Bluebetween's Chicken Coop

The Blue Between Chicken House

After looking at all the chicken coop photos I could find, and trying to decide on what features I had to have, this is the chicken coop we came up with. We worked on this for about 8 weekends. Plus a few week nights. It took a long time. We made some mistakes and figured out how to fix them or work with them. But it was a lot of fun (mostly) and a great family project. I'm really happy with how it turned out. Still to do (maybe): add a chicken cam, an automatic door opener, an auto watering system, and landscaping. Oh, and an outdoor pen or tractor so the girls can get some fresh grass and bugs.

Features:

1.) Secure. I wanted the hardwire sandwiched between the frame boards and hardwire beneath run.

2.) Storage. Enough said.

3.) Easy to clean, easy access. I wanted to be able to stand up in the run, and slide out the floor and litter board in the coop, and I wanted external acces to the eggs.

4.) An overhang to keep me dry while working in there during our long Seattle area rainy season - which lasts pretty much all year.

5.) Cute. I was thinking of it as a garden feature as well as a functional home for my girls.

Here's the finished coop:

Our fancy zig-zag ramps, before they got covered in poop:

And after, with a flip-up roost added:

And inside:

Lights:

Door Action:

Upgrades!! Water tower - love this!

And inside too!

All the "in progress" shots can be seen here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluebetween/sets/72157626712382468/

Blog updates can be found here: http://bluebetween.blogspot.com/search/label/backyard%20chickens

Thanks for looking!

Pam, Frank, Luke and The Girls, Pippi, Lulu, Bella & Daphne

The Baby Pictures:

Dapne, the Welsummer, Pippi, the Buff Orpington, Lulu, the Cuckoo Maran, and Bella, the Silver Laced Wynadote.

Growing Up!

And all grown up: