We are aware of some powering issues with the Wi-Fi Controller and have found that this is due to outdated Firmware.
The latest software on the App should fix this issue.
1
Download the latest app
2
Press factory reset until the opener beeps.
3
Download the latest firmware onto the opener
Having the most up-to-date software will keep you from having these issues, so it is important to keep your App Firmware updated to the most recent version and may need to be done periodically.
Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we navigate through these bugs. If you still have issues after taking these steps, please call us at 800-490-3163.
16 Chicken Coop Essentials-What every great chicken coop needs
Do you know what the most important chicken coop essentials are? Are you curious about what the “Taj Mahal” of chicken coops features for their flocks? We’re breaking it all down in this list of 16 chicken coop essentials so that as you design your coop and chicken run, you don’t miss anything important, and you create the perfect place for your chickens to be safe, happy, and thrive.
Chicken Coop Essentials-RIGHT Coop Size
The first thing to determine is what size chicken coop is best. You need to get the right-sized chicken coop and chicken run for your flock. Your chickens need some room to move around and be comfortable. If chickens are too suppressed in a small space, that usually leads to squabbling amongst your flock and potential violence towards each other.
So how do I determine what the right coop size is for my hens?
The actual chicken coop where you have your roosts and nesting boxes and where your chickens sleep at night should offer at least 4 square feet of space per chicken.
So, if you have 6 chickens, you want 24 square feet of space for them inside of your coop. And if you are able, you may want to have even more for them. More space is better for your birds, and 4 square feet of coop space is the minimum.
Chicken Coop Essentials-right Run Size
Just like you need the proper amount of space in your chicken coop, you also need the right size chicken run for your chickens. Now because the coop is typically a smaller, more confined space, people usually have fewer issues with chicken run sizes because they’re often larger than the coop by default.
How can I calculate the correct run size for my chickens?
A good rule of thumb is to have 4-6 square feet of space per chicken in your chicken run.
This actually may be something you haven’t thought about too much. You know you want chickens, and you’re going to get a chicken coop of some sort (maybe you already have it), but you haven’t thought about the location of your chicken coop. Where you place your coop is 3rd on our 16 chicken coop essentials list for good reason. If you place your coop in the wrong spot, it can affect your chicken’s health, happiness, and survival.
Where is the best spot to have my coop?
The most important thing to do is steer clear of low, wet areas and hot sunny areas. Low areas in your yard or property may gather too much water and get soggy easily. You want your flock to have a dry place to live. If it gets really hot where you live, then make sure to place your coop in a shaded spot so that your birds don’t overheat in the summer.
Chicken Coop Essentials-Human Access To Coop
An often overlooked chicken coop essential to not forget is a human access door to your coop. Now, a lot of smaller chicken coops don’t have full-sized human access doors, and that’s to be expected. If your coop is large, you will want to make sure that you can easily access the interior. This is especially important for cleaning out your coop, which will need to happen a few times per year. There’s a great article about this from our friends at The Hen House Collection.
So why is it important to have human access to the chicken coop?
This is important mostly because it is essential that you keep a close eye on your chicken coop to see if they are being targeted by predators, and it’s important to be able to see if the safety of the coop has been compromised. It is also very efficient for cleaning a coop, which is something you do not want to shirk.
Chicken Coop Essentials-Human Escape Plan For Coop
Ok, admittedly, this sounds silly. You’re probably thinking there’s no way we could be serious, right? Well, we are serious. You should have an alternate way to exit the chicken coop that you can operate from the inside in case you or maybe one of your children accidentally gets locked inside. This happens, so we highly recommend installing a secondary escape route for you or anyone else who is caring for your chickens.
Provided that you have a decently sized chicken run attached to your coop, you will want to have an access door that is convenient for you to go in and out of. The best option is a full-sized door that you walk through, of course, but if your run isn’t that tall, you’ll want to make sure the door is still large enough to fit through.
Having secure locks on all the doors that provide access to your flock is crucial for the safety of your birds. Cunning chicken predators like raccoons can operate simple latches, so you will want to choose mechanisms that require multiple steps to open, like padlocks, barrel locks, or automatically closing chicken doors. These will provide the most safety for your flock. There is nothing more heartbreaking than discovering your coop or run was broken into overnight and that you lost members of your flock.
Speaking of chicken predators, there are always dangers lurking around, waiting for an opportunity to get at your chickens. Common chicken predators include neighborhood dogs, foxes, raccoons, weasels, mink, opossums, bears, coyotes, owls, hawks, and even snakes (they eat chicken eggs if they can get to them). Securing your coop and chicken run will make it harder for these opportunistic predators to access your birds.
Want some more advice on how to keep foxes out of your coop? Check out our blog and learn how to fox-proof a chicken coop.
Most chicken coops come with some sort of windows to allow for better ventilation and natural light. The optimal setup will feature multiple windows covered with sturdy wire mesh to allow lots of fresh air and light.
Why do I need extra windows in the coop?
Many people add extra windows to their coops to ensure that their chickens get the fresh air that they need.
It’s not too complicated to add windows to your chicken coop. Make sure they are positioned towards the top of your coop, cut your desired window size, add 2x4s to frame it out from the inside, and attach the protective metal mesh to prevent predators from getting inside your coop. Make sure to attach the mesh on the inside securely so that it is properly sealed from the outside.
