It's been a long time since I've posted anything about our coop. We've got the frame up and some of the roof rafters. This week we are putting up temp wire walls and roof with tarp on the roof and at least one wall due to finances (got tons of wire for free). The coop is 8x8x8 at the rafters with a foot high peak. The doors (one from the yard and one to the run) are right in the middle across from eachother. One one side I'll be putting in my nesting boxes and an introduction/broody pen with it's own private run inside the large run. Above that I'll add a poop board with roosting poles above and a ladder to get up there. Above one of the doors will be a storage area and above the other door will be more walking surface for the birds. Across from the nesting boxes will be another boardwalk for the birds. We will basicly have just enough room to walk through, clean, and collect eggs. The floor is 1 inch plywood with 1/8 inch plexiglass that will be covered in straw and/or shavings thick enough so the birds don't slip. We will be replacing the walls with T1-11 or concrete boards and the roof will be of typical house shingles. Also, there will be at min 2 windows on walls that don't have doors, I'll be making flaps for the windows so I can close them when it's cold out. Under the eves we'll be adding vents. The doors are about the width of an indoor house doorway and about 7 feet tall.
The run will be expanded slowly as money provides to a total size of at least 8x48 feet, if we need more room later it will become 16x48 feet. The run is completely covered to prevent birds from getting out and to keep hawks and eagles from coming in, so far this has worked great. I have an 8x8 foot section of the run covered to keep rain out and to give them shade. This is also the space that I have the feeders at. I plan to feed the birds outside and will always have a covered space for them. I'm thinking of getting them a kiddie pool with sand in it for them to bathe in and will be getting a 50 gal plastic barrel that holds water with a basin around it to make a custom waterer for them. Our neighbor gets the plastic barrels from his work, they order water for the employee's at work sites in the barrels and toss the barrels once they're empty, so it'll be free for us and he can get as many as we want. It's a thick plastic so it keeps the water a little cooler than if it was out in the open and keeps the water clean. I've just got to find a basin that's not too big and is cheap. I might end up going with a kiddie pool but then I'll be fighting to keep my ducks out of it, I'd rather have something smaller around and not metal.
If anyone's got suggestions on my coop, run, or watering device I'll take it.
I'll be housing, chickens (from silkies to standard cochins), turkeys (broad breasted and heratiage), ducks (non flying), and a goose. At this time I have only one rooster and right now I plan to keep it that way. If I decide to breed layers later on I'll use the broody/intro pen for breeding.
The run will be expanded slowly as money provides to a total size of at least 8x48 feet, if we need more room later it will become 16x48 feet. The run is completely covered to prevent birds from getting out and to keep hawks and eagles from coming in, so far this has worked great. I have an 8x8 foot section of the run covered to keep rain out and to give them shade. This is also the space that I have the feeders at. I plan to feed the birds outside and will always have a covered space for them. I'm thinking of getting them a kiddie pool with sand in it for them to bathe in and will be getting a 50 gal plastic barrel that holds water with a basin around it to make a custom waterer for them. Our neighbor gets the plastic barrels from his work, they order water for the employee's at work sites in the barrels and toss the barrels once they're empty, so it'll be free for us and he can get as many as we want. It's a thick plastic so it keeps the water a little cooler than if it was out in the open and keeps the water clean. I've just got to find a basin that's not too big and is cheap. I might end up going with a kiddie pool but then I'll be fighting to keep my ducks out of it, I'd rather have something smaller around and not metal.
If anyone's got suggestions on my coop, run, or watering device I'll take it.
I'll be housing, chickens (from silkies to standard cochins), turkeys (broad breasted and heratiage), ducks (non flying), and a goose. At this time I have only one rooster and right now I plan to keep it that way. If I decide to breed layers later on I'll use the broody/intro pen for breeding.
