Coop, FINALLY DONE!!

[ducks4you]

After TALKING about building or buying a chicken coop, I bought a prefab kit and it's done!!
Here is what it looks like, and, since I had to upload to photobucket, here is the BYC thread about it:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1015846/rural-king-amish-prefab-coop#post_15743245


Yes, that is the stump from my old peach tree that passed away two years ago. I will put their winter heated water bowl on top of it, instead of using bricks.

 

[canesisters]

NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Of course that looks great. I wouldn't expect anything else from you. Doesn't it feel good to get it done?

What are you looking for in the netting? How long, how tall, how big an area? Is it to keep the chickens in or predators out?

 

[Smart Red]

@ducks4you, very nice looking coop! I was wondering about how you would get access to clean it, but the BackYardChicken site you provided shows your 'people' door. Thank you. I like the vinyl flooring idea and intend to use that on my next coop. At the price, I was even thinking of running it partway up the walls. What would you think of that as an idea?

How are you planning to run a heated water bowl in the yard? You are not that far away from South-est, Central-est Wisconsin when it comes to cold winters. I had never given a thought to outside winter water.

 

[baymule]

Congratulations on the new coop!

 

[ninnymary]

It looks really good! Glad this project is done.

Mary

 

[thistlebloom]

Great looking coop Ducks!
I noticed your roosts were 2x4s with the 2" side up. If you rotate them so the 4" side is up it will be more comfortable for your hens and they can hunker down over their toes when it's really cold.
I like the vinyl floor. That's what we used and it's easy to clean out.

 

[catjac1975]

Beautiful!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I see that all the time on the chicken forum. Some people very strongly feel that chickens much prefer 2x4's with the flat side up. Others insist the only way to go is with something round, like a tree branch. Others are extremely happy with 2x4's with the narrow side up. Those discussions can get pretty heated. To back up his opinion one guy even said that since chickens are ground dwelling birds they did not evolve to sleep in trees. They evolved to sleep on the ground where it is flat. Yeah, he really said that. You also get people that say a chicken's toes don't bend. I've tried all three ways (2x4's flat, 2x4's narrow side up, and tree branches) and in my opinion, people care about this a lot more than the chickens do.

My main roosts are now tree branches of various diameters though I have a side roost that is a 2x4 with the narrow side up. I've noticed in the winter when a chicken is sleeping on the smaller part of my tree branch roosts that their feet totally disappear inside their fluffed up feathers when they crouch down to sleep. My winters don't get all that cold, normally just a few degrees zero Fahrenheit. But I really haven't seen any problems with frostbite on their feet.

In my opinion all three work so use what you will. My only suggestion is that if you use sawn lumber round the edges off. That's not to make their toes more comfortable when they wrap around but to protect them against splinters.

 

[lesa]

That looks fabulous! I love the idea of vinyl floor- and going up the wall is a great idea, Red. My birds just love to poop on the side walls- and it is very difficult to wash off. You are really going to enjoy that beauty!