Hens at Our House: Coop Modifications

My custom coop came with all the features I wanted (see "The Coop" page for more details). But we still needed a run, and a few other features.

THE RUN

My Dad and I collaborated on how to construct the run, but he did most of the work. We used the cheapest materials available: chicken wire, yard staples, and metal posts. The run is the width of the coop (4 feet) and 10 feet in length, not including the covered area underneath the coop.

Dad attaching the run to the frame base.

A TRAP DOOR
My builder made a ladder, and left a square hole in the floor of the coop for hens to enter and exit the run. But I wanted to be able to enclose the hens in the coop at night for protection from predators. So Dad made a handy trap door with a latch that we could open during the day, and close at night.

Trap door in the floor of the coop

View with Trap door open

A NESTING BOX LID LATCH

Once again, for predator protection we added 2 spring-loaded hook latches to the lid of the nesting boxes. Hopefully these will be complex enough to foil a racoon, but still allow my daughter to access the eggs without too much trouble.

Attaching the nesting box lid latches, one on each end of the lid.

ROLL OUT THE . . . LINOLEUM?

It occurred to me that the wood floor of the coop would probably absorb odor over time, despite being covered by chips and straw. I had a lightbulb moment, and decided to cover the floor with lenolium. I hope this also makes the coop floor easier to clean. We'll see. Knox Rail Salvage sold me a scrap piece that was thick, but easy to cut, in a colorful, clowny, puzzle pattern. Using a staple gun, I covered the coop floor and the trap door with it. Hope the chickens don't think its too tacky.