for those days when you haven't gotten around to collecting eggs until it's roosting or night time and you don't want to disturb the birds by going in the coop. I also like another way to snatch a bird off the nest if needed, instead of a frontal attack. It's also easier to slip an egg under a broody, remove an egg under them and replace it with a chick, etc. if you can do it from behind her.

The totes are great and what I currently use but they are rather large~I rarely ever buy one that isn't large~ and not often one of my hens will share nesting, leaving someone protesting loudly outside her nest....so if I can have more nests in the same space or less nests that are larger, I'm finding it is best to have more nests. It's a small coop, so keeping the bulk of a nest box outside the coop space frees up more room for me to walk around in there without bumping into things.

 

[aussie pete]

Bee ,a bit like u, make things from whats available ,
this tramp was blown away in a storm ,got bent up a bit - neighbour asked me to take to tip -

wanted to make another hoop coop, but didn't have sufficient cattle panel, too old to crawl around on hands & knees under a tramp as was ,so amalgamated the two to make what i needed lol

Pete

 

[Beekissed]

Bee ,a bit like u, make things from whats available ,
this tramp was blown away in a storm ,got bent up a bit - neighbour asked me to take to tip -

wanted to make another hoop coop, but didn't have sufficient cattle panel, too old to crawl around on hands & knees under a tramp as was ,so amalgamated the two to make what i needed lol

Pete

It's genius and I wouldn't have looked at a trampoline and thought of taking it down to a hoop and reinforcing it, but now that I see it, I can see that it is the best use of the frame work that one can utilize. I love a hoop design for shedding rain and snow and it lends itself to innovative nesting and roosting designs. If I ever have to build breeding pens I'll most likely use mini hoop huts so they are portable and ergonomical.

 

[Beekissed]

My current nest boxes up close....