What Are Your Coop & Care Challenges?

[Audrey2024]

Hi everyone!

I am a student studying industrial design and working on a project focused on improving common chicken-keeping challenges, and I’d love to hear from experienced keepers like you. Growing up I kept chickens and ducks for eggs so I'm very passionate about the animals, along with how I can improve their quality of life. If you have any frustrations, clever DIY solutions, or “I wish there was a product for this” moments, I’d love to hear about them! My goal is to better understand real-world challenges and explore potential solutions. All feedback is greatly appreciated.

Some topics I'm looking into...
Feeding Systems – Do you deal with waste, pests, or difficulty keeping feed fresh?
Nesting Boxes – Have you had trouble with egg breakage, hens avoiding boxes, or cleaning challenges?
Chicken Enrichment – What do you do to keep your flock entertained and prevent boredom-related issues like feather picking?
Climate Challenges – How do you handle extreme heat or cold to keep your birds safe and comfortable?
Waste Management & Bedding – What bedding materials do you use, and how do you handle cleaning? Do you compost your chicken waste?
Space Limitations – If you have a small coop or run, what challenges do you face with space and flock management?
Predator Resistance – Have you had issues with predators? What solutions have worked (or failed) for protecting your flock?

Thank you in advance for the feedback! It is greatly appreciated!!
I am open to further conversations/interviews as well.

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi, and welcome to BYC!

It would be a good idea for you to visit the Learning Center as well as other sections under the Article tab as our members write articles to help others with these issues.

There are also forums that cover these topics.

I'll go ahead and quickly try answer some but there are so many answers to some of your topics, and on others, maybe only a couple.

Feed: Most just use regular chicken feeders, and mostly in the coop or a covered run. Feed doesn't last forever so has to be either purchased as needed or stored in airtight bins.

Nesting Boxes: Should be about 1' square. Can be filled with straw or horse bedding pellets. Some may use other medium, we use the latter.

Chicken Enrichment: Those that free range don't need any entertainment. Those that can't, some will hang treats for them. There are some articles on other ideas. Featherpicking generally comes from two main causes: Lack of protein or overcrowding.

Climate Challenges: Those in cold climates tend to have insulated coops where those in warmer ones have more open concepts. Many in sub-zero winters heat their coops, as we do, to 40F, but there are also breeds of chickens that handle the cold better than others.

Waste Management & Bedding: We use horse bedding pellets in the coops and once a year, at which point they are about 80% sawdust, we clean them out. Some of it goes around trees, in the garden or the compost bins. Many use other methods, which you could find articles or posts about; deep litter, sand, straw, etc. and other mediums.

Space Limitations:
There is a "rule" about space. A coop should have 4 square feet per chicken, and the run if they have one should be 15 square feet per chicken. When we've needed a place to put our younger chicks that can be outside but can't be in the coop, we build hutches (like doghouses) and a pen made of 1/2" hardware cloth (keeps predators out.)

Predator Resistance:
Livestock Guardian Dogs, (LGD) or dogs that guard chickens is the best, to keep them away from the chickens. Solar motion lights help, and as mentioned, 1/2" hardware cloth can keep chickens safe from nearly everything but bear.

 

[DobieLover]

Welcome to BYC Audrey.

Feeding Systems – Do you deal with waste, pests, or difficulty keeping feed fresh?

I have homemade feeding troughs that are suspended in the run that has a solid roof so it stays clean and dry.

I developed an English sparrow problem a couple of years ago so I installed a screen with magnetic catches on it to keep them out. It took the flock a while to figure out how to open the screen doors but they've got it down now.

Nesting Boxes – Have you had trouble with egg breakage, hens avoiding boxes, or cleaning challenges?

I designed my boxes to permit at least 2" of thick nesting material as well as enough height to let the hens comfortably stand when the egg actually exits the body.

Chicken Enrichment – What do you do to keep your flock entertained and prevent boredom-related issues like feather picking?

My birds have a large predator proof run with branches, stumps, wood chips and an old chair in it but they also have a 1/3 acre pen with native grass, weeds and some planting I installed to forage in during temperate weather.

Climate Challenges – How do you handle extreme heat or cold to keep your birds safe and comfortable?

During extreme cold, they get a heated electrolyte spiked mash. During extreme heat they get just the electrolyte spiked mash, a floor fan in the run and a box fan aimed at them in the coop.

Waste Management & Bedding – What bedding materials do you use, and how do you handle cleaning? Do you compost your chicken waste?

I use poop boards that are sifted daily. I clean the coop out annually. Everything goes into a compost bin that I use for all my landscape plants and veggie garden beds. My tomato plants have collapsed their extra large heavy duty cages 2 years in a row due to the size they reach. I will tie them off with posts this year to prevent that happening again.

Space Limitations – If you have a small coop or run, what challenges do you face with space and flock management?

I don't. I gave them the 1/3 acre I wasn't really using for anything else.

Predator Resistance – Have you had issues with predators? What solutions have worked (or failed) for protecting your flock?

I had issues with the neighbors dog and one loss to a hawk. I have them confined using electrified poultry netting and only lost the one to a hawk in almost 7 years. The dog got his when he peed on the electric fence.

 

[ChaosMom]

...I had issues with the neighbors dog and one loss to a hawk. I have them confined using electrified poultry netting and only lost the one to a hawk in almost 7 years. The dog got his when he peed on the electric fence.
View attachment 4057318

I once had a male Golden Retriever determined to get out of the back yard. I ran a wire along the bottom of the fence. He was determined, even chewing on it (and shaking his head afterward, then chewing again), but it was only when he hiked his leg on it that he admitted defeat.