Chicken Coop / Ark Finally finished

[GoToLeep]

I finally finished my Catawba chicken coop/ark. Check out my BackYardChickens.com blog page for more pics at http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=75482-my-chicken-coopark.
Any comments or suggestions for changes or additions are welcomed. Thanks for looking.

 

[Joe Scharle]

Looks good!

 

[Glennbear]

Very nicely done Dan :icon_thum Thanks for sharing the link to the total build, I was even more impressed after I went there and saw the lights, watering,feeding , camera etc. :wsmile:

 

[Sealeveler]

Looks good,some good ideas there too.
Tony

 

[Nate Davey]

That is great, my wife wants to get some chickens but didn't think she could do it in the city limits. Nicely done.

 

[Joe Lyddon]

That is SO COOL!

I have been wanting to get a few chickens for the backyard... but never knew really how to start...

You have given me some encouragement!

Where are the plans that you used/modified?

What is the cable & pulleys for?

The whole think looks so nice and compact for a chicken coup!

I had visions of at least 10' x 10' x 7' and a bunch of chicken wire! I now know it can be different!

IIRC, you have about 8-9 chickens... which sounds like quite a bunch for the size of your coup...
Do they all lay eggs? Do you breed them too?

I'd sure like to learn more about this!

I think it would be so cool to be able just collect the eggs from your own ranch (coup)!! LOL

Do you get 1 egg per day per hen? We only eat 2-3 eggs per day (Extra Extra Large)...

How many & what kind of chickens would I need?

Thank you for your help!

BTW, is your camera connected to the internet... so we can all see? LOL
I've been looking at surveilance cameras and D-Link looks like the best deal/featured ones out there... being simple to hook up and view on the internet.

 

[GoToLeep]

That is great, my wife wants to get some chickens but didn't think she could do it in the city limits. Nicely done.

Thanks Nate, In the city you can have up to 10 hens, no roosters. Any questions, please ask and I'll try to help or point you in the right direction.

That is SO COOL!

I have been wanting to get a few chickens for the backyard... but never knew really how to start...

You have given me some encouragement!

Where are the plans that you used/modified?
http://catawbacoops.com/

What is the cable & pulleys for?
For operating the ramp that provides access between the roost (upper) and run (lower) areas

The whole think looks so nice and compact for a chicken coop!
It is a small footprint for a lot of coop size.

I had visions of at least 10' x 10' x 7' and a bunch of chicken wire! I now know it can be different!

IIRC, you have about 8-9 chickens... which sounds like quite a bunch for the size of your coup...
Do they all lay eggs? Do you breed them too?
I will have to part with at least 1 if not 2 chickens when they reach adult size. I have a cousin who is getting chickens. Mine (5 - Rhode Island Reds (RIR)a and 4 - Buff Orpingtons (Buff Orps) will start laying in late June, early July time frame. I am told to expect about 1 egg per day per hen. We'll see. I do not breed them as I am not allowed to have roosters.

I'd sure like to learn more about this!

I think it would be so cool to be able just collect the eggs from your own ranch (coup)!! LOL
That is what we are looking forward to.

Do you get 1 egg per day per hen? We only eat 2-3 eggs per day (Extra Extra Large)...
Hope to. Friends and neighbors will be the beneficiaries of any extra....LOL

How many & what kind of chickens would I need?
There are so many types available. Both of my type are supposed to be very good brown egg layers.

Thank you for your help!

BTW, is your camera connected to the internet... so we can all see? LOL
I've been looking at surveilance cameras and D-Link looks like the best deal/featured ones out there... being simple to hook up and view on the internet.

I haven't even thought of that. I will check into it.

If there are any other questions, I'll do my best to answer them.

Dan

 

[Joe Lyddon]

Dan,

Thank you very much for the information and the PM...

It will be fun watching your progress... Got a pic of your chicks?

Lots of reading to do...

:icon_cheers:icon_cheers:icon_cheers

 

[novocon]

Looks nice. Just finished up a coop myself, only to have a stray dog break in and kill my 6. Trying again. I would say predator proof it to the max.

 

[Mura]

Nice job!

 

[GoToLeep]

Looks nice. Just finished up a coop myself, only to have a stray dog break in and kill my 6. Trying again. I would say predator proof it to the max.

That's terrible. Mine is as predator proof as I can get it....I am PRETTY sure. I have hardware cloth stapled to the underside of the 4 x 4 frame then the coop is locked down onto the 4 x 4 's. If something gets into that coop. I do not want to meet it. :gar-Bi

 

[Nate Davey]

My buddy just told me about a "Chicken Tractor" which is a coop on wheels. You simply move it around the yard so that no one spot gets wrecked and you can let the chickens spread the poo.

 

[manfre]

Those are good coops. The designer of them lives in Wake Forest. I planned on building one of those, but then I realized I live in Cary.

If anyone is thinking about buying the plans, use my referral link and send me a note. I'll donate the commission to NCWW.

 

[GoToLeep]

My buddy just told me about a "Chicken Tractor" which is a coop on wheels. You simply move it around the yard so that no one spot gets wrecked and you can let the chickens spread the poo.

This coop is designed to be moved around the yard. Albeit, without the wheels. It is not very heavy, even at 10 feet long. I decided to semi-permanently place it on the 4 x 4 base. I can simply remove the carabiners from the lock hasp and with another person move it. This will be done mainly for thorough cleaning.