Water, feed, and roost tweaks? Would like some tips.

[The Coop-D-etat]

I painted the walls but left the roost wood. Remember to leave enough time for the paint to cure and all of the fumes dissipate. It depends on the humidity, took about 4 days for my coop.View attachment 2558691

Thank you for the advice! I plan on painting it weeks before the chicks are ready to be out in the coop.

Btw, you have a mighty pretty coop. Very nice indeed!

 

[The Coop-D-etat]

Hiya friends!

I'd just like to let everyone know a quick update about my set up. Been working on it. The roost is off and will be lowering it about two inches above the Nesting Boxes. I didn't remove any boxes because they are secured very sturdy. But I've decided in the next year or so I'm going to pour another concrete foundation and add on to the coop to make it bigger. So that wall the nesting boxes is on will be eventually set back farther. Feels like it will be a bigger project than building the actual coop . I will be placing a PVC gravity feeder inside, along with a VN waterer and use a heat disc for stock tanks in the winter. I'm currently staining the exposed beams as well to give some contrast and will eventually paint it well before the birds are moved to the coop. This is just for aesthetics for me, myself, and I alone my friends sister absolutely insisted that she gets to buy and hang decor inside on the coop walls (why say no?‍)

Thank you all who helped me out. I really do appreciate it!! This site has been absolutely !

I'd also like to say, that anyone who had posted/gave me input on this thread. Come time that I do get fertilized eggs from my Barnevelders (Roo&Hens) I would be very happy and pleased to send hatching eggs of pure Barnies free of charge! If anyone is ever interested that helped me out on this post let me know and I will most certainly Jot your name down and let you know when the time has come! just a a way to say thank you for your time/concern/help!

Thank you much,
Ry.

 

[AmeliaBedelia]

Hiya friends!

I'd just like to let everyone know a quick update about my set up. Been working on it. The roost is off and will be lowering it about two inches above the Nesting Boxes. I didn't remove any boxes because they are secured very sturdy. But I've decided in the next year or so I'm going to pour another concrete foundation and add on to the coop to make it bigger. So that wall the nesting boxes is on will be eventually set back farther. Feels like it will be a bigger project than building the actual coop . I will be placing a PVC gravity feeder inside, along with a VN waterer and use a heat disc for stock tanks in the winter. I'm currently staining the exposed beams as well to give some contrast and will eventually paint it well before the birds are moved to the coop. This is just for aesthetics for me, myself, and I alone my friends sister absolutely insisted that she gets to buy and hang decor inside on the coop walls (why say no?‍)

Thank you all who helped me out. I really do appreciate it!! This site has been absolutely !

I'd also like to say, that anyone who had posted/gave me input on this thread. Come time that I do get fertilized eggs from my Barnevelders (Roo&Hens) I would be very happy and pleased to send hatching eggs of pure Barnies free of charge! If anyone is ever interested that helped me out on this post let me know and I will most certainly Jot your name down and let you know when the time has come! just a a way to say thank you for your time/concern/help!

Thank you much,
Ry.

We might be interested, depending when it is!

 

[The Coop-D-etat]

We might be interested, depending when it is!

No worries, whenever it is convenient for you. I'll jot ya down. Also I'll follow

 

[Carson213]

in our old coop, the roosts were the same height as the boxes...and they still used the roosts...

 

[Carson213]

chicken coop fallacies:

Roosts: they’ll roost on just about anything from a deer antler to a 2x12...at any height.

ventilation: essential. air should blow through the coop. if air blows across where they roost...they’ll need less roosting space and huddle together. if it blows across the nesting boxes, they’ll lay faster.

height of nesting boxes vs roosts: doesn’t really matter.

bedding: either go deep bedding to self compost or no bedding. no bedding is easiest..dries faster. deep bedding self composts but freezes in cold climates.

feeders: hog feeders hold way more and half the cost of chicken feeders.(hog feeders are a great chicken hack. they hold 200 lbs!..i gave away all my chicken feeders)

nesting boxes: back roll outs...and you can heat with seedling mats to prevent freezing.

water: rain collected or $40, 50 gallon barrel with metal nipples

coop door: not necessary if you put roosts at ceiling or get amazon auto door.

the bottom line is...chickens can roost in a tree, forage for food, and lay wherever...so no matter how scientific you get...realize that they will figure it out and where you made a mistake they’ll adapt.

 

[Lumley Farm]

Ok good to know! The roost is just about two and a half feet away from the wall. The window above them is perfectly fine. I got my hands on some some double insulated bathroom windows for the coop. And I used spray foam insulation around it and I've been in there multitudes this winter on windy days to feel for drafts and was pretty good. The only draft I could somewhat feel was coming from below the nesting boxes around my ankles on the floor. That's because of a small gap between the egg latch and the actual coop it can't be more than half an inch wide. I got some seal strips to put around the opening from the egg latch. Some say to use curtains for extra protection but I figured I could just put a piece of cardboard against it if the weather gets really cold. Yes nothing will be in their way for landing. i was luckily enough to get two doors made for houses brand new. They are insulated and everything. I have two one leading into the run and one to the outside for ease of cleaning. Now that I think about it. It's unfortunate that I put that other door leading into run because that took up roost space. That section you see in the picture is the only roost space. Do you have an recommendations to give more roost space. I'm personally not a fan of the ladder roosting method cause I know they all like one level. I was thinking about putting one that connects to each support post going from the wall to the current roost once I lower it a bit. Also would I have lower it? I'm getting SS, barnies, and Black Australorps. That roost wouldn't to be high? Well and a Barnie rooster is coming with my order of 7 hens. Thank you for reading this long winded post

Can you set up roosting posts to be used to jump on and use this to gain access to the final top roost? Kinda like jumping from one level to the next. I had a ladder and took it out the next day....poop collector. I ended up using 2x2x10's as roosts and it has worked out. along the nesting boxes I added a flat walkway, they don't use their feet like my parrot for sure!

 

[Carson213]

i have an old wood ladder that gives access to 6 ft roosts