Billt's Chicken Coop

HI !   Welcome to Bill and Judy's Page

We have finally finished our Coop and run.  

I built our coop as you would build any frame building.  We installed 4" by 4" post in the ground and framed 2" by 8" floor joist.

With the floor joist finished, we put down 3/4" plywood for the floor and covered it with linoleum.

The walls were made of 8' 2x4's and across the end of the building, we put 2x6 beam about 7 inches above the floor to put the studs on.

This was for a place to slide the trays under the roost out for cleaning.

We insulated the walls and put on a shingled roof. The ceiling is insulated also. We ran a twenty amp 220 volt power line to the

building and installed an eight foot florescent light on the ceiling. 

Our hope is to have 40 hens for eggs and a few times a year raise meat birds for our family, our two daughter's families and my sister.

The forum has been a wonderful help in the design of the coop, and anyone wanting to have chickens should study everyone's coop to

decide how to build theirs.

The coop is 8' wide by 16' long and 8' high. It is insulated and has power run to it. 

I put an electric fence around the run to keep out burrowing critters

The end of the building is designed to open for the slide out trays under the roost

The trays have a 1 1/2" lip around them and we put shavings in them and empty them about every two weeks.

We made one BIG mistake. The trays are wider than the gate to the run !

It's high enough off the ground for the girls to get under to get out of the heat.

Now to the inside. There are vents down each side at the top of the walls

The door has a window and there is a window at the end of the coop

The pop door has an automatic opener

The roost has 1" by 2" wire under them to keep the girls out of the poop

 If I could only get them to go outside.

 They are finally going outside.

 They look as though they’re having fun chasing bugs and eating grass all day.

 They now have a Dust Spa to lounge around.

They have grown some and are getting a lot more friendly

 Here are some pictures of our 4 week old meaties.

We used cattle panels covered with chicken wire to section off part of the run to keep them away from the bigger kids.

 The big kids like to visit with the fat kids sometimes.

 Check out their Morning Rush Hour !

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xG0HAzbk-_s

 More to Come Later