# Chicken coop/run



## kgb6days (Apr 1, 2016)

Hi everyone,

I'm new to chicken keeping and am loving it. Our coop is an old unused dog house a friend gave us. It's 4X7. We had it modified to include egg boxes, large doors for cleanup, roosts and chicken door. It's insulated on the bottom and has top venting running the entire width on the front and back. Hubby built the run at 7X12, completely enclosed in hardware cloth and added poly roofing over it - some clear and some opaque for shade. The coop is so heavy we decided to place it on solid cinderblock. It gets the morning sun and is shaded in the afternoon (important in hot muggy NC). We plan to cover the ground with construction grade sand. In the afternoons we sit in the shade behind the coop and watch the chickens. It's become our zen place. Any feedback for improvements is appreciated. Don't know how to rotate the pics so some are on their side - sorry

Kristy in NC


----------



## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

That's one of the best recycling jobs I've ever seen. Someone stood back and saw how to utilize every bit of floor space. Did you mention roosts? I'm sleep deprived and had to read several sentences more than once.

What you might want to invest in is a bit of shade cloth. I've found it to be so versatile when needs arrive. Since I'm in the south I know what it can get like. If the sun is too intense in the AM you can hang that up with clothes pins to protect them until the sun moves overhead.


----------



## kgb6days (Apr 1, 2016)

What you might want to invest in is a bit of shade cloth. I've found it to be so versatile when needs arrive. Since I'm in the south I know what it can get like. If the sun is too intense in the AM you can hang that up with clothes pins to protect them until the sun moves overhead.[/QUOTE]

Great idea with the shade cloth! In fact I've got one that came with our motorhome that we never use. That would be perfect! Yes there are roosts inside, two of them as well as one in the run.


----------



## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

It's also great when it's raining. With your solid roof on the run the shade cloth will also help keep things dry in the run.

I haven't used mine for a hard driving rain, I have a tarp I drop when that happens.


----------



## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Are you taking your pics with a phone? Those seem to be the ones that do that most.

I have always uploaded mine to my computer so I can adjust whatever needs adjusting.


----------



## kgb6days (Apr 1, 2016)

Yes to the phone, but they've been uploaded to my computer and show straight, and then uploaded to forum. I'm too old to be techno literate


----------



## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Nice looking set-up.You and your hubby did an excellent job with recycling the dog house-I never would've guessed it was a dog house.


----------



## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

You have an excellent looking set up! I cant tell in the pics if the roosts are raised too high or not. If the roosts are mounted high, consider lowering them. Lowering roosts will prevent foot/leg injuries as your birds grow older/heavier when they jump or fly down. Do the nest boxes have some type of locking mechanism to prevent crafty raccoons from getting inside the nest box/coop at night? If not, it's something that I'd recommend.


----------



## kgb6days (Apr 1, 2016)

dawg53 said:


> You have an excellent looking set up! I cant tell in the pics if the roosts are raised too high or not. If the roosts are mounted high, consider lowering them. Lowering roosts will prevent foot/leg injuries as your birds grow older/heavier when they jump or fly down. Do the nest boxes have some type of locking mechanism to prevent crafty raccoons from getting inside the nest box/coop at night? If not, it's something that I'd recommend.


DH placed two locks on the nest boxes to prevent anyone taking advantage of them. That lid is so heavy though I can hardly lift it - I can't imagine a 4 legged predator getting in even without locks. We did place a limb up to the roosting bar in the run for them to climb up/down on. They really take advantage of that. I'd like to keep it at that height so we've thought about making a 'ladder' for them to get up & down that would be more permanent. Thanks for the feedback!


----------



## 8hensalaying (Jun 5, 2015)

I love it!!! Great job!


----------



## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Welcome and that's an awesome setup! these setups always make me feel like I should have focused more on attractiveness versus just putting things together safely. I have a coop covered with shade cloth and a tarp covering a part of the area. What I have found is trees work better for some reason. So most of my chickens have tree shade all day. I built on the north side of the bunch of trees. I think it keeps the ground cooler so when we get a breeze, the breeze comes across shaded ground so the breeze is actually cooler.


