Chicken Coop and a Bit of Poop! Best Chicken Coop and Pen!

[@stephl457]

The reason your girls are not laying in the nesting boxes is probably because there is little to no bedding. You need to put some type of bedding in the boxes as well otherwise they will not lay in them. Also use fake ceramic eggs they carry them at tractor supply. Loved the video!

[@LifeintheNorth40]

Oh wow, great tips Steph. I will try those.

[@tenzinminz5150]

@@LifeintheNorth40 Also add a curtain to the nesting boxes may help (just read from others :) )

[@tomstorm7081]

Loved this video. Nor only was it informative, but it was entertaining. Great set up. Nice job, Brittany.

[@LifeintheNorth40]

Thanks Tom! This was a lot of fun to do!

[@aliciad.7122]

Hello! We just bought this coop and I was interested in how y'all modified it. A few tips... if you want your girls to lay in a specific spot, put dummy ceramic eggs in the nesting boxes. They naturally want to add to the clutch. We also line our boxes with astro-turf. It is easily washed off, soft for nesting and it keeps the eggs clean. Your video was great and I'm excited to put mine together!

[@LifeintheNorth40]

Great tips and thanks for watching. Never would have thought of astro-turf in the nesting boxes, good idea. We will try the dummy egg idea as our lay in the far corner on the floor. Hope you enjoy our other content, pleas subscribe and thanks for your comments.

[@bettestorm9950]

Great job Brittany. You explained and demonstrated everything very well. You get a gold star ⭐️

[@LifeintheNorth40]

Thank you so much!

[@grizzer9870]

wanted to ad a comment. the santa outfit was great. please don't lose your humor, your vids are good

[@AJsGreenThumbLLC]

Great job and additions to make this a super functioning coop. It is pretty roomy too.

[@LifeintheNorth40]

Yes it has worked great for up to 10 hens for us. A little spendy but has been a great coop for us. Please subscribe to our channel if you enjoy our content. 👍🏽

[@bettestorm9950]

Great job Brittany. You explained and demonstrated very well. You get a gold star.

[@LifeintheNorth40]

Thank you so much!

[@GraphicallySpeakingMimi]

I have this exact coop. I’m doing the deep liter method and using Hemp instead of pine shavings.

[@LifeintheNorth40]

Oh very cool! That sounds like a good method. Where does one get that type and quantity of hemp? Thanks for the comment by the way as well!

[@LifeintheNorth40]

Okay I found it on Amazon and Walmart.com as in our area cant really find it available locally. Definitely more expensive for the coverage than pine shavings, but looks like it is way better for smell absorption and longevity.

[@bettestorm9950]

Great job Brittany. You explained everything and demonstrated very well. You get a gold ⭐️

[@LifeintheNorth40]

Thank you so much!

[@1997LT1Camaro]

Beautiful woman and great info 😍 I have the same coop coming soon.

[@LifeintheNorth40]

I agree, she sure is! Hope you enjoy your new coop. Please like and subscribe if you enjoy our content thanks

[@andrewkraus8802]

Hello! Love the setup. Are you guys still using the Happy Henhouse automatic door? I have the EXACT same coop just in a different color, and I can't seem to find a door that fits the larger opening of the overez coop. Was the door installation simple with no modifications needed to the coop?

[@LifeintheNorth40]

Cool we love this coop and pin set up. Still working great for us after three years yes our automatic closing chicken door still going strong. I’ve had to re-screw the sidetrack once because it came loose but that’s about it. Thanks for watching please like and subscribe if you enjoy your content.

[@geaj4214]

I wish the windows opened from the outside. I have the same coop im painting and getting ready to put my chickens in. I just don't want to be inside the coop just to open the windows.

[@LifeintheNorth40]

Yes that is one downside I agree

[@vanblindguy4600]

What if the door closes and not all your chickens have gone inside, are they locked out all night. The mesh size on your run would easily allow a weasel in.

[@LifeintheNorth40]

We have had the chickens get locked out a few times until they were trained to go into the coop, before the door closed at limited visibility. We have never had any type of predator get through the fencing. Thanks for watching and for your comment. Please subscribe to our channel if you like our content.

[@vanblindguy4600]

@Life in the North 40 did you somehow train them or did they figure it out on their own. We just bought this exact same set up and then saw it on your channel so thought your insights would be spot on. I'm a little worried about the nesting boxes as they are a little on the small side and now hearing your chickens are hesitant to use them makes me a little nervous about my purchase.

[@LifeintheNorth40]

@@vanblindguy4600 The chickens get trained to go into the coop in the evenings, they will go in before the light sensor closes the door. There have been a few times that a few were locked out and we had to put them into the coop, but after a while they figure it out. The chickens will use the nesting boxes even though they are bigger, they will nestle in them if you train the to use them by placing fake plastic eggs in the nesting boxes. We never did this and ours just lay on the floor in the corner. Try placing the fake eggs in the boxes. Our coop has been great, second winter and its holding up great so far.

[@mypugmeimei254]

Thank you for a wonderful video. We also have this coop in the medium size. Never just use chicken wire. We always always always use hardware cloth on windows, walls and roof of run and aproned on the ground of entire run. Chicken wire is not strong enough and the spacing on the metal run is too far apart. Add a layer of hardware cloth over your metal run. Always better to be safe than sorry❣️

[@mikekipreos3299]

Great job with your chicken coop! Three questions. 1. Do you also keep ducks? 2. If so, do you have a separate coop for ducks and do the ducks mix with the chickens?