Chicken Coop Essentials-Plenty Of Water
Making water readily available for your chickens is very important. This may seem obvious to most, but it’s worth mentioning here. You should have water stations inside your coop and in your chicken run. The water should be refreshed or changed daily to make sure that your birds are never thirsty.
Depending on the size of your flock and coop, it may be necessary to have 2 stations inside your coop and 2 stations outside in the run. Especially if you live in a warmer climate, this will be important. If you live in colder regions, then you will need to check your water stations every morning to make sure your water isn’t frozen.
Chicken Coop Essentials-Chicken Feeders
Providing easy access for your chickens to their food is another obvious chicken coop essential, but a necessary one. If you have a large chicken run area for your flock to enjoy during the day, they will probably be able to find some food there.
All that to say, it’s also important to have a chicken feeder (or more than one depending on the size of your flock) available inside their coop in case they get peckish (see what we did there?) in the middle of the night or early morning before they’re let out into the run. Well-fed chickens are happy chickens, and happy chickens lay more eggs!
Roosts are a vital interior chicken coop essential for any flock. Chickens naturally want to roost sometimes during the day and especially at night. Roosting allows your chickens to feel safe and relaxed. Some chicken coops may come equipped with roosts for your chickens, and that’s great, but if yours doesn’t, or you’re building your coop from scratch, here are things to keep in mind. Let’s look at some tips for installing roosts in your coop.
Allow at least 12 inches of space on the front, back, and top of your roosts for each chicken. This will give them enough room to rest comfortably.
Make sure that your roosts are higher than your nesting boxes. Chickens will naturally roost on the highest available space, so if your roosting bars are lower than your nesting boxes, they may roost on your boxes and then lay eggs in random places on the coop floor, which is not ideal for you or the eggs.
If you’re using 2x4s as the roosting bars, they can be installed flat or upright. Your birds will be able to use them either way.
The best chicken roost bars are made out of natural tree branches. If you’re building your coop, consider using actual tree branches as roosts, they are the easiest for your chicken’s feet to grasp onto.
To make the roosts more comfortable, take some sandpaper or a palm sander and round the edges of the boards. This will make it easier for your birds to grasp their roosts.
If your roosting surfaces are more than 3 feet off the ground of your chicken coop, you’ll want to provide a ladder for your chickens to easily get onto their roosts.
Chicken Coop Essentials-Nesting Boxes
You will want to have safe, cozy nesting boxes for your hens to sit in to lay their eggs. You can make nesting boxes out of lots of different things. Some people get creative with their nesting boxes just for fun. But at the very least, you should have nesting boxes for all of your hens, bed the boxes with hay or straw, and make them out of wood or another material that won’t rot or decay (don’t make your nesting boxes out of cardboard).
Your hens should instinctively know what the nesting boxes are, and after a few days of acclimating to the coop, you should see them getting comfy at night and producing eggs for you.
Chicken Coop Essentials-Droppings Boards
It’s no secret that chickens go to the bathroom wherever they want, whenever they want. This can often happen while they’re roosting comfortably. To prevent their droppings from landing on the floor of your coop, the top of your nesting boxes, or on other members of the flock, you’ll want to install droppings boards directly below the roosting bars.
You can design removable dropping boards to make cleaning more convenient or simply use something like plywood as the protective shelf under the roosts. Get into the habit of scraping off those droppings boards to keep your coop clean and enjoyable for your chickens.
Chicken Coop Essentials-Dust Baths
Dust baths are a very important chicken coop essential you’ll want to make sure you have for your chickens. Dust bathing helps with the health of your bird’s feathers and skin. It’s counterintuitive for us, but for your chickens, it’s essential.
Dust baths can be made of sand and dirt. A great way to do this is to provide containers that hold your dust bath mixtures and that have low sides for easy access for your chickens. They’ll love hopping in and out and being able to give themselves regular dust baths to keep their feathers and skin healthy.
Chicken Coop Essentials-Chicken Scratch Areas
“Chicken Scratch” is a term we’ve probably all heard used to describe poor handwriting, but what you may not know is it’s an important practice that chickens engage in daily. Chickens need the ground to scratch and peck every day. This is how they forage for food, and it’s almost a cathartic practice for them. Making sure that your chickens have ample space in their run to peck and scratch will contribute to their happiness and contentedness while they’re in your care.
Chicken Coop Essentials-Automatic door
If you are concerned about your chickens’ safety, and we’re going to suppose you are, then an automatic door is something you will want to consider. Though it is not essential, an automatic coop door is a wonderful item to have for your coop. An automatic coop door from Pet Auto Doors could go a long way in protecting your chickens from predators like foxes, bears, raccoons, and snakes. The Pet Auto Door can be set to open and close when you want it to and is heavy-duty and built to last. Check out the Pet Auto Door and see how it could benefit your flock.
Recapping Our 16 Chicken Coop Essentials List
Ok, so we know that was a long list of chicken coop essentials, but there are a lot of important things to consider when owning your flock of backyard chickens and setting up their chicken coop and run. We hope this was helpful!
You don’t have to do all these steps at the same time, of course! Make this list into a “to-do list” and work on one item at a time until you get them all completed. And remember, this is just our list of chicken coop essentials. There may be important things out there we didn’t even think of. The ultimate goal is for your chickens to be happy and safe, we hope this list of essentials helped!
