Video summary
In this episode, Survival Doc provides a comprehensive tour of his custom-built chicken coop, emphasizing the critical importance of security against both ground-dwelling predators and aerial threats. The structure features a robust five-foot fence made of chicken wire that is buried six inches into the earth to prevent animals like foxes or raccoons from digging underneath. To address the specific danger posed by hawks in this region, the coop is covered with bird netting sourced from Gardens Alive, a measure Doc has found essential after witnessing friends lose multiple chickens to raptors. The design also incorporates a sliding door mechanism that allows for easy ventilation during hot nights while keeping the flock secure, and a ramp facilitates safe entry and exit for the birds without compromising the integrity of the enclosure.
Inside the converted shed, the layout is thoughtfully organized to meet the diverse needs of the chickens, including feeding, resting, and waste management. Doc has designated a specific corner for composting kitchen scraps, noting that the flock eagerly consumes everything from meat and fat to vegetable matter, which helps reduce food waste while providing natural nutrition. The interior includes roosting boards, a sand bath for dust bathing, and a dedicated area for water that features an external drain to prevent messes from spreading into the main living space. Additionally, the coop houses various enrichment items such as Glyn boxes, swings, and ramps, ensuring the birds have an engaging environment that mimics natural behaviors.
The video concludes with Doc highlighting his innovative use of premium bird netting, which he has joined together to create a large, flexible cover that can be easily opened for cleaning or debris removal using simple clothespins. He also demonstrates plans to integrate a chicken tractor system by cutting a door into the hardware cloth section, allowing the flock to move directly from the stationary coop into a mobile pen for fresh grazing. Throughout the tour, his shepherd dog makes an appearance, showcasing his dual role as both a protector against predators and a playful companion who occasionally tries to chase the chickens. Ultimately, the episode reinforces the core philosophy of being prepared for various survival scenarios while maintaining a sustainable and humane approach to backyard poultry keeping.
Read the full video transcript
just I get them yet can I go yet
greetings friends that's a survival dog
today I'm going to show you our chicken
coop this is the fence that we made this
is my chicken doll
come here real me real all right down
yeah anyway this is our fence we made
it's a five foot chicken wire we all
have it buried six inches in the ground
keep critters from digging underneath it
above this I have a bird netting that I
got from Gardens alive and this is
because we have a problem with hawks in
this part of the country and I've have
several friends who have keep chickens
and all of them have lost multiple
chickens due to hogs
good dog real good dog breo's a shepherd
dog so he come he's a shepherd most of
the time but also sometimes he gets
excited and wants to chase the chicken
here the chickens taking their dust bath
okay over here is my shed that I
converted into a chicken coop
I cut a door in the side here made a
ramp so that when I opened it up
chickens can come out and I put a
sliding door here with and that way I
can open this at night for ventilation
when it's hot outside
and speaking of ventilation I also cut a
hole up here for hot air to escape and I
can put a fan up there in that wonder if
I need to hear the chickens one of the
favorite hangouts in this hot weather is
underneath here where it's nice and cool
now over here in this corner is where I
throw my compost our kitchen scrubs and
chickens will eat any type of kitchen
scraps any type of food so everything
goes over here meat fat gristle
vegetable matter I just come over here
without coming inside here just come
over here and drop it over the stands
and here we have our compost for our
chicken manure and in the sawdust or not
to sawdust but the woodchips
here's our coupe our Glyn boxes and
ramps for the tickets the Glovers chick
a swing and here's the roost
boards and here's their boardwalk in the
ramp way to get up there there's a sand
bath for them and over here
I built this area for their water and it
has a drain to the outside that way when
they make a mess with the water it
doesn't get the muchos always the water
stays in this little area here
oh sorry guess you guys want in and out
but this is a sliding door I made to
close it up at night not going lock it
there if I need to so in the morning I
just come out here and slide it's open
and the chickens come outside
in this premium bird netting I got from
Gardens alive is I have got two pieces
28 feet by 28 feet square
two pieces a joined right here and I
just joined them for now at least with
clothes pins and that way I can always
easily open it right here if a lot of
debris leaves or whatnot get up there I
can open it easily to clean to clean
that off and this part right here I laid
I haven't cut a door into it yet but
I've got some hardware cloth here it's
going to cut a door here in this part
right here so that I can back my chicken
tractor up to it open it up and allow
the chickens to go directly out of the
pen and then to the chicken chicken
tractor here and see my other video on
my chicken tractor and this is survival
doc reminding you be prepared or be
prepared to be pleased
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