Blackjack Chicken Coop
This super coop is a life-saver if you have more than a few hens. It's big enough for you to easily step inside and clean the interior or tend your flock. And you won't have to worry about your hens feeling claustrophobic.
Good chicken coop flooring is safe, predator- and rodent-proof, durable, and easy to clean. Flooring materials vary widely in quality, cost, maintenance needs, and safety. In this article, you will learn: The pros and cons of using the 8 most common chicken coop flooring materials. Solutions to many of the cons associated with flooring materials. The best chicken coop bedding materials #1 Medium- to large-grained sand. Out of all the chicken coop bedding materials, the only ones I recommend are medium- to large-grained sand and chopped straw. Between those two, sand is far superior to straw. I consider straw a mediocre bedding, but still better than most. Vanilla Scented Christmas Trees in the Chicken Coop Kathy Shea Mormino Affectionately known internationally as The Chicken Chick®, Kathy Shea Mormino shares a fun-loving, informative style to raising backyard chickens.
Coop pictured here with Cleaner Coop trays and solar light package upgrade.
~This extra large chicken coop houses 40-45 chickens!~
- A mini chicken coop is super useful to have on hand, and can be built quickly using materials that might otherwise be thrown away. A Movable Homestead Chicken Coop – Homestead Honey. Check out Homestead Honey’s country chic chicken coop made from reclaimed materials, AND can be moved around on pasture.
- Tiny red and white doghouse style chicken coop that would fit in any backyard. Small chicken coop with lower open area and upper egg-laying house. Mid-sized red and white coop house with windows and chicken access doors. Rustic shed-style chicken coop in spacious backyard. Custom yellow and red chicken coop by Ryan Lambert.
Body Tabs
- 12 Nest Boxes
- 2 Hinged Nest Box Lids
- Hinged Chicken Door with Latch
- Detachable Wooden Chicken Ramp (painted/stained to match coop)
- (2) 2'x3'x12' Wooden Roost Bars
- 2'x x5'h (Lockable) 'Man' Door
- 3 Windows with Screens and Vinyl Coated Mesh
- Hinged Drop Vent with Latch and Vinyl Coated Mesh
- Your Choice Wood Siding: Pine Board & Batten (stained) OR LP Smartside (painted)
- Pressure-Treated Wood Legs and Base
- 2x4 Floor Joist 16' On Center
- 5/8' Pressure-Treated Plywood Floor
- 2x4 Rafters with 7/16' Techshield Sheathing
- 30 Year Architectural Shingles (You pick the color!)
The backyard chicken coop has become the symbol of the modern homesteader. There is something special about adding that coop to your garden farm and collecting healthy backyard eggs. But there are 5 mistakes with the backyard chicken coop I see repeated often, even though they are easy to remedy. I decided it was time to write about the 5 biggest backyard chicken coop mistakes I see over and over; and how to fix them! Believe me when I say, we have all made at least one of these mistakes, so don’t sweat it if you have; it can be fixed.
Blackjack 57 Chicken Coop Floor
The Backyard Chicken Coop 5 Mistakes That Will Cost You
Coops Build Them Bigger
If there is one thing I can say about coops and runs, they are never big enough. I know most people think they are going to free range their chickens but the first time they destroy your garden, you may rethink that really quick. I have also found that chickens are a lot healthier when they have more space. This includes space to roost comfortably in their coop and plenty of space to enjoy the day in their yard. Birds kept in too small of a space are going to spread disease faster, if you have any and may hurt one another if they are too cramped.
AND let’s not forget that chickens are like potato chips…you’ll want more. So build or buy a coop and run with more space that is required for your initial birds; you’ll be glad you did.
Build It For Your Weather
The coop I need here in Phoenix is certainly going to be different than someone who lives in Minnesota. Here in Phoenix when temps can stay in the 90s at night, in the summer, I need to provide a very well ventilated coop. In fact I prefer a 3 sided for my area. It is much easier for me to give them some extra protection in the rare cold nights than to have them suffering all summer long. Ventilation is important in any climate but how much you need will depend on your average temps. In a colder climate you’ll need to make sure you don’t have a drafty coop that lets in a lot of cold air too.
Be sure you can winterize or summarize as needed.
Make Sure It Is Easy To Clean
You’re going to be cleaning it a lot; probably more often than you’ve predicted. Our first pre-fab coop was a NIGHTMARE to clean. I don’t know what the designers were thinking. To pull the poop pan out you’d basically have to accept that 1/2 or more of the droppings were going to fall out inside the coop as you pulled. And getting in that coop to clean was near impossible; basically I had to move the whole stinking thing out of the way to clean it.
The easier it is to keep your coop clean, the more likely you are to keep it clean.
If you know somethin’ well, you can always paint it
but people would be better off buyin’ chickens. ~Grandma Moses
Know Your Local Predators
If in the burbs, you’re going to deal with predators from time to time. From feral cats to raccoons each area has chicken predators that they have to deal with. You need to build your coop and yard accordingly. Your hens rely on you to protect them, especially at night when they’re roosting and you’re likely asleep. You can make your coop too predator proof.
Prepare to Prevent Pests
Rats and roaches and mice oh my! The pests are hungry and your coop can be an easy mark. First, keep it clean. Make sure you’re keeping treats cleaned up at the end of the day. Don’t make water too easy for them, they’re thirsty too. And use a secure feeder, like a Grandpa Feeder to keep them from eating up your feed.
Pests carry disease – don’t give them a reason to be in your coop! See more about pests in Tips for a Rodent Free Coop.
Chicken Coop Designs
Backyard chicken coops and their hens are a great joy, and provide an awesome food source for homesteaders. Just build with these common mistakes in mind and you’ll be off to a great start.
Blackjack 57 For Chicken Coop
The cows shorten the grass, and the chickens eat the fly larvae and sanitize the pastures.
This is a symbiotic relation. Joel Salatin