Question:
Do I need anything else in the coop? The girls are only in there at night to sleep, and sometimes during the day if they just want a rest (the coop door is always open during the day). It looks.... bare.
More details:
My husband finished my coop last week and the girls (4 Orpingtons, 10 weeks old) moved in! They have a small run to hang out in when they can't free range (e.g. if we go out to dinner before their coop door closes for the night) but are usually free ranging in the yard. We have 20 acres, but they only use around .2 of the 20. lol.
- I painted the floor and laying boxes with Blackjack-57 (amazing stuff - filled all the nooks and crannies)
- I lightly covered the parameter (inside and out) of the coop and run with first Saturday lime
- Covered the floor of the coop with a mixture of hemp and pine shavings
- Put up one perch (will put up the higher level if the girls need it later)
- One of my chicks, Hopper, does not fly so my hubby put up a chicken-walk to the roost for her
- I have little mats in the nesting boxes (for later)
- Put in a round dog-bed they used when they lived in my office (they sometimes hang out on that during the day when they are not in the yard)
- I leave their coop and run doors open so they can come and go as they please
- I feed them outside, but leave water both in and out of the coop
Do I need anything else in the coop? The girls are only in there at night to sleep, and sometimes during the day if they just want a rest (the coop door is always open during the day). It looks.... bare.
More details:
My husband finished my coop last week and the girls (4 Orpingtons, 10 weeks old) moved in! They have a small run to hang out in when they can't free range (e.g. if we go out to dinner before their coop door closes for the night) but are usually free ranging in the yard. We have 20 acres, but they only use around .2 of the 20. lol.
- I painted the floor and laying boxes with Blackjack-57 (amazing stuff - filled all the nooks and crannies)
- I lightly covered the parameter (inside and out) of the coop and run with first Saturday lime
- Covered the floor of the coop with a mixture of hemp and pine shavings
- Put up one perch (will put up the higher level if the girls need it later)
- One of my chicks, Hopper, does not fly so my hubby put up a chicken-walk to the roost for her
- I have little mats in the nesting boxes (for later)
- Put in a round dog-bed they used when they lived in my office (they sometimes hang out on that during the day when they are not in the yard)
- I leave their coop and run doors open so they can come and go as they please
- I feed them outside, but leave water both in and out of the coop