----------



## SunshineAcre (Apr 14, 2016)

Great Setup and smart to think big when a newbie. We have upgraded our coop a few times but if I knew originally what I know now our design would have been very similar to yours! Good luck!


----------



## kgb6days (Apr 1, 2016)

Thanks for the compliments and the suggestions. We are enjoying and can hardly wait to get the sand down in the run


----------



## 8hensalaying (Jun 5, 2015)

I was so dazzled from the pics that I completely missed that you are from NC  howdy neighbor! I live about 13 miles west of Winston Salem. Are you close? Also did I miss what breeds you have? Looking forward to getting to know you here


----------



## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

It's very nice. I wish I had the motivation to rebuild some of my stuff.


----------



## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

seminolewind said:


> It's very nice. I wish I had the motivation to rebuild some of my stuff.


If it works with the changes you've made, don't touch it. Cute is wonderful but safe takes top billing.

Two of mine looked like they had been hit by tornadoes but nothing could get in at them at night. And they protected the birds from Rita and Katrina. That's all I cared about.


----------



## 8hensalaying (Jun 5, 2015)

I like cute because my coop is visible from the road, but safety comes first!!! I do love the coconut fiber planters on the front. found some at big lots and am thinking of adding them to mine


----------



## kgb6days (Apr 1, 2016)

8hensalaying said:


> I was so dazzled from the pics that I completely missed that you are from NC  howdy neighbor! I live about 13 miles west of Winston Salem. Are you close? Also did I miss what breeds you have? Looking forward to getting to know you here


Hi neighbor! We're just a little west on Salisbury so not too far from you. I really like this forum - seems friendlier than some others I've been on. I wanted my coop to be acceptable to the neighbors since we live in a small development. No HOA but still wanted to not offend anyone. I don't think I have cause they keep asking me when the eggs start. We have 2 Leghorns, 4 black sex links and 2 EEs.


----------



## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

This is a perfect example that we don't all live in the sticks where neighbors can't see a thing unless they come up the driveway.


----------



## 8hensalaying (Jun 5, 2015)

I love Salisbury, We go there quite often. Mom used to take us downtown when we were kids (our orthodontist was there) we would eat at Salisbury lunch (don't even know if it still exists) , and go shopping and to the "bread store" the merita outlet, always smelled sooooo good. We take our DD to Dan Nicholas park a couple of times a year. Lovely place


----------



## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

kgb6days said:


> Hi neighbor! We're just a little west on Salisbury so not too far from you. I really like this forum - seems friendlier than some others I've been on. I wanted my coop to be acceptable to the neighbors since we live in a small development. No HOA but still wanted to not offend anyone. I don't think I have cause they keep asking me when the eggs start. We have 2 Leghorns, 4 black sex links and 2 EEs.


LOL, with Leghorns and Black Stars you'll have more eggs than you'll know what to do with!


----------



## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

robin416 said:


> And they protected the birds from Rita and Katrina. That's all I cared about.


 That's how I built my coops with tropical storms and cat 1 hurricanes in mind.


----------



## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I guess this is where I should thank my hubs for building such a secure place for my birds even though it wasn't exactly what I wanted.


----------



## kgb6days (Apr 1, 2016)

dawg53 said:


> LOL, with Leghorns and Black Stars you'll have more eggs than you'll know what to do with!


That's exactly what I'm hoping for. I've got family and friends lining up for eggs so will have more trouble keeping eggs for us than having too many


----------



## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I have way too many. They just won't stop laying. I don't think I've been able to say that in 8 years.


----------



## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

If I don't get rid of these ISA browns I got for Chicklett to raise I'll be in the same boat as you, Sem.

Which reminds me, I need to ask you something off forum.


----------



## zamora (May 26, 2015)

It looks awesome!


----------



## kgb6days (Apr 1, 2016)

zamora said:


> It looks awesome!


Thank you! I must admit I love it


----------

