What is your favorite coop feature?

[emmak]

My favorite feature of our coop happened by mistake. We made a nest box (we thought), but the chickens prefer to roost above it at night. It's the highest place they can roost in the coop. We made a nice roosting bar, but evidently they like the higher spot better. ANYWAY, it turns out that I can put newspaper right under where they roost, in the place we thought they would nest. Most of their inside coop poop is right there. I pull out the newspaper, take it to compost, insert new newspaper!!! These chickens are smart!

 

[CopperCT]

My favorites are the same as many have already said....

1) walk in coop
2) auto chicken door....this is such a great invention!!
3) poop boards
3) outside nests with hinged door to collect eggs
4) electricity....lights I can switch on so I can see in the coop on these long winter nights and plugs for a water heater to keep the water from freezing.
5) water spigot at the coop.....love it in the summer and it's also near the veggie gardens so I don't have to haul heavy hoses so far.
6) three windows-two are double paned old basement windows so they are warmer in the winter but can open up wide in summer.
7) vinyl floor-so easy to clean.
8) Insulated-keeps it cooler in summer and warmer in winter
9) adjustable venting...have 6 vents that can be adjusted to various degrees of open or closed depending on weather conditions
10) painted inside with gloss paint-much easier to scrub off the poop they seem to get everywhere

Good luck with your new coop. I had fun building mine especially after finding all these great ideas right here on BYC. This is such a helpful forum!!

 

[hallerlake]

I think a dutch door is a brilliant idea! We haven't built our door yet. Guess what it is going to be.

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[Dixiedoodle]

I have a 7x 10 coop. No electric, no running water. BUT it is really perfect for me and my girls.

Somethings I am putting in my next coop and run: 1 -Poop board.
2. cement floor
3. completely enclosed run w/ chain link fencing and hardware cloth.
4. windows arcoss from each other.
5. 7' high ceilings and fence--easy to clean and take care of everything.
6. heavy duty metal roofing.
7. solar lights

I would love to add water at the coop.. NOT inside the coop but outside....

 

[alhanse77]

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Okay, I admit it. We want a bigger coop so we can get more chickens.

 

[san415]

I like the girls inside the best. But what has made my life easier and so much less stressful, is that my coop now has electricity run to it from the garage. And my husband made the perfect wood covered box to keep the water in. The box has a hole in the back to run the electric cord (its a heated dog bowl) to the plug. And the front has an open area for the hens to stick their heads into to get a drink. No more frozen water and no more mess kicked into the water. I would take a picture but its dark out and I think the ladies would be very unhappy with me.