My DH will be building me a new coop and run this spring.Here is my request,I want to put something in the run for the chickens to jump up on and hide behind(something to play on lol),the only thing I could think of was a big tree root put there before the run is built and buuld around it,what do you think?Any ideas anyone?Anyone got pictures of something in there coops?
STRANGE REQUEST
An old tractor... LOL
Mine always seemed to like pooping on the tractor.
Jay
Jay's got the hang of it -old farm implements. Ours also love the brush pile.
Mine love an A frame. I took a sawhorse and covered the two sides with plywood. They like to sit on the top and under it.
Green I think you are on to something big!!! Really! I built a window, roost high that the girls can use to go outside as well as going out the door. When they choose to go out the window they then had a walk way that was twenty feel long with a slow decline to the ground. My wife thought I was nuts, but the birds love it and use it all the time. They are curious and enjoy things to fly up and climb on. Go for it girl. Great idea. Hay.
Well, Hay, you are nutz, but I love the sky walk for the hens! =0)
And if you're nutz, what's that make her... squirrelly?
LOL Jay
Great ideas. Love the skywalk! Mine have a pool ladder in the pen area but when I let them out they love to walk up the ramp to my back deck.
I wonder if you could set up various lengths of vertical-set logs so they could hop up them or hide behind, ect.
Lookie there, Hay, you're a trendsetter! Strut that in front of the DW. =0)
I have a large brush pile that was mounded up when we were clearing the land. It a has all kinds of tree roots and things that they love to scratch around and jump on. You have a great idea. They will love it.
Mine always liked to sit on our sheep.
Hey there Jay: Trendsetter@%&* Ya RIGHT!! I think your the one thats a little squirelly, but then We'd have it no other way. Jay you really rock. Hay
Ya know Green> I really love bold fresh ideas, some think we are a little crazy, but I for one love bold, fresh, brave ideas. Many on this forum are so inspirational with their comments and ideas. Thats what I love about this forum. Haystack
Galles... do your chickens ever sit on the sheeps head? I'm just having a lovely time imagining sheep with hood ornaments....
I've got a donkey that lets the magpies sit on his back. But he's a bad one for donkey bowling with chickens. =0)
LOL Jay
My goats start shaking their heads "NO" when the chickens start heading up the back of the neck. Lower down is fine...
galles, I had a cat that would sleep on the sheep when they would be laying out in the pasture!
Wow, gives a whole new meaning to sheepskin mattress cover! LOL
I have another question,what does everyone have for ventilation in the coops?Does anyone have a cupola and how does it work for you?My coop will be 12x12 feet what should I use?Vents in the south and east sides near the top of the coop or a cupola,it will be insulated and windows on the south, east ,and west sides. One on each side.I`m also thinking about putting in two clear panels for sunlight on the roof and the rest metal.Any ideas are really appreciated.
Hmm. Given your location, I'd say do something which can be easily stoppered in winter -like low vents and a cupola up top...
You need some vents down low to get some airflow in the chicken space.
I never saw a chicken sitting on a sheep's head. That would have been highly amusing. They mostly liked to sit in the middle of their backs. I just begged them not to poop in the wool please!
Ventilation - our coop has ventilation all along the front and back sides right under the roof. We did not close it up this winter, which I think was a good thing. I suspect it would have gotten too moist inside if we had. Even on bitter cold days it's a bit warmer inside the coop because of the windows letting the sun shine in.
Here's a pic of it not too long after it was finished. See under the front edge of the roof between each rafter there is a space? That space is continuous all the way through the coop and out the back. I took pieces of hardware cloth and stapled them up between each rafter, both front and back, in order to keep out vermin, but still allow air flow. Since the chicken door (red) is open every day, that allows air in from the bottom too.
Y'all have some great ideas! :)
I had too many roosters at one time so all the extras got to free range while the others were in the coop. Those poor rooster got so desperate they started humping my goats! Got rid of them quick-fast LOL
Lana
What an illustration for a 'love-stuck' teen... hormones are completely indescriminate, that's for sure. The mind boggles...
Bedtime, pumpkins...
ZZZZzzzzzzz
Jay
Yes, they were roo teenagers ;)
We have windows in the front(southside) of the coop. We attached a short chain to the top so you can open the window a crack or more, if you wish.
Lana, I hope they didn't do that when you had company over! lol! The animals always seem to act up when there's an audience.
No, think I was the only one who ever saw it...maybe dh :) It was hilarious but the resting(trying to rest)goats weren't happy with it LOL!
Not now, dahling, I'm not in the moooood.
=0)
We have a dog igloo in our coop. Hens like the inside...Roos like to sit high on top!
Ginger has donkeys & goats too....!
Ginger
Green: I'd be careful with sunlight panels overhead. They can really heat up a coop in the summer time, when the hens are looking for shade. I had to take our skylight out in our kitchen. Created way to much heat in the summer time. If you have vents up high that is good. If you want a lower vent? Cut out and opening for the girls so they can go in and out at random that you can close at night, that should also act as a vent. You don't want to create to much lower air flow so as to create any draft. Good luck. Haystack
Yes I was thinking about the summer also,but it seems here in Northern Maine we have way more cold then heat,Maybe I`ll put in more windows and forget about the sky lights,Thanks for making me think more on that.
I made that mistake.. I used see through for extra light.. didn't even think ahead.. it's way too hot inside.. I will have to put up shade cloth..
Live and learn!
ZZ... if that's still too hot, maybe rigid foam insulation panels over the windows in the summer?