[@LifeintheNorth40]

No ducks unfortunately. Maybe soon

[@Brzypoint]

Great video! My wife and I are first time chicken owners, ours chicks are 2 weeks old. Was searching KZbin for ideas on coops, do's & don'ts etc... and came across your video. We live in Minnesota and the winters here are our only concern. We like the idea of the automatic door and the feeders/watering set up, however we are wondering how well that heater for the water and the automatic door will work when it's 30-50 below zero. We only have 3 chicks right now with a goal of 10 by next year. What's your experience with the water heater and winters (assuming you live where there is snow and sub-zero temps lol). Thanks!

[@LifeintheNorth40]

Good for you guys! You will love them they are so much fun! Thank you for watching :) We do have very snowy winters but do not normally get below 0 thankfully but most of our winter are in the teens. The water heater we use in the winter has worked perfectly. It is called "K&H Pet Products: Perfect Bucket Heater. It is a disc heater the is encased and submersible. The automatic door did great over our winter! The electrical does well since it is inside the coop with the heat lamps! I hope that helps answer your questions even though we don't get as cold as you :)

[@Brzypoint]

@@LifeintheNorth40 Yes! Thank you for your insight!

[@geaj4214]

Did you have issues with rain getting in?

[@LifeintheNorth40]

We have never had any rain get inside 🙂 it’s really tight and solid!

[@dl2197]

Great video very well explained ... I don't know if my comment feed just stopped but what is your yield for eggs

[@LifeintheNorth40]

Hi there! We currently have 7 chickens and are getting 3-4 eggs a day!

[@TheRoseofasia]

Thank you shared, we just bought the chicken coop and pen as you have, we have 18 chicks 17 days,10 days,3 days. How often clean?

[@LifeintheNorth40]

It kinda depends on when you get a good bit of waste build up, and smell. That is kinda of an indicator its time to clean out your coop and put is some fresh shaving and straw. Please subscribe if you enjoy our content.

[@jarae9781]

How much is the 2 runs that you put together. Been wanting to do that, I had been letting one of my flocks free range, but after a coyote or something got them all, I want to make it more safe for them. Loved your video how many chickens will that size coop fit? Is it the medium or larger one? Did they deliver it or ship it?

[@LifeintheNorth40]

The pens are from Rugged Ranch, we got two of their pens and put them together with the roof fencing as well fro the same reason you had Predators as we live in the woods. The pens were kind of expensive around $600, we got ours on sale at a local farm store. Our coop is the Large, it says it will hold up to 12-15 birds. We got our coop ourselves at the same farm store, it fit in the back of my pickup. Thank you for watching, please subscribe if you enjoy our content.

[@hollylyttle5563]

Hi. Thanks for the video. I’m in the research phase and found your video. I’m not sure if I missed it, but how often do you scrape out all the bedding? And do you do any ‘spot cleaning’ in between to lengthen the time before you completely refill? Also I’ve seen drop boards in other coops, any opinions on those? Thanks

[@LifeintheNorth40]

We Clean it about every 2-3 weeks now that we have 10 chickens, when we had 4 we only had to clean about once a month because we also let them outside so they don't poop as much inside that coop! I don't normally spot clean or add more shavings between cleans but that would probably be a good idea especially right under their roost. I don't know about drop boards but that sounds interesting, do people put those on the floor and take them out to clean to protect their coops? Thanks for watching!

[@Juana4ev]

Get Hemp Bedding.. keep things good and smelling better inside; more absorbent than pine and straw, way less dust, biodegradable and will break down well for compost. Carolina Coops sells a good one. Amazon has different sellers but sometimes it might not be real Hemp or moldy. Some deep litter and only have tonchange once a year

[@mhaustei9726]

Do you have to clean the wall where to poop is? Does it have the same protective coating that the bottom has?

[@LifeintheNorth40]

Great question, yes we try to clean the waste off of the back wall with a broom or brush, where they like to roost and poop. The inside walls and floor have a treated coating (According the the manufacturer) that helps protect the wood from urine and poop. Please subscribe if you like our content.

[@unmotivatedhomemaker]

@@Juana4ev that’s a brilliant idea! Thanks for sharing!

[@Juana4ev]

@@unmotivatedhomemaker No problem. Someone else suggested hanging up a tarp too for the same effect. Both can be washed off so you dont have to worry abot chicken poop staining the walls

[@LifeintheNorth40]

Wow, love that idea. I think the next coop cleaning we will do that! Thanks so much!

[@jG-gm2mz]

Isn't that the large chicken coop that holds up to 15 chickens.

[@LifeintheNorth40]

Yes it is. Thanks for watching

[@stevenlaubach5947]

Not very many people know the phonetic alphabet!!!

[@apaulf9199]

DON'T buy the over-ez chicken feeder as it collects water on the inside and makes the food moldy. I have 11 feeders and 11 waterers from them, and they are awful buyer beware.

[@LifeintheNorth40]

Thanks for your opinion, ours seem to still be working great. Thanks for watching and for your comment. If you like our content please like and subscribe👍🏽