fully portable / flat-pack coop designs?

aart said:

Depending on what kind of screws are used, how carefully clearance and pilot holes are sized and drilled, they can be reused quite effectively.

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You can also just putty it up and redrill, use a bigger sized screw if the hole is enlarged, or just move the screws. Or you could use other ways of fixing the sides (hinge them, use channels to slide them in, hold them on with swivels).

I'm not keen on A-frames either, for the reason aart said, the space at the apex isn't that useable, but it's up to you. (I have a sort of "pet claustrophobia", I get uncomfortable if my pets don't have plenty of room - not sure they care, but it bothers me.) I'd prefer a "box" shape.

How are you thinking of supporting the floor? Where would bolts go? For the "slide-in" option, that might be ok immediately after you've made it, but after it's been out in the weather and pooed on by chooks the timber will change, it won't stay exactly the same size as it was, it might warp a bit and getting it out and back in might be a challenge. You could cut it a bit short on either side so you could be sure to get it in, but that would give you crevices for poo to get into....

bolts.

I said screws, because honestly, I know you can get about ten good screwings (yes, that sounds bad) before the hole will lose it's integrity.

know you said you're in the military, but how many times will it move?

another thing, the good thing about wood and screws, is that is you move the screw hole over 1/2" you can screw it again......

I'm all about screwing stuff.

Another good way to repair screw holes is to use a golf tee or small wooden dowl and a bit of exterior grade wood glue. Just put a bit of glue on the tee or dowl and tap it in the hole with a hammer. Let dry then trim off the excess tee or dowl. Then you can redrill and continue to use.
Good luck with whatever you decide.

thanks for the replies.

this is very much still a small concept in my head, just trying to figure out how i would do it etc and all advice is taken on board with regards to the A frame idea and fixings.

the only reason for the A frame was that it may be easier to make hinge and collapse etc, but i too would prefer my hens to have too much space then too little.

I move atleast once every two years, but my last two jobs were only 12 months long before i relocated. so i could see me moving the coop completely around 10-15 times depending on what jobs i get. obviously if i was posted anywhere outside europe i wouldnt be able to take the coop with me.

its all food for thought and as i have (hopefully) atleast 18 months now before i'm posted again i have a decent amount of time to come up with concepts and get more feedback from you guys!

I have portable runs (low ones) that hinge and fold up. The hinges are in the middle of 2 opposite sides. The hinged sides fold in (hinge to the inside) so you end up with a folded up run (a bit like wooden child playpens used to fold up). So, you can have hinged and folding with a square shape as well as an A-frame. The thing is that if you are talking about something constructed out of solid timber, it would be way too heavy to hinge together and deal with together, it really only works with the very lightweight "el-cheapo" fir wood from China that they make the cheap flatpack runs out of. If it's decent timber, breaking it down into pieces/panels would be easier to lift and carry. I have a metal/mesh one as well, that is quite solid metal and that's quite heavy. Any substantial construction material adds weight.

I'm surprised there aren't plans online for something easily broken down and moved. Lots of people are renting and would need to move their coop.

Have you considered plastic "igloo" type houses or plastic sheds, or colorbond metal? They might be more easily transported/taken apart?

well my wife has told me to look at the eglu things, im not sure how i feel about them, they seem a bit small and hugely expensive for a bit of plastic. the other thought i has was to somehow use the plastic garden sheds / storage benches that come flat packed and clip together. its just a case of seeing how easy they would be to maintain and modify for the chickens.

making a run isnt a problem, i have plenty of stakes and poles from our gardening to make a fence with some wire and netting over the top. risk of predators with me are fairly unlikely as out gardens will always be completely fenced, someone is always at home and the hens get locked in the coop at night.

converting something like this: http://www.homebase.co.uk/en/homebaseuk/keter-store-it-out-garden-storage---4ft-9in-x-2ft-8in-261326

im sure it would be pretty easy, and should be suitable for a few hens. i just hate spending money when i know i can get the wood for next to nothing and build something. but that may not always be the case, hence why i looking to make something that will last a while and endure moving a lot

philyc said:

use the plastic garden sheds

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I'd be concerned that they'd be too hot and have insufficient ventilation, but as it's plastic, it can be cut I suppose, to stick in some extra ventilation if necessary.

Instead of an A-frame, how about a "row" of "boxes" with a skillion roof over the top. Little hatch with a pull up door on the side of each box, join them up (could use some metal bar, on the outside), stick the roof on. Put removable legs on each box.

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yep, thats what i was thinking. so i could cut for the pop door, ventilation, windows etc. i get the box idea, almost have it modular? my only thing is needing to have them fold flat. i think thats the biggest issue for my situation is having to have it fold up flat. its why we can't have much nice furniture and most of it needs to be able to flatten each move as it just takes up too much of our allotted space.

Yes, modular. If you build each "room" like a normal box, top frame, bottom frame, uprights and removable