We didn't build it. I bought it from a guy on Craigslist. He wanted $50 for it. Mark went with me to look at it and said it was a good deal since we have no scrap wood and would spend that much on wood to build it. I'd still like a full size coop some day but this is a big improvement from what I had them in. I'm supposed to be getting more chickens from a friend of a friend soon, so I needed something bigger.Here is a view in the front door. Each level has 8 nests in it. 5 in the back and 3 in the front. I put the wood eggs from Gail in 3 of the nests in the back. I'm still waiting on my first egg, but at least they should know where to lay them.
The back doors open up for easy access to the 5 back nests (10 total). We aren't using the top level yet but will when we get more chickens.
To encourage them to spend more time on grass, I've set up these "field shelters" around the pen. They really like them and spend a lot of time in them. I have 3 of these spread around the pen.
Have you ever tried to paint with chickens around? Have you ever tried to paint with really friendly, curious chickens around? They are very helpful!
19 comments:
Great looking coop, I can't wait until you get your first egg. And you're getting more chickens, cool.
Chris
Why can't I ever come across a good deal like your coop? That's awesome. And I love your "field shelters". What a great idea.
RiverBend Farm
Texas
Gread idea on the shelters! Great deal on the coop! Great green grass to look at as well....over here in KY we are needing a shot of green stuff!!!
Rachel
Nice coop and LOL on the paint on the chicken, our cats have "helped" us paint, LOL!
That will be enough nests for a lot of hens. I love the shelters that you made, they are awesome!
I laughed when I saw the paint on the hen. How funny!
Painting with chickens? :) I was sure that my Cochins couldn't get under my shed (this was in Somerset & the shed was a wooden garden one), so I used to put the rat bait under the shed as we had a large rat problem. The Cochin girls dispatched any babies they could find, but the adults were left alone. I decided that the shed needed painting with preservative paint, so cut back all the nettles around the shed & painted it in a dark red colour. My beautiful black Cochins who "couldn't get under the shed" started running around with big red streaks along their backs. Only 1 way that could have happened... I did try to put a paint mark on a couple of Banties that I was prepared to sell ~ they ended up splattered, but it did help when Persi the Perverse (my now dead nanny) let all the youngsters out &b I had to work out which could be sold. In the end, they weren't sold & the paint disappeared.
That is a very nice chicken coop. I thought the girls were looking happy - they had a new home to decorate!:) Great paint job!!
Logan and You did a very fine job.
That is just too cute! And those field shelters are really excellent ideas!! Ours chickens enjoy hanging out in the shrubs and under trees here, and they love the pallet palace Eric made for the kids!! lol
My chickens want your grass! Any ideas how I can reseed the area without the chickens eating all the seeds? Last year I had 2 winter rabbit runs I used to seed 2 small areas with oats & barley, but the goats ate the plants within 1/2 hour once I removed the runs & then killed the runs by jumping on them. The poultry have the area I want to reseed (Rawnie Spangle ate ALL the plant growth after we moved & only nettles grew back)
Killi - I'm not sure how to reseed an area the chickens are in. I have a few areas in my chicken's pen that I would like to reseed. I would think maybe do it in areas and put a fence around the area while the grass grows. I got one of those portable dog pens on Craigslist and will use it to protect areas from the chickens.
I like your new coop!
I know the chickens do too.
We are still hoping for our next hatch in a couple of weeks to be really good.
We have our temperature set higher and put our hatching trays up off the floor.
So...you know you just have to get some of these biddies.
Great buy on the coop.
Have a good day.
Pam
Wow! What an innovative and tidy little chicken coop you got there. What a great deal. It looks nice and sturdy and perfect for a small beginner flock. I love that you are 'recycling', too. We tried to do that with the coop we built, too. We did have to buy some new lumber, though, and your hubby is right. Buying lumber can become very pricey.
Oh. And I think the color is perfect...looks like a little red barn. So cute!
Have the chickens figured out to go into sleep in there yet?
I remember having to pick up my chickens one by one, and putting them into the coop, for the first week after our coop was built.
They would all bundle up into a ball in a corner of the chicken run instead of going into the house. Silly birds!
Congrats on the coop! Will you give it a name? Maybe Casa Pollo? hehe
~Lisa
aka~Rapunzle
Oh! And lol! on the painted chickens, too.
This past October we were cleaning out pumpkins while carving them for Halloween. We had the chickens out, too. Well, they were so curious and had to be in the middle of everything they ended up with seeds and slimy guts all over themselves. hehe
~Lisa
i love your coop! Bet you will be getting eggs in a few days after they adjust to their new home.
Good looking coop. Craig's list is amazing.
I love how chickens are such great helpers, too.
Lisa - I had to put them to bed in there the first night but after that they had it down. I seem to have pretty smart chickens. Pumpkin covered chickens sounds yucky! Now I have to name the coop too. Ahh....
That's a great little coop!! I can see you progressing to a bigger walk-in one though with your (and your son's) love of chickens!!
You should try painting with emus! They are just as bad if not worse!! Not only do they brush up next to the painted surface but peck at the metal part on the brush, the handle on the paint bucket, etc. etc.! :)
Wrensong - The girls kept trying to peck the paint in the can! I finally had to move the can to the top of the coop.
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