The Allen Wranch Coops. By Carla Allen

Transcription

1 The Allen Wranch Coops By Carla Allen

2 It all started 10 years ago with a magazine ar5cle showing a beau5ful garden with a chicken coop/shed in the middle. I thought. I have a garden. I can do that.

3 I researched chicken breeds, ordered an assortment of chicks I liked, and we built our first coop. We now have close to 100 chickens and five coops. What did I get myself into!!!!!!!

4 My first chicken coop next to my garden looks like this today. Not quite the same as the magazine, but I am now more into chickens than gardens!

5 I am predator paranoid, so all my coops have: Slide bolt locks with carabineers and the ability to padlock. Wire akached to bokom of coop to prevent predators from digging in.

6 Addi5onal predator protec5on includes: Hardware cloth on fencing adjacent to all outside roosts. Night guards on coop farthest from the house.

7 Coop #1 Two separate 8x8 inside pens akached to two separate 8x20 runs. Both runs are predator proof so birds can go in and out of the coop any 5me during the day.

8 Coop #1 The coop has a 4x8 inside predator proof storage area which allows me to store feed as well as have access to one of the pens. The inside door has a Plexiglas window so I can see the chickens without disturbing them. LeV side of storage area. Right side of storage area.

9 Coop #1 All the coops have outside auto waterers gravity fed from 55 gallon drums. All the feeders are inside the coops.

10 Coop #1 The side people doors open to the orchard. Nest boxes can be accessed from the outside also. This is the only coop without fans. I intend to add a turbine to the roof to help relieve hot air. Inside first pen. Inside second pen.

11 Coop #2 Our second coop is built like a kennel with inside pens akached to outside covered predator proof runs. It also has inside storage areas. Phase 1 has five 4x4 pens with 4x12 runs and a 4x16 storage walkway. Phase 2 has four 5x5 pens with 5x 10 runs and an inside 8x20 storage walkway. All outside runs have people doors that access a fenced orchard where individual pens can be let out to range.

12 Coop #2 Front Back

13 Coop #2 Doors & Windows have hardware cloth AND cage wire over openings. Removable inserts are taken off during the summer. Roof has open vent covered in hardware cloth to allow for more ven5la5on.

14 Coop #2 Hardware cloth covers openings under roof overhang for ven5la5on. 2x4 s are inserted inside to cover openings in winter. (No5ce they are numbered to match the openings.

15 Coop #2 Phase 1 Inside walkway - Nest boxes are made from peg board for ven5la5on. Snake proof pen at end is for broody hen, chicks or injured birds. Another view looking toward Phase 2 of coop.

16 Coop 2 Phase 2 Looking from Phase 1. Pen top right is a brooder. Can also be used for broody hen, chicks or injured birds. Looking toward Phase 1. I LOVE having water and electricity in my coops.

17 Coop 2 All pens have feeders hanging on the doors. Chicken doors to runs can be closed off with either sliding doors made from hardware cloth or solid wood.

18 Hoop Coops I have three hoop coops. They are all basically built the same except for slight varia5ons and sizes. We have not finished the fencing for the coop on the far lev, so the posts have not been cut off yet. Broom is to fend off the not- so- nice rooster in the middle coop.

19 Hoop Coops All made from cakle panels covered in hardware cloth. Only the roosts and some structural support are wooden. (Less places for mites to hide.) Silver tarps on roofs. Tyvek insula5on under tarps. Sizes 12x12, 12x15, 20x20. Each coop is inside it s own run. Coops are exposed to the most sun. Have the most ven5la5on. Have fans. Exposed sides and back are covered in plas5c in winter.

20 Hoop Coops Nest Boxes and Feeders Runs and behind coops. Boards on lev are a barrier between roosters because of fence figh5ng.

21 Keeping My Coops Cooler I found that shade cloth does not let through a whole lot of air, so I hung it only from the top edge so the wind could move it. This allows more ven5la5on, but s5ll helps keep out the sun. I tried covering between the first two hoop coops with shade cloth. It worked but was not easy to put up. I also have misters in all my runs. I am only using them in my hoop coops so far this year. The mature trees and shade around the other coops seem to be working OK. If the birds seem like they are too stressed, I will turn the misters on in the other coops runs.

22 Water Barrels Slats on barrels are so I can climb up to look inside barrels. Handy dandy filling thingy hubby made for the barrels so the water hose won t keep falling out.