EddieSalita
Songster
This coop is made almost entirely from pine fence pailings and 70x35 pine framing. Exceptions being the areas of hardware cloth and the roof. This was an effort to keep costs down and to keep durability and rustic look up. It's a raised coop to provide certain features. Such as; mobility, predator proofness, ventilation, ability to clean
My basic requirements were as follows:
- ventilation. Our subtropical Australian climate is characterised by long hot (up to 45c) and very wet summers. With dry and mild winters. The lowest temperatures we see at night in winter are about 5c. Once or twice a year we sometimes get a very very light frost.
- raised off the ground. Due to our quite high annual rainfall condensed into 3-5 months. Things can get soggy. Weeks or months of very wet ground. I wanted it raised not just for heat ventilation. But for dryness. We often get rather violent thunderstorms. So the chickens need a dry and roomy refuge to be truly happy.
-doors on all sides. As above I wanted doors on all sides so it can be opened. For airing out, cleaning and disinfection if required. It also gives easy acess to poop boards and to rake out and replace flooring cover material.
- Predators.this is another reason the coop is raised. It eliminates the need for aprons etc. Our night predators include: large pythons, large monitor lizards, wild pigs, dogs and foxes. It's really only the first two of major concern. They can be devastating. Our dog and boundary fence provide significant deterrence for the latter. Along with electric netting.
- Mobility. I wanted to be able to move the coop pretty easily. We have two food forests. About 50m apart. I can hook it up to the vehicle towbar and readily move it every month or few. This let's me rest an area and revive and regrow fodder p,ants and fruit trees for the birds. It's also gives insect life a chance to repopulate. Happy healthy chickens are priority.
It also prevents the chooks sending an area sour. So no smells etc....nature loves disturbance, but also loves periods of rest.
-poop boards. Greatest thing ever. Highly recommended. Makes coop maintenance a breeze. Keeps smell issues completely absent. Deep litter while good. Isn't always agreeable in a climate such as ours. Also my wife and mum use this coop and like to contribute. Cleaning out deep litter is unpleasant and to much work for them. This way is better.
- breeding. We wanted the option to let broody hens brood within the main flocks coop. This design allows us to section off a nesting box or two on one end with hardware cloth. Create another hatch opening with an enclosed area. So mum can be separated from everyone but within the flock, at the same time. When the chicks are old enough, barriers and enclosures can be removed and it's like they were together all along.
Features are ventilated palings as flooring. With light covering of bedding material. Zeolite poop boards, nice high roost with lots of high up ventilation. Doors on all sides. Towable, removable wheels. High enough to stand inside. Removable nesting boxes.
This coop has 17 chickens. It can probably do quite a few more than that if needed. There is a couple little finishing touches left. A good eye will spot those
but the choo,s like it and I will get around to it soon.
The wheels didn't work out quite perfectly. Hence the outriggers at the back. But they work now and the outriggers while not great looking are effective stumps when they don't have the wheel saddles on.
Enjoy
My basic requirements were as follows:
- ventilation. Our subtropical Australian climate is characterised by long hot (up to 45c) and very wet summers. With dry and mild winters. The lowest temperatures we see at night in winter are about 5c. Once or twice a year we sometimes get a very very light frost.
- raised off the ground. Due to our quite high annual rainfall condensed into 3-5 months. Things can get soggy. Weeks or months of very wet ground. I wanted it raised not just for heat ventilation. But for dryness. We often get rather violent thunderstorms. So the chickens need a dry and roomy refuge to be truly happy.
-doors on all sides. As above I wanted doors on all sides so it can be opened. For airing out, cleaning and disinfection if required. It also gives easy acess to poop boards and to rake out and replace flooring cover material.
- Predators.this is another reason the coop is raised. It eliminates the need for aprons etc. Our night predators include: large pythons, large monitor lizards, wild pigs, dogs and foxes. It's really only the first two of major concern. They can be devastating. Our dog and boundary fence provide significant deterrence for the latter. Along with electric netting.
- Mobility. I wanted to be able to move the coop pretty easily. We have two food forests. About 50m apart. I can hook it up to the vehicle towbar and readily move it every month or few. This let's me rest an area and revive and regrow fodder p,ants and fruit trees for the birds. It's also gives insect life a chance to repopulate. Happy healthy chickens are priority.
It also prevents the chooks sending an area sour. So no smells etc....nature loves disturbance, but also loves periods of rest.
-poop boards. Greatest thing ever. Highly recommended. Makes coop maintenance a breeze. Keeps smell issues completely absent. Deep litter while good. Isn't always agreeable in a climate such as ours. Also my wife and mum use this coop and like to contribute. Cleaning out deep litter is unpleasant and to much work for them. This way is better.
- breeding. We wanted the option to let broody hens brood within the main flocks coop. This design allows us to section off a nesting box or two on one end with hardware cloth. Create another hatch opening with an enclosed area. So mum can be separated from everyone but within the flock, at the same time. When the chicks are old enough, barriers and enclosures can be removed and it's like they were together all along.
Features are ventilated palings as flooring. With light covering of bedding material. Zeolite poop boards, nice high roost with lots of high up ventilation. Doors on all sides. Towable, removable wheels. High enough to stand inside. Removable nesting boxes.
This coop has 17 chickens. It can probably do quite a few more than that if needed. There is a couple little finishing touches left. A good eye will spot those
but the choo,s like it and I will get around to it soon.The wheels didn't work out quite perfectly. Hence the outriggers at the back. But they work now and the outriggers while not great looking are effective stumps when they don't have the wheel saddles on.
Enjoy
