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  1. dvsmith

    DIY Coop and Run -- Design Feedback

    New update: nesting box curtains!
  2. dvsmith

    Heartbroken -- I've lost a hen for the first time… no idea what happened to her

    Argh. That’s awful.
  3. dvsmith

    Heartbroken -- I've lost a hen for the first time… no idea what happened to her

    The necropsy determined that cause of death was most likely coccidiosis. We’ve seen no signs of bloody, foamy, or yellow stools. I picked up a bottle of Corid this morning and have begun a five day treatment in their water.
  4. dvsmith

    Heartbroken -- I've lost a hen for the first time… no idea what happened to her

    Thankfully, North Carolina State University has an incredible diagnostic veterinary lab, and it’s only 30 minutes from my house. I just dropped off her body for necropsy and should have some answers in two days. The rest of the flock is acting completely normally but we are keeping a close eye...
  5. dvsmith

    Heartbroken -- I've lost a hen for the first time… no idea what happened to her

    Vinyl coated 19 gauge galvanized steel ½" hardware cloth.
  6. dvsmith

    Heartbroken -- I've lost a hen for the first time… no idea what happened to her

    A short while ago, I discovered one of my 12 week old Cuckoo Marans, Fifi, laying motionless at a funny angle under the henhouse inside the run. I retrieved her body -- no apparent injuries; her legs and wings were stiff, her eyes closed and slightly sunken, but her head and neck just flops...
  7. dvsmith

    DIY Coop and Run -- Design Feedback

    Other than some touch up paint, installing a drip edge on the east roof, glazing the windows, boxing in a dust bath spot, building a stand for the water bottles, and making cabinet doors, the coop is finished as far as I’m concerned. Have I missed anything?
  8. dvsmith

    DIY Coop and Run -- Design Feedback

    No reason to feel any shame. I had to build mine to code, so I went all-out. (I also figured that if the chicken experiment didn't take, we could repurpose the framing for something else.)
  9. dvsmith

    DIY Coop and Run -- Design Feedback

    I added 1x4" trim work yesterday, to help protect the siding and make it look a little more finished. I also framed-in the windows for the front doors and for the interior ventilation window, as well as adding a trapeze roosting bar.
  10. dvsmith

    DIY Coop and Run -- Design Feedback

    Thanks for the kind words. I’m just learning as I go along.
  11. dvsmith

    DIY Coop and Run -- Design Feedback

    The thunderstorms did not materialize the other night and ambient daytime temperatures are projected to reach 100°F (38°C) and overnight lows only dipping to the low 80s (28-29°C). So, I decided to make another running change to the henhouse (I’d already been considering it when @aart suggested...
  12. dvsmith

    DIY Coop and Run -- Design Feedback

    Despite the crazy high temps today, I managed to get the siding painted with a top coat of red barn paint. Meanwhile, the girls enjoyed the new feeder, grass clippings, and lots of watermelon. Locating the coop in the shade makes it a good 5-10°F cooler during the heat of the day. I still need...
  13. dvsmith

    DIY Coop and Run -- Design Feedback

    Is there a food safe way to allow moisture to escape, without allowing vermin and insects in? North Carolina can be very humid, although the hopper is located under the roof and the interior is painted with ann exterior grade sealant. The lid is not airtight and does have some venting at the...
  14. dvsmith

    DIY Coop and Run -- Design Feedback

    It’s been a slow few days lately, as I take care of stuff at home and work in the evenings to avoid the heat of the day. I’ve primed the henhouse and added two features I’d planned if I had time and materials: a storage cabinet under the nesting boxes and a hopper-style feeder. The cabinet is...
  15. dvsmith

    Coop Windows Question

    Yes, you still need some sort of hardware cloth barrier. Window screens are not strong enough and predators (such as snakes and raccoons) can climb.
  16. dvsmith

    DIY Coop and Run -- Design Feedback

    Small update today. We had a friend over who’s raised chickens for years to take a look at the coop and give me feedback. It passed her inspection. 😊 I finished getting the siding on, tightened up the hardware cloth and adjusted the fit of the front doors.
  17. dvsmith

    DIY Coop and Run -- Design Feedback

    Today’s work may not be immediately obvious, but it was critically important. The weather has turned from weeks of daily torrential rains, severe thunderstorms, and temps in the 70ºs and 80ºs to bone dry, wind-less, with highs in the mid-90ºs (35-37ºC). I spent most of the day adding screw...
  18. dvsmith

    DIY Coop and Run -- Design Feedback

    Thank you!
  19. dvsmith

    DIY Coop and Run -- Design Feedback

    As promised, some daytime photos. Still need to drill out more ventilation, build some storage, craft a built-in feeder solution, finish the siding and paintwork.
  20. dvsmith

    DIY Coop and Run -- Design Feedback

    Soooooo tired. Almost as tired as the chickens. The structure is done, the run is fully enclosed, the watering system works, the door opener works and the birds have (sort of) figured out the ladder. It was a joy watching them Run around the run. I’ve two thermometers in the henhouse...
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