Improving the Coop
We knew sectioning off the front of the coop was a temporary situation and we would need to work on improving the coop. The birds were going to need more space as they grew, especially the turkeys. We removed the remaining joists and most of the concrete and did our best to level out the craters that were left behind. We had to add some dirt as there were several holes and spaces chicks could get out of and predators could get in. Next, we used some of the floor joists and placed them across the back of the shed for the birds to roost. Along with these roosts we put a few branches they could walk or roost on. We added two windows by cutting them into the side and the back of the coop. Then we covered it with hardware cloth and used wood for a frame.
The next addition was a more secure run, so the birds could go in and out of the coop as they pleased while we were away from home. We made a simple frame from wood we had leftover from the deck we built on our previous home. We only had to buy a few boards, hinges and a handle for the door, chicken wire and hardware cloth for the run and the windows. We also bought some large bolts to attach the frame of the run to the coop. However, most of the supplies for the coop we had on hand.
At first, we only put in two boards as roosts, but later decided to add more after adding the back window. Once the birds of our first flock were fully grown, we realized our inner door needed an upgrade as well. It now has two doors, Dutch door style. We didn’t have any lattice left to make a matching upper door, so we used some 2x4s and hardware cloth. We had to extend the frame of the door as well. We added more chicken wire beside the doors to make the coop “escape proof” and still allow air flow on hot days.
We installed a small nesting box sometime after our Cochins started laying eggs, but they never used it. Once our second flock started laying, I knew we needed to build something that would actually work. At first, we thought of using the huge shelf that was still in the coop from when it was used as a shed. It was too big though and it would have been too much of a pain to try to cut in a way it would work. In our previous house, we had made a small coat rack/cubby for the kids’ backpacks and coats. We didn’t need it at the new house since we had a coat closet. I took this cubby and turned it into nesting boxes. The cubby is made of thin plywood, I added two “shelves” and some “trim” with whatever I could find. We had to buy nesting mats and ceramic eggs to encourage the hens to use the boxes. Ultimately, it was a success, however, we still have hens that lay eggs in random places.
We have plans to make the run a little wider and add a watering system that is easier for the kids to refill. They struggle with carrying the waterers when they are full. We would also like to add some exhaust fans at the peak of the roof for air flow and find other ways to keep the coop warm in the winter.
