For all you homesteaders, gardeners, or urban farmers out there, here are some photos of a chicken coop I designed for some hens to have fresh eggs.
The design has a short chicken run along the bottom that can be opened and extended if needed. It has a protected area up top with good ventilation and two roosting rods, then adjacent laying boxes on the side that can be accessed from the outside for eggs by opening the hinged roof section. Finally, I raised the coop off the ground to help keep critters out, prevent rusting of the chicken wire, and to let the manure fall through.
We lived in a wooded area next to two creeks. I tried free ranging chickens at my place but had attacks from hawks, owls, snakes, a pack of coyotes, and a bobcat snooping around, but I never lost a single hen in this coop.
I would keep 4 to 10 hens in this coop, and usually get an egg from each every other day.
Hope you find the information useful or interesting.
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This is less a chicken coop than it is a work of art. That's some upscale bird condo you've built. The information is both useful and interesting. And it's a great topic for a post. The more people turn to ways they can reclaim independent living , the more relevant this will become.
I'd love to see you do a follow-up to this -- a longer post with more pictures. I'd love to see some shots of inside the egg boxes ... and if pictures of the inside are too hard to get, maybe a description of how you've designed things in there.
Also, how do you feed and water the chickens? Bowls? And if the coop floor isn't on the ground, is lots of spilled food a problem? How easy is it to clean (every woman's question!!) ... or is that not an issue?
How portable is this? Do you move it from time to time? Was that any kind of consideration in the construction?
Being so far south, maybe winter isn't as much of a problem for you ... but do you have to make any special provisions in cold weather? How do the hens get into the upper story? Can they fly in that enclosed area enough to make it that high?
Are there things you'd do differently in building another one? Is 2 - 5 eggs a day enough for your own family ... or do you plan another one / a larger one that would accommodate more hens?
Just some questions that might make another / 2nd post from this same topic. (2 posts for the price of 1 ... for double the votes!!)
Welcome to Steemit ... and to our group! I hope you enjoy being part of the project as it grows!
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Thank you.
The water is in the lower section so that spills go through the wire. The food is in the upper part in a hanging chicken feeder, spilled food lands on the wood floor.
It was designed to be portable and I was going to have wheels on it, and I did move it a few times, but it is heavier than it looks.
The chickens were always fine with how cold it gets in Texas, but sometimes the water froze over. A heat lamp could be added in the upper area.
To get to the upper story I was going to have a ramp or ladder, but saw that they could just jump or fly up to the upper area, so I eliminated the ramp.
The eggs were sufficient in number for us, but I might have make it a little bigger or more portable, and maybe add a chicken run to a grassy area or garden.
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Thank you. Yes, I was a little concerned about the wire on their feet, but over the years there has never been a problem so I guess their feet are tough enough. As for pecking the ground, they do get out some for short periods of time but I would like to add a long run with a door at one end of the coop.
It is a pretty coop. The wild animals in that area were crazy. Coyotes ran through the yard in the middle of the day and would kill the chickens then come back for them after a little while. The coop definitely saved some chicken lives. ;)
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Thats an impressive coop, they'll be living in luxury
Only the best for those that provide me with food.
I like you attitude, a happy bird will produce better eggs :)
Very modern... for the upper class chicken, clearly! ;)
Yes, mine are no ordinary bird, some are americanas that lay a blue eggs. No need for special dyes if you like colorful eggs.
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Quite a nice design for the chicken coop. I do believe though that you would need a bigger sized coop, when the chickens start growing bigger.
Nice post though, @panamapilgrim
I live in the city these days, but I still have fond memories of feeding the chickens as a little kid!
Some people have small bani chickens in small urban gardens in the city so the can have their own fresh eggs.
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