Today, I had the chance to go on a little adventure! My chicks are growing quickly, and it’s time to start planning where these sweet girls will go once they outgrow their brooder. Chicks can stay in their brooder for about 5-6 weeks, depending on their setup, but I knew my current chicken tractor wouldn’t be big enough for all 10 chickens. So, I reached out to a few fellow chicken raisers and asked to tour their coops for inspiration.
First Stop: Clara’s Coop
Our first stop was at my friend Clara’s place. Her chicken coop was really well-organized! She had a small area sectioned off inside a larger shed, and I loved her setup for food, water and roosting bars.
What impressed me the most were her DIY nesting boxes. The eggs gently roll out into a collection area as soon as the chickens lay them, which is super convenient! This was a game-changer, and I definitely want to include a similar setup in my coop.
Second Stop: Mike’s Coop
Next, I visited my friend Mike’s coop, which was a bit larger than Clara’s. Mike’s space was very organized and seemed easy to maintain. One of my favorite features was his dust bath setup—he used half of an old kennel and filled it with a mixture of dust, diatomaceous earth (DE) and rocks for the chickens to bathe in.
Mike also had a clever solution for grit and calcium dispensers. He used PVC pipes to create inexpensive, easy-to-use feeders for both grit and calcium. We also talked about how to protect the coop from predators and keep the chickens cool in the heat. I’m definitely going to incorporate the PVC pipe feeders into my coop!
Third Stop: Tamar’s Coop
Our last stop was to my sister Tamar’s coop. She wasn’t able to join us but gave me permission to check out her setup. Tamar has just four chickens, which is a great number if you’re just starting out! Her nesting boxes were up and out of the way, and she had sectioned off part of a larger shed for her chickens, using the other half for storage.
She’s planning to build a brooder area in the shed, which I thought was a great idea. While my coop might not be large enough for a brooder area, there are other
ways to work around that, so I’m not too worried.
Key Takeaways from Touring Chicken Coops
I learned so much from touring these different coops! It was great to see various setups, different chicken breeds and to ask tons of questions. If you know other people who are already raising chickens, I highly recommend taking a tour of their coops. You’ll gain valuable insights and ideas for your own setup.
One important thing I realized is that I don’t need to have everything perfect or ready all at once! We’ll be building a run on the back of our coop in the spring, but until then, I can gradually add the things our chickens need. It’s a process, and it’s okay to take it step by step.
Until next time,
-The Wing Lady