Alright, so I figured I would share our work in progress coop and run! We have lots more to do and finish but Momma Hen (myself) am 6 months pregnant. SO! Leaves the old rooster having to do a lot of the heavy lifting! HAHAHA
My favorite thing to walk up to in the morning....are my girls looking for me out the front door!
The inside is a work in progress. We have roost done, and the bottom to the nesting boxes are in. (My chickens are 14wks old, my Silkie and Roo are at least 6 months+ and she is my only layer as of now and currently using a kitty box but they will hopefully be done this weekend!) PVC waterer and feeders. Came out this morning to feed everywhere. I have one that is using her beak and shoveling it OUT of the feeder!! So, think we may have to modify more. If you notice NO bedding is currently being used...I'll explain after you can see the photos below...
So, without bedding, the floors in the coop are looking rough but it has helped me solve a roosting issue! I have looked online and used every suggestion to encouraging your birds to roost. Even going in late at night and setting them on it. (Imagine me tired, chasing chickens around a coop to roost them. *facepalm*) I ended up having a lady on another forum tell me that my chickens were "too young" and that I needed to give them time. Sorry but...that answer just didn't suffice. LOL Anyways, this weekend I told my husband I need to take the pine shavings out and spray the coop out. So, I get it all done and it was time to put the shavings back in and it DAWNED on me. How else do we refer to pine shavings, straw, ect? We call it BEDDING! So, I told my husband I was NOT putting it in for a couple nights. Just curious if it would help break up their little "love haven" they all had created in the corner of the coop. Well. I started with 7 roosting. I came out that night to close up the coop...and had 12 now roosting!!!!!!! Last night I had 14!!!!! I have a few of my really skiddish hens still on the floor but it has already helped encourage them up!! I was SOOO excited I was dancing back to the house to tell my husband!! So! If you find your having a roosting problem and have tried all other measures I wholeheartedly suggest giving this a weekend go!! It may mean having to spray your coop out when your done getting them used to the roost but my goodness will it be nice in the long run!
Photo of my ladies the first night without bedding...
**Things we hope to finish....
Nesting Boxes
Window on back wall above the nesting boxes.
Paint the inside of the coop
Ceiling Vents
Trim out the Front Door on coop
My poor ole rooster, he has a lot of work ahead of him. hehehe