Ended Official BYC Coop Page Contest #7

Get those digital cameras out and scan those plans you wrote on the back of your chick starter receipt. Throw them together with a great write up and you could be a winner! (Okay... everyone on BYC is a winner... You'd just be a super coop page contest winner!)

Contest Details:

This is a contest to see who can create the best coop/run page for BYC. We define the "best page" to mean pages with the most information, pictures, plans, details, etc. that will be very helpful to others who want to build a coop and/or run. We don't care if your coop was made out of recycled pallets and was made in 2 days, or if it was made out of the highest grade materials, took 5 months, and is a scale model of the Taj Mahal. We want helpful and informative pages!

Prizes:

First place (coops): The first place winners (at least 2) of the contest will get a $50 Gift Certificate for the BYC Store!
Second place (coops): The second place winner (at least 2) of the contest will get a $20 Gift Certificate for the BYC Store!.
The best run page will get a FREE 1 year GFM for themselves or a friend.

You'll be using the BYC Page & Article Creation Tool to design your pages and creating a page here:https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/2/Coop_Designs

Deadline: The deadline will be based on the number of submissions we receive and how quickly we get them. Usually we wait for at least 20 - 30 submissions. Once we get "enough" we'll give everyone at least 1 week notice before the contest ends so they can put final touches on their submissions.

Things to include in your page:

1. Start with a finished coop/run picture at the top of your page
2. Have a write-up of how you built your coop/run. Include any information you think would be helpful to other people who may want to build something similar. If you are unsure how to create a page, see our Coop pages and member pages tutorial here.
3. If you have them, include designs & plans you used to build your coop/run.
4. Pictures of your coop/run as it was being constructed.
5. Finished pictures of your coop/run.
6. A list of things you want to change or add to your coop/run.
7. Additional information about what you learned, what you'd do differently the next time, and any other tips for potential coop builders.

To increase your chances of winning the contest, make sure it has as many of the elements above in as much detail as possible! Here are some additional hints to help you win the contest:

1. Follow the format of some of the existing coop pages.
2. The more details and pictures the better!
3. Plans plans plans. Very few coop designs have plans available. If you post plans (rough or detailed) of your coop you'll get bonus points for sure!
4. Pictures - We all love lots of big beautiful and helpful pictures!
5. Remember, this is a contest for the most helpful coop build page and not the best looking coop.

IMPORTANT RULE: ALL pictures MUST be uploaded to BYC and not hosted on other sites like Photobucket, personal websites, etc.

We expect to add all of the pages submitted to the coop design page of BYC, but the best will win the contest.

TO ENTER THE CONTEST:

1. Navigate to the "coop designs" section of the site.
2. Scroll below the thumbnails of coops and to the middle left of the page you will see a button for "Add a Coop Design" Click that button and give the page a title.
3. Create a very helpful page with lots of pictures and information.
4. Reply to this thread with a link to your coop page you created.
5. Have Fun!

NOTE: If you're one of those modest types and want to add your coop to the site but don't want to enter the contest, that is fine. We'd still love to have your pictures posted to a BYC page and a link to your page posted in this thread... the more coop designs the better!


To get your coop page on the Index of coops pages of BYC:

1) Create a coop page following the steps above.
2) Reply to this thread with a link to your coop page.
3) Wait for the contest to end.

Please keep in mind that adding coops to our coop index is a long and manual process, so we tend to do them all at once and at the end of the contest.

We look forward to seeing your coop pages, pictures, and information!!

We finished building just in time to enter the contest!
Here is "The Fort Coop"
Enjoy!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-fort-coop

I originally posted just my coop and what we did in building but I have since edited the post and included our run and what we did to build it. Hope everyone likes it, we sure do!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/our-6x6-shed-to-coop-conversion

portable predator proof poultry pen
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/portable-predator-proof-poultry-pen


B-Guff, that is basically what I want when I can put in a permanent coop.

Coop and run for my 7 chickens made with sweat and tears (of joy)

By: Bunnyla
Posted yesterday • Last updated yesterday • 745 views • 1 comment


My coop is 5ft x 8 foot wide (not including the run). 4"x4" posts in the 4 corners then the frame was created with 2 x4 and 2x6" lumber. 2 middle boards of 2x4" to secure the bottom to hold the flooring.
Frame was attached to the posts *4x4 posts). ply wood is the outter boards inter locking ones and it was already had primer on it so I could just use exterior paint. I went to home depot and found this green exterior paint that was one of the rejected colors was $9.00. made 2 nesting boxes that stick out with a tilted lid with a spring hook that has an eye hook on the top of the wood to hold the lid open to gather eggs. Have a piece of extra wood between the two nesting boxes. caulked as much open cracks inside and out. the very top of the coop has 2x6" boards that are over the frame so it will hold an old truck cap. ( got the cap for free--someone was giving it away). created a window on the side of the cap with a screen and square fencing so nothing can get inside when window is open. There is a pulley to open and close the coop wooden door. I added a lip on the inside of wood about 2" high to keep the bedding inside the cage as it was causing opening/closing problems at the bottom. I have a door made on the front to clean out coop. the run has square fencing about 1/4" squares horseshoe hammered the fencing to the wood. put wood at the very bottom of coop to keep other critters out of the coop.made a door on the run to get in. (good thing) sometimes the slider door would stick in cold temps. there is also a smaller door on the side of the coop to feed/water and clean that side of coop. I had put a red heat lamp clamped to the wood which helped with lighting during winter with keeping them warmer. Then I switched to a clamp little fan for the spring/summer/fall. I keep the light or fan on a dual timer so it goes one twice. Here are some pictures from the time it was being made. This coop is big. I can lay down in this coop 5 foot by 8ft. I have a hook on one of the top beams to hold the water. I recently bought a squirrel dome (for keeping them away from bird feeders) and it keeps bird poop out of the water as chickens love to sit at night on the beams in the ceiling between the top of frame and the cap of roof.
recommend cutting posts off first other wise it is hard to cut while sticking up high...hense this photo below: bottom of post make sure to put cinder blocks!! To prevent mold/rot in the wood that meets the floor.


put osb board as roof (before we knew we were getting the cap. so we removed this roof. We did angle or make the back 2 posts shorter by 2-3" than the front ones so that water would drip off the back when raining/ snow melting. below photo is the side door where feeder/water access would be. the front of coop and the 3rd photo shows where the slider door would be with the wood ladder and run would be.

next photo: nesting boxes area with separator wood. 2nd pic. cap on door on/but changed the door to open to the left side. beams at top are where the chickens rest. I have put wood in corners so they could jump to corners then up to the top beams.. some fly right up now.






I keep tarp on top of run to keep them cooler in the summer time. **use linoleum on top of the wood flooring to help keep the bottom of floor cleaner/ easier to clean.
Diane (bunnyla)

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/coop-and-run-for-my-7-chickens-made-with-sweat-and-tears-of-joy

Here's my entry:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-recycled-coop

Just to add to the index of coops.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/very-low-cost-but-tons-of-work-recycled-coop

Here is my entry.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/iowa-coop

Here is mine!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chicken-hut-with-run

It is a great low cost/skill temporary or permanent set-up. It would only be suitable for permanent use in warm climates though. I would think that it would be great for other poultry and livestock as well.