# Finally enlarging the coop!



## leviparker

Today my father and I actually put up the boards and got a load of clay and topsoil.

This is what we have so far


























More to come!


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## robin416

Good on Dad coming through for you in helping make your coop something special. The birds will love it.

Can't wait to see the finish.


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## piglett

how many birds do you have & what breedsare they?


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## leviparker

I have Rhode Island reds - currently I have 6 hens and a rooster but I'm soon to be rid of the rooster.


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## 7chicks

Chickens are going to have so much fun checking out their new digs and exploring when all is done. I swear, coops are never truly done even when you "think" they are.


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## leviparker

That's so true! 

Today we has to build the frame for the door and finished that wall completely. 

Then start filing with dirt. 

Then I need to decide if I'm goin to make new roosts an move them.


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## piglett

leviparker said:


> I have Rhode Island reds - currently I have 6 hens and a rooster but I'm soon to be rid of the rooster.


do you plan to replace him with another roo?

i like a good rooster to look out for my hens in case something with big teath shows up the hens have a chance to run off while the rooster gets chewed on.


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## robin416

piglett said:


> do you plan to replace him with another roo?
> 
> i like a good rooster to look out for my hens in case something with big teath shows up the hens have a chance to run off while the rooster gets chewed on.


Oh, ick. Some of my most entertaining birds have been the roosters. Without them my flock would have been boring.


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## piglett

robin416 said:


> Oh, ick. Some of my most entertaining birds have been the roosters. Without them my flock would have been boring.


 correct & that way if a hen goes broody you can just let her go at it & hatch out little ones for ya. no bator needed


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## leviparker

I've considered keeping him an just adding hens so he does less damage to each. 







Here is homer showing my hens where to lay.


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## robin416

You could pull him when you begin to see feather damage. If he's young he will slow down considerably after his first year.


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## leviparker

He is young, he's coming Onto 6 months.


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## robin416

Then don't be too quick to rehome him if you find that he's an important part of your flock. He will settle down and not be so rough. At least most of them do.

I used to have a hen that taught young males how to behave. If they didn't she would pound them in to a corner. She would do it again and again until he learned to not be so aggressive in his breeding.


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## leviparker

Yeah, he's already learning how and what to do, I just want my hens to look nice and not have feathers missing where he uses them. So if I had more hens the wear and tear would be spread out more.


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## leviparker

My poor hens won't stand up to him. They just ran but now they submitting.


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## robin416

They're young, I didn't expect them to do what this one bird of mine did. She was older and had a very determined personality.


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## piglett

i like to give my roosters 10 or 12 ladies
tends to keep them calm


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## robin416

I sold my breeding flock and kept back my old, non producing birds except for one. She's the only one that's under three years old. 

I currently have three roos living all together with the old girls because they're old and not interested any more in breeding. So, it works well. But the young girl wanted peeps so I pulled a younger boy out of a separate pen and put him in the group. No fighting occurred but did make the older boys nervous for a bit. 

The new boy went straight to the only girl still laying and is glued to her side.


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## leviparker

I need more. I try to find local hens but people are asking up to 30 dollars for a hen! That's too much!


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## robin416

Actually it may not be. If these are birds that they have put time and effort in to breeding then they are worth the extra. A well bred hen can produce for many years and be more hardy than most that are purchased from hatcheries. If these are hatchery birds laugh in their faces and walk away.

Most of my birds are in the 8 year range. None of those birds is a hatchery bird. I have one egg layer left that is now three. She's been internally laying for months now and will have to be put down. My other hatchery egg layer stopped laying by the time she was two and was dead by the time she was 2 1/2. That is very typical of hatchery birds.


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## leviparker

I understand spending time raising and breeding but $30 + for one bird is too much.


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## kessy09

leviparker said:


> I understand spending time raising and breeding but $30 + for one bird is too much.


I've spent farrrrr more than that on one hen! I spent $200 on ONE rooster once! I can't imagine that people are charging that much for just regular barnyard mix chickens?? I pay that much for show quality, champion purebred lines. Try to just find a regular farmer who isn't all about breeding and advertising himself on Facebook, you'll get a much more "normal" price. There are ads for purebred expensive chicken here all the time but there are just as many ads in our paper (not online) for $3 white or brown layers.


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## robin416

kessy09 said:


> I've spent farrrrr more than that on one hen! I spent $200 on ONE rooster once! I can't imagine that people are charging that much for just regular barnyard mix chickens?? I pay that much for show quality, champion purebred lines. Try to just find a regular farmer who isn't all about breeding and advertising himself on Facebook, you'll get a much more "normal" price. There are ads for purebred expensive chicken here all the time but there are just as many ads in our paper (not online) for $3 white or brown layers.


Those 3 dollar birds more than likely came from a hatchery. Anyone that has been raising birds for a while understands what it takes to develop a more appealing, productive bird. There is expense there. No one makes the money back that they put in to improving their flock. They might break even but few do.

This is more to levi but do the math. Three dollars a bird, lays for two years and dies. Replace bird. Or pay extra for a good quality bird and have that bird laying six, seven, years. In this instance, if you do your homework, spending more is most certainly the better investment.


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## rob

can get them for around £15 and up here in the u.k. there is a lot to be said for you get what you pay for.


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## leviparker

I understand that. Some of it is worth it! 
I finished the coop! (For now)

























The last one was the original. Now it's part of the big one


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## robin416

I like the wire in between the two spaces. One thing I see that is of concern is the doors. They are in no way predator proof. All it takes is one visit by a raccoon and you'll know why. I had visits to both coops. They found a weakness in my outside pen and got in to my Guinea coop. Once I fixed that they tried for my Silkie coop, that one they didn't find a way to broach the inside and after three tries gave up.


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## rob

nice coop that, im sure your girls will love it. looks very roomy.


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## leviparker

robin416 said:


> I like the wire in between the two spaces. One thing I see that is of concern is the doors. They are in no way predator proof. All it takes is one visit by a raccoon and you'll know why. I had visits to both coops. They found a weakness in my outside pen and got in to my Guinea coop. Once I fixed that they tried for my Silkie coop, that one they didn't find a way to broach the inside and after three tries gave up.


Yes the screen door though has hardware cloth nailed to it 
The second one though I'm trying to work on. Thank you for showing me.


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## robin416

That was one of the worst occurrences I've ever had in the years of raising these guys. From what I can see of that screen door its is no where strong enough to keep ***** out. Those buggers are strong. I wrapped my outside pen with a second layer of wire, they made a second attempt and actually broke that new wire I had put up. By that time they lost interest and moved to my Silkie coop.

When I built the door for the coop I used two by fours, secured the hardware cloth to the outside rails, then places the top, bottom and middle rails over that and screwed them down. At the top and bottom I put additional two by fours to secure the wire further.

Something else I saw that I like, are the roosts. That should help prevent problems with bumble foot since they're low and ladder style.


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## powderhogg01

The coops looks really good. As far aste predator issue, I have lost birds trough a 2 inch gap. I have 0 tolerance for predators, and as many on here know I will trap and kill any predator to my flock. Check local laws prior, but I have found traps to be the best means of predator control. If they are snooping around the coop, chances are they are hungry and will go for bait. 
First thing I recommend is a large cage trap. A **** with a buddy can tear a trap apart, I have a post on here showing some of the damage. Use a can of sardines in mustard oil and a sweet treat. (the neighbors cat may be inclined to get the sardines)
Once trapped your committed, do the proper thing and end the critters life. In most instances it is illegal to release a trapped animal anywhere but where it's caught.. Don't spread a problem.(just scare the neighbors cat, it won't likely be back)
Good luck and have fun with the birds, they will sure be happy in there


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## leviparker

Thank you for complements and useful info! 

I thought about adding some barbed wire to the doors and around the coop outside.


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## piglett

leviparker said:


> I need more. I try to find local hens but people are asking up to 30 dollars for a hen! That's too much!


what state are you in?

here in new hampshire i sold off some buff orpington pullets cheep so i would not have to feed them all winter. 
my broody silkie hatched them & i already had enough birds so 3 went to a new home for $25
in warm weather i look for $20 for a ready to lay pullet
if i am over run with them though i go $15 each & they sell out fast


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## leviparker

I live in Oklahoma.


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## piglett

leviparker said:


> I live in Oklahoma.


oh shoot well keep your eyes open on craigslist
i often find chickens on there that are priced to sell not to keep
like someone is moving & can't take their hens
you can scoop them up for cheep or even free
i was given 32 semi retired redstars
they were in a molt & most were not laying
i got a few layers out of that bunch that must have been younger
the rest went camping

good luck
piglett


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