What all is my set up missing?

[joebryant]

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I think you've plenty of room for the number of chickens that you have, and the coop is fine for winter since you're in Mississippi. You might consider six inches of sand for the entire floor, coop and run, and spread diatomacious earth (food grade) on the sand once a month; that'd get rid of poop and smell, especially if you'd throw in some bird seed on it every other day to cause the chickens to scratch everything under.
My main concern is that it's NOT predator proof in the least. Chicken wire is only for keeping chickens in; any predator can go right through it. You should have used 1/2-inch hardware cloth for the whole thing, but since you used chicken wire, at least cover the lower 3 feet with hardware cloth.
Also, I can't see well enough to see whether the ends of run at the top have wire over them; they should be covered completely. Also, lay 3 feet 2"x4" fencing all the way around the coop and run on the ground; doing that, predators cannot dig their way into your coop/run.
Check my BYC Page for some ideas.

 

[possumqueen]

click on easygarden.com -- the link is at the bottom of this page -- and search for compost. They'll tell you all about it. Long story short, compost is all the leaves and vegetable leavings and chicken poop mixed together with some water to make a heap. It cooks -- sometimes as high as 150 degrees -- and turns into dirt, and you can then grow ANYTHING in it!

Deep litter is when you spread shavings or the like in the pen so the birds aren't constantly walking in their own poop and leftover feed. When that gets dirty you just put down some more. When it gets deep enough it starts to heat up like compost, and it keeps the birds warm in winter. When it gets too deep to get the doors open you clean it all out and make compost, and then you start over.

You being in Mississippi you wouldn't really need it to keep the birds warm, but it will keep them clean, and it keeps down odors.

 

[possumqueen]

joebryant is right. I didn't see that that was just chicken wire. You do need something stronger to keep out predators.

I was looking at the gate on the shed, which looks like chain link.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Do they get any free range time out of there? What you gonna do with that many birds? Just curious....

 

[MissJenny]

I am also concerned that it doesn't seem to be predator proof -- if something gets in they're goners. It would be much better if your flock could be locked up for the night.

Jenny

 

[teach1rusl]

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Ditto! Roosts available in the "outside" area (wasn't clear if the inside was part of the run???) too...roosting in the sunlight sounds lovely

Someone somewhere mentioned hanging suncatchers to stimulate chickens interest (don't laugh...

I'm getting two for my run...lol). And as others have said, is there a secure/confined area for the nighttime?

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

In order to prevent your chickens from getting bumblefoot, I would make sure that the plank going up to the roosting pole is splinter free and maybe lower the roosting pole. Even though you have a plank going up to it, many of them will probably still jump/fly down from it every morning.

Several of my hens got bumblefoot and it ain't pretty. It's much better to prevent bumblefoot than to try and cure it later. Chickens can get bumblefoof from splinters, cuts, or bruises to their feet, which then allows staph bacteria to enter the foot.

 

[gsim]

More space outside with full sunshine. Inside is more than roomy enough it seems. Compost great for gardens and landscaping around house. Wood chips are free if you can find a line-clearing crew working near enough. They are always looking for places to dump chips. Ditto for tree trimming and removal cos. I have gotten free chips over the years that very way. Also, use your grass clippings for litter. They are great for that and for nest boxes too, and the birds will eat them too, just as they will eat hay in wintertime.

 

[BigPeep]

I missed the predator proofing too. I just assumed you had a way to protect them at night.

If the coop is predator proof, the run doesn't need to be. They will go into the coop on their own at night and you can lock them in.

You might try putting a hardware cloth floor down inside and then put litter over it. Make sure it goes all the way to the edges and is secured to the bottom of the walls with staples. You probably want to run it up the wall a few inches and staple.

You can then seal in the coop section either with hardware cloth on the openings or close the openings with wood, allowing enough for ventilation, also covered with hardware cloth. You might even want to put metal flashing around the bottom on the outside so they can't eat through the wood.

A weasel can get through an opening the size of a quarter. A racoon can eat through the chicken wire. I have had good luck using a "guard goose" inside with the chickens. They're mean and will chase off the smaller predators. I don't know about racoons though. Also a dog that sleeps outside in the area of the coop should keep everything at bay so long as he is large enough.

I would also lose the tin roof on the coop section. If they need shade on hot days you can throw shade cloth over it. Otherwise they should have someplace to sit in the sun, especially over the winter.