Chicken Coop Design, feedback please.

[chris]

I have a large drinker, and despite giving them fresh water I still get algae growing in it. Do you get the same jess? It's doing my head in - I can't get in and clean the spout really, as it's so large (20L free standing jobby)

[RichmondHens]

Chris, if its plastic you can add apple cider vinegar one week in four, that will be good for the hens and clear the algae. Dosage 10 ml per litre of water but it's not an exact science - I just splosh it in. You can't put it in metal drinkers though.

[frias]

I clean algae from plastic with toilet descaler but it wouldn't be good on metal I don't think. If the drinker is in the sun the algea seems to grow much quicker. I use bunny bottles as extra drinkers and solved the algae problem by putting covers over them to exclude the light.

[jessmorris]

Hmm, it would need to exclude light to stop the algae growing..I'm going to use a water butt and a black waterer I bought online that will connect to it and be filled automatically. Friends who used galvanised rinkers seem to get less algae. Try the vinegar method as suggested by RH p'raps?....

[chris]

It's plastic, and in the shade, undercover - no sunlight reaches it.

Shall do the ACV - I did buy a large tub of it just for the chooks. Thanks

[veggiechicken]

Chris, I have a galv water thingy you can "borrow" until (if ever) I have chooks again!

[chris]

I did have a galv one, thank you VC - but I gave it a mate as I bought a larger water (my new lot seem to drink enormous amounts of water - a lot more than my last lot?). The plastic ones were much cheaper, and I thought (at the time ) easier to clean.

Not sure why, greedy so and sos!

That said, they're also eating a lot more than my last lot too. Unless something was up with last lot - they're going through approx 1.5kg of food a day, where as 2kg lasted my old lot 3-4 days! (it is just them eating and drinking that much as I've taken it away at night locked in a bin to double check!)

Currently worming so will see if this rate of munching continues afterwards Not that I mind of course, the eggs they're giving me are beautiful! (I'll drop some over again soon if you're still about the Cardiff way!)

[janeyo]

Chris, our drinker is a large dustbin, about 4 feet up, it does not get a lot of sun. We used to get algae, tried the ACV whoch did not help, just made the water go mouldy quicker (?), but then we raised the lid about 4 inches for ventilation - oh built something to hold it up and since then the water has been clean for well over a year.

[chris]

So I assume your dustbin is the water reservoir - that feeds a trough/dish/bowl via a float of some sort?

How do you topup the dustbin? Does it ever freeze?

I'm running MDPE into my garden from my mains, so could do something similar but it freezing will cause an issue..

[JeffUK]

Hi All,

Thanks for your time and invaluable advice, I know I've been quiet on this, it's been a long road but.

*drum-roll*



Got chooks! Still need to fence off the chicken's part of the garden so we can let them out. But they're not exactly excited about the prospect of coming outside in the rain anyway at the minute.



Everything except the ladder was hand-made. The ladder is a parrot ladder with plywood attached to the back. The only major disaster, was when we left something in the shed for the paint to dry, and it dropped below freezing... the paint froze before it set and had to be sanded right back.

Other Key lessons:

• Don't underestimate how long it takes to paint a couple of coats.. especially if you're priming things first too.... (when you're making something on weekends, 3 days to paint everything is a bit of a drag!)
• Pick the things you're not willing to compromise on, and stick to them. E.G we wouldn't compromise on the inside of the coop being all clean straight edges, (no fiddly bits to clean or for creepy crawlies to hide in.) And that made all the other design decisions much simpler.
• Don't underestimate how much hinges, latches and bolts cost, we had them under 'misc' in the budget... they're not cheap!
• Chickens are awesome!
  

[lettucegrow!]

Very nice, like the colour too. Will last much longer than the cheap ready made ones and so much more satisying. Did you have a grand opening?

[JeffUK]

Very nice, like the colour too. Will last much longer than the cheap ready made ones and so much more satisying. Did you have a grand opening?

It was rained off a bit, but they've already had 7 visitors in 1 day if that counts

We've inspected quite a few ready made coops over the last few months; none have changed our minds about making our own being the right thing to do.

[RedThorn]

Well done, making your own is definitely more satisfying

[scorpius]

Very nice

[sir david]

Very Nice
I must admit when I saw the pic ,the first thing I thought was "they have spent a packet on metal work " :-)
I am thinking of making one myself but a one I can move frequently and by myself ( thinks wheels !)
a couple of questions for everyone
How big a space does each bird need for nesting ? Perching ? scratching around ?
I am thinking of building one to replace my freinds system that seems to consist of a hen house in a swamp they the chickens have made of the garden I am not suggesting its the chickens fault I know where the blame lies .
I was thinking of using reclaimed wood for the housing (think pallet size )and buying Wood and grill for the run . Thanks for the ideas so far.

David