Partitioning a New Chicken Coop

We are getting an 8x12' pre-built shed as a new henhouse. We want to partition off the four feet to the right of the double doors for brooding and chicks, to keep them away from the older hens while they're still vulnerable. We'll probably put a small fenced-in run off that area for the chicks to use once they're old enough to be outside. Any ideas how to partition off that section? We would like to be able to have access to the chick area from the main part, and also to remove the partition, or at least open that area up, when the chicks no longer need a safe haven. Here's a diagram:

Greenhouse Gal: It's great to hear from you, I have a suggestion, it's only a suggestion. To partition off a coop that size means to loose valuable floor space.
Lets face it chickens live on the floor, or ground. That often means the air space in the coop is wasted space from about 2 and a half feet up. I wanted something similiar and got to thinking about that wasted air space. After some thought I decided I could have my brooder, and mating pen in that same coop and use up the wasted air space and not have to loose the floor space. If you think you might be interested let me know and I'll take pictures and send them to you so you can see what I did and give you the demensions also. My regards Haystack

Haystack, that's a cool idea, but then how do they get out to the fenced-in run? And we do have the space. I was actually thinking of how I could somehow use the head room for storage, instead.

Leslie

There is a very simple solution to that. I'll send you the pic's and dimensions with a drawing on the back of the pic to show how they get inside and out. I also have a run within a run so it seperates the young from the mature adults. You'll see, if you don't like it, just forget it. D-mail an address to send the pic's and then you can go from there. Haystack

Hey Haystack
did you get your Dmail yet? havent heard a word from you..let me know

cindy

Hay, that sounds like a brilliant solution... and I would be interested also.. I even raised my bed a few years ago for the same reason.. until my poor dh hit his head on the ceiling fan getting into bed. lol

Fran!! That gives new meaning to the song that says "I am high and mighty"LOL I'm sorry but DH hitting the ceiling fan. Thats pretty funny. Wished I could have seen it. I'll be glad to send you a copy of the pic's of the interior of my coop as well if you'd like. You can D-mail info for contacting or e-mailing. As you please. Haystack

It was pretty funny Hay... Not quite as funny as when the cieling fan blade came off while the fan was on and sailed inches past his head... we lived that way for a few years.. everytime we argued about lowering the bed, I would think about losing that space... just couldn't do it.. the mobile home we lived in was only 600 sq feet.. every inch was prime real estate.. plus a ceiling fan running in front of your face kept you from flipping like a fish all night long.. lol!

Love using that space, Haystack!
My DH put an addition on our coop a few weeks ago:

We did a temp. partition for chicks. They have their own outside run as well and the older chickens can check them out thru the fence.

That looks like a good setup, Sandy! We'll have to make some sort of enclosure for outdoors, too, so that hawks don't pick them off. The geese do help protect the more free range adult hens.

We have a Buff Orpington that went broody and if we are lucky enough to have any hatch out, we will be moving here into this area. The current occupants will be moved out w/ the grown-ups.

Thanks, greenhouse_gal.
During the day I let my girls free-range(this really keeps the feedbill down to almost nothing) but they are shut in their pen around 4pm until morning. When I go out for morning chores, they are all crowded by the door waiting to be let out! When they are being put away for the night, we use a whiffle ball bat that we tap on the ground behind them and they head right into the pen. The bat seems to work as an arm extension!

Excellent San: I use a walking stick, and because the eyes of chickens are on the side, I just tap the ground behind them on both sides so their eyes can see and they heard very easily. Most of the time they put themselves in before I even go out. Have a great evening. Haystack.

Our chickens always put themselves to bed at night. I think I'm going to order one of those automatic sensors from England that opens and closes the door of the coop depending on light. It's tough to drag ourselves out after dark to do that one last chore. In the winter it's cold and in the summer it's just too late for weary people! Also, if we go away on vacation we can't ask others to do that for us.

greenhouse_gal. that sensor sounds like just the thing i need..i know the feeling about dragging yourself out late..its hard on us too. and when the girls dont want to go in, its even harder..let me know about it..
thanks

cindy

Come on Ladies, I'm going to play the fitness Guru here, UP,Down, Stretch those legs, GOOD, You can do it. Good, Keep it up, up down, up and go out and close that hen house door. GOOD, I knew you could do it. LOL Have a great day. Hay

LOL I have a tiny flat rake that is my arm extension.

My DF was washing the ceiling and eventually backed up too far.. her head is going.. thump thump thump.. she yells out.. Kenny, KNOCK IT OFF... I was hysterical on the floor trying to breathe.. she thought it was her husband messin with her!!!

About the chick area? I need to incorporate a "creep" feed so the chicks can get away from danger, but still be exposed to the adults... a small enough opening so they can get in and out but not anyone else. Our Barnevelder hopefully will have chicks under her in a week or so..

That sounds like a great idea to use the upper part of the coop. I like that idea!

anyone have a vision of Mr Hay in his recliner, looking out his bay window at his coop with his remote coop door opener/closer typing and laughing at us??

LOL..yes i do frans..he is chastizing us!! my girls wont go in without help before dark, and sorry this old body wants to go to bed!! so i'll take all the help i can get!!

cindy

Cindy, here's the page with the automatic door openers
http://www.chicken-house.co.uk/acatalog/Automatic_Door_Openers.html
I think it was on Dave's Garden that I first heard about it. It's a bit pricey but I think it would be worth it if it works, and people seemed to feel that it did.

My chickens go in around dusk, or earlier if it's cloudy and/or cold, so I don't chase them. We did have to work hard to get the guineas to go with the program when we had them, though.

Leslie