Woot we have a bouncing baby coop

[Celticdragonfly]

My DH Miles is the BEST. Today was the day to get a LOT of work done - as it was then going to RAIN.

We picked up a square gazebo with two extending sides - on sale at Atwoods for a good price - here's an online pic I found of it
https://photos-us.bazaarvoice.com/photo/2/cGhvdG86cnVyYWxraW5n/b7824add-abe6-56f7-8939-59e74b3bb0f5

Miles got this weatherproofing and UV proofing stuff for it and had got that put on earlier in the week.

So today was work on staplegunning more of the wire apron, work on cutting down more of the overgrown old bushes in the way of where the gazebo was going to go - which will shade the coop and run more, and provide us comfy shady spots to sit and enjoy chicken free range time - get the coop put up, get old stuff out of the way, etc.

I did what I could, but couldn't handle being out in the sun very long. The kids did good work, and Miles did more than anything. He's tired and sore and cut and sunburned now, poor honey. He's doing all this just because he loves us.

 

[Yardchicklyfe]

Beautiful!! How many birds does it house?

 

[Celticdragonfly]

Beautiful!! How many birds does it house?

4 chicks coming up on 6 weeks old. We'll see if they're all pullets. I have concerns about the mistake mystery chick who seems to be a bantam white cochin.

 

[Celticdragonfly]

A BUNCH more work has been done on the coop.

The fourth wall of the apron is finally finished, the one that goes across the south end of the coop, to prevent any REALLY ambitious digging predator from digging all the way under the coop to get into the run. Miles did lots of clever adjustments to get it properly set in with the door.

Also today we made feeders for grit and for oyster shell, thanks to @imnukensc for the idea.


The one next to the feeding station is now filled with chicken grit. As I understand it, no oyster shell until they start laying. But it's ready when the time comes. I drilled lots of little holes in the bottom for water drainage, not that I expect them to get water in them on that side of the run, but just in case.

Sod staples / lawn pins went down all around the apron, especially at the corners, and inner and outer edge of the overlap spots.

Here you can see the apron finished.

We made a swing for them, need to go pick up a screw hook or two for it. I'm not sure if they'll like it better if it's hung up with the strings in two separate spots, so it won't twist, or if it's hung up in one, so it will twist.



I got some food grade DE, and @Purple Rose added some to the PDZ in the poop board, some mixed in with the bedding in the coop, and a bit mixed in with the Swheatscoop that we're using for a dust bath for them.

Here's a couple shots of them in the run in the evening dust bathing.



I'm thinking I want a window on the east side of the coop, to match the one on the west, so that we'll be able to look in on them more easily, and to have even better ventilation.

At some point I should write all this up as my coop page so I can link it to my profile - but honestly, I'm not sure this coop is ever going to be *DONE*, I keep having plans to improve, we're going to get back to the big PVC pipe water and feeder projects sometime.

 

[Miss Eliza]

It's done!

There is some space at the bottom of the run, because they built it on blocks so it would be level. We need to get pavers or something to block that off, whitewash the inside of the coop, and make the anti-predator apron.

The side facing the house
View attachment 1776977
Door to the coop on the south side
View attachment 1776978

Inside the run looking at the coop
View attachment 1776979

In the run looking north
View attachment 1776980
Roost with poop board tray - roost can move and the whole tray can come out for cleaning if needed.
View attachment 1776981

Nesting boxes
View attachment 1776982

West wall, window with shutters since storms tend to come from west or southwest
View attachment 1776983

The run door has springs so it will close, and a latch string inside to open it.
View attachment 1776984

Whoah, I’d move into that! Beautiful!

 

[Celticdragonfly]

Whoah, I’d move into that! Beautiful!

Why thank you. Most of the credit should go to Little Chicken Coop on the Prairie
https://lccotp.wixsite.com/coops
that built it for us, as I have neither the knowledge, skill, tools (although we're starting to accumulate them) or physical ability to build like that.

I must admit, I'd been seeing articles go by like Fireguy's
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/fireguy56s-chicken-coop.48317/
and Sandy's
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/sandyks-chicken-coop.48329/

and had been feeling bad that we'd never be at that level.

 

[aart]

Excellent work there!

At some point I should write all this up as my coop page so I can link it to my profile - but honestly, I'm not sure this coop is ever going to be *DONE*, I keep having plans to improve, we're going to get back to the big PVC pipe water and feeder projects sometime.

Boy, that's for sure.
I found it took about a year of use to find all the things that really needed some attention/design changes.

 

[aart]

I must admit, I'd been seeing articles go by like Fireguy's
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/fireguy56s-chicken-coop.48317/
and Sandy's
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/sandyks-chicken-coop.48329/

and had been feeling bad that we'd never be at that level.

Don't compare yourself to those...they are more like residential house builds than chicken coops!

 

[TwoShepherds]

Beautiful coop! I love it! I am sure your chicks love it too!

I also admire the coops like on the pages you linked to. Even if I had the skills and the tools to do something like that, it'd be hard to find the time with two toddlers. I did what you did and hired some help. Looks like your husband did a good job with the apron. I know that hardware cloth is hard on the fingers having used it on my chick brooder. I can also relate to never feeling done. Our coop was finally delivered and I just finished the floor, but I still need to predator proof the windows (hello again, hardware cloth) and build a run. and I want to add an auto-door, and now I'm thinking I'd like to partially roof the run, which we don't even have yet, and oh wouldn't it be nice if I had two runs on either side of the coop, so I could rest and rotate half like people do with horse pastures, ect, ect. Anyway, your coop looks not only functional but beautiful. I think you're going to enjoy it and your chickens for a long time!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I must admit, I'd been seeing articles go by like Fireguy's and Sandy's and had been feeling bad that we'd never be at that level.

I won't even pretend I could build a dog house, never mind a coop. Not at all ashamed that I paid a professional to build and assemble one for me.

I did at least build the roost and nest box! Both are slightly crooked but the chickens don't mind it.