Category: Chicken Coops Pics & Plans

Updating the Chicken Coop

Chicks in the Brooder are Three Weeks Old

The March 18th chicks are growing fast and there’s work to be done before they leave the brooder and move into the coop.  As long as I’m stuck at home, seemed like a great time to update the chicken coop. There’s always something I’m not satisfied with, and this year I’m going to do something about it.
My biggest pain in the butt is wild birds eating all my chicken feed. They squeeze through the tiniest hole in the chicken pen, and then can’t get out. They fly around inside bouncing off the walls, causing chaos among the flock.
You probably think this is no big deal, but chicken feed is expensive, and wild birds can easily eat 5 lbs. or more every single day. Taking that into consideration, it would be a lot cheaper to just buy eggs.
The coop is a 10×10 covered chain link pen, inside an open-air barn or shedrow at the back of our property. I had it completely covered with aviary netting, which was somewhat suitable, however, birds and lizards would get caught in it. That’s another problem I  want to avoid so I took all of it off. One problem was solved, but another was created.   I was now committed to finding a favorable solution.
The Solution
I bought 3 50ft rolls of 1/2 inch hardware cloth and have almost finished covering the entire coop. Talk about time-consuming, OMG. My fingers are a mess, my nails are broken, and my arms look like I’ve been in a battle zone.  But, there will be no birds getting in my coop this year!

The Girls at Three Weeks Old

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Chicks Arriving Tomorrow, This is our Brooder Set-up

Brooder Shed is Ready to Go

Here are a few pics of my set-up where the chicks will live for the next 5 to 7 weeks. Depending on their growth, the weather, and most importantly, when they are mostly feathered. Usually, they are feathered for sure by 8 weeks, but usually, the temperatures in Phoenix allow us to move them from the brooder to coop earlier. What kind of chicks? Guess you’ll have to wait and see!
The Brooder Set-up
My husband built this custom brooder complete with electric and self-closing doors on top. The floor in the brooder is lined with textured linoleum tiles and the windows are plexiglass.  There are plenty of storage cabinets below for all those chick-rearing necessities.
I use radiant heat but have two 50-watt backup heat lamps overhead just in case of a sudden drop in outside temp. I also have a temperature reading from the brooder to the house, so I don’t have to wonder if they are too cold or hot.

The Brooder Shed below is 8×10, heavily insulated, then drywall, and I had the gruesome chore of painting the inside pale yellow, ( I hate painting.) There is power, but no plumbing. Fortunately, the hose is only steps away.

I’ll be picking up the chicks across town, I found this handy cage at Goodwill for $1.99, can’t beat that! It will comfortably hold at least 18 chicks. They like to be transported tightly packed together, it helps keep them warm and feeling safe.

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View Over 1,400 Different Types of Chicken Coops, and More

Which coop is right for your needs? That’s a question only you can answer. The only perfect coop is the one that’s suitable for your specific needs. You’ll need to take into consideration the climate where you live, how much space you have for a coop, and how large it needs to be to comfortably house your birds.
I’ve said it many times, but I’ll say it again, the more coop space the better. Always build bigger than what you think is adequate, especially if your chickens will be confined. Remember, happy chickens fill the egg basket!
Keep in mind that a coop should be convenient for you to clean. One you can stand up in is a huge plus. At the very least, a coop should have easy access to drinkers, feeders, and of course, fresh eggs. Bedding material should be just as easy to remove as it is to refresh. That means your coop door should be large enough for a standard-sized rake to fit through.
Follow the links below to view a collection of over 1,000 different types of chicken coops. I’ve also collected 100’s of drinkers, feeders, roost types, brooders, and nest box ideas.

Chicken Coops

Chicken Keeping Essentials

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