I bet you thought the coop was finished last year didn't you? So did I.
And it was. There was just the small matter of the chickens eating every plant in my backyard and then crapping it back onto every surface imaginable. And just for good measure, if there was a small area in the backyard that didn't get pooped on, one of the chicken would make sure to walk through it and track it all around. Chickens are very considerate that way.
Apparently so am I, because I too made sure to track the crap everywhere too.
So this spring I decided I was going to have to section off a portion of the yard for chicken pooping purposes. The side yard where their coop is located was the logical place. If I could somehow keep them in that area they could poop to their heart's content and at least it would all be in one area. They could walk around in the sun, take their dust baths, hold their weekly poker games and what not, without turning my backyard into a poo pavilion.
As a reminder, here's where the coop is and what it looks like.
My first thought was to station a scary monster robot in the side yard. Right at this close end of the coop. Scary monster robot would make sure the chickens didn't get past a certain area, therefore containing the poop.
My second thought was to stack wood in an aesthetically pleasing manner, with some sort of doorway in the middle of it. That was bad idea #1. Chickens can jump REALLY high, so the stacked wood would need to be around 6 or 7 feet high. Besides, I burned up all my wood by April 15th. Scary monster robot idea was in the lead.
My second thought was to stack up bales of straw. I was into the whole stacking thing apparently. Stacking is easy you see. Much easier than hammering and drilling and sawing and screaming. Bales of straw would be easy to stack high but you wouldn't be able to see through them. Half the fun of having chickens is watching them. No to the straw.
My final thought was to use swinging wrought iron fence gates. Like this ...
But for some reason, the idea was a bit "off" to me. It wasn't quite right. You know when you look at something in your house and you think That's not right (I find this is often the case whenever I try to dress up my coffee table with a vignette, or put my cats in period piece costumes.)
Sick of making generally all decisions in my life, I sent a quick email off to my Internet friend, interior designer Carol Reed.
Yeah. That's right. I called in an internationally renowned interior designer. For my chicken coop. What of it?
I sent her this remarkably fantastic sketch. YES! It is a sketch. I know. Totally looks like a photograph. I'm a talent. I told Carol I had thought of using wrought iron fence gates, but wasn't sure about it for some reason. Could she please help me? Please, please, interior designer, help this wretched amateur in her time of need.
Within 2 days Carol had sent me back these "quick sketches" of 4 options including materials needed and colour options that were the best. (She knew right away what was wrong with the wrought iron fence I thought of by the way. All of the lines in my backyard are horizontal. The fence, the coop, even the square cut flagstone on the ground.)
THIS is what separates a professional from ... me. I knew something was wrong and there had to be a better idea out there, I just didn't know what it was. I looked over her sketches for about 5 minutes and decided on one design. The next day I went out to get my materials, and the weekend after that I built the gates.
I will reveal which design I chose, how I did it and the gates themselves in Thursday's post.
But for now ... which one would you have chosen? And which one do you think I chose? I will give you one hint. Against my better judgement I decided not to go with the chicken robot.
I'm going with option 3 as it has horizontal lines like much of the rest of the environment, plus you already kind of liked the look of the metal bars in your original plan that were going vertical. Plus, although the sliding barn door hardware is cool, I think purchasing and installing the strap hinges is easier. Just my two cents.....
option 2. i love the mixed material idea with the wood/screen that mirrors what you already have going on in the coop. i think it also gives the coop an element of symmetry without being completely symmetrical, which is nice. plus the sliding door is awesome and would be a challenge that would be duly accepted by you. yeah, i'm going with option 2.
My family used to have chickens before we moved. Just a standard wire and wood coop my husband built out in the very back of the large yard. Those chickens ate everything and turned the backyard to dust, which then blew into the pool and made a huge mess. We have moved and legally can still have chickens and the fan would love to do it again, but I do not have as large of a yard and do not want dust blanketing everything in my yard and blowing on my clothes line and into the house. Containing poop seems easier than containing dust. Any ideas for that?
yep! # 4
I would have gone with one of the rolling gates. Probably the barn door gate. I love that look of modern and rustic combined. Can't wait to see your final product. We are in dire need of doing something similar. Our chickens have decided to start flying over the poultry netting into our garden. So, now they're staying locked up in their coop/run. And, they are revolting by not laying eggs. So right now, I have very expensive pooping machines that give nothing back (ours aren't at all cuddly).
I like #1. It matches the coop, let's you see through the mesh, allows air flow, and the hinges will probably work better for a longer ttime than the rollers will after being in the weather a few years.
I agree! Number 1 seems the most awesome choice to me. That horizontal siding, swing door, lantern, plus the panel of hardware cloth are the Cliff Notes version of the coop. Not sure if it would need to be flipped for your site, or have the gate door in the center, or what ...
New reader, and Karen, you're making my life so awesome and difficult! So many cool things to try/make/do, and so little time! :)
I'm partial to the barn door gates, and I really like option 2... but love the visibility of option 4! I have no idea what you'd choose, they're all too pretty to pick from!
Welcome to my site Erin! Truth is, I loved allll the doors she suggested. Which of course, was problematic. :) ~ karen
I like option 4. I'm going to guess you went with option 4. Can't wait to see which one you chose!
I love the rolling gate options!
Out of curiosity, where did you get the coop lanterns? Are they solar?
They're not solar, they have battery operated candles inside that come on at dusk and go off 5 hrs. later. The actual lanterns are just cheap, from a local grocery store. (President's Choice brand in Canada) ~ karen!
Definitely #4...then you can watch the girls go #2!
#1 can't believe a professional actually helped you so no doubt she had to be a good friend,I would of told you to #$$ck off!
#2 This is a seriously talented lady,and I choose #4 because of it's ease of making and visibility.
Good luck!
http://www.dawnajonesdesign.com/
Normally I would NEVER reply to this kind of stuff but you answer just stuck in my craw..
Have you not heard of what goes around comes around???
Geeesh
#3 caught my eye...it feels more airy and like your original choice. Only, y'know, pointing the right way.
Karen - it was a fun creative break to work on something other than a house interior!!
And oh I should clarify - the elevation views are from the perspective of the chickens, from inside the coop area facing towards Karen's backyard. The house would be on the left, the coop and existing fence/gate on the right. Drawn from the opposite view of Karen's sketch which is looking from the backyard area into the coop yard.
I happen to know which option you went with,,,can't wait to see more after pics. : )
Carol
#3. Chickens aren't very bright, at least our 30 weren't. Personalities aplenty, but no rocket scientists in the bunch. They thought our wire mesh panels were for poking their heads through, thereby getting caught and causing a stir. But they recognized bars as containment areas and never tried to pass. Ours were free ranging in the trees and yards and were good enforcers of the insect population. Thankfully much of their poop ended up in the planter areas, but far too much ended up on my exterior laundry area washer/dryer surfaces, which is why they're all living elsewhere now.
I have many a times thought to myself when working on a project "what would Carol Reed do?". It's kinda like "what would Jesus do", but for the design inclined.
For the best view of the girls at play..Number 4 definitely!!!
I'd like #4 best, but with the horizontal rails instead of mesh.
So I'm guessing you actually chose #3 since all of your coop doors are swinging, but you wanted to introduce rails. Also because it would take the longest and be the most frustrating to make, which you seem to gravitate to. (go ahead, prove me wrong!)
I love four because of the barn door track, and the visibility of the chickens. Someone needs to make sure they aren't pocketing cards in their poker games!
Definitely option 4! I think? Oh Thursday please come quickly.
I am going with option 1. The light looks like your kind of thing. Option 4 would be my second choice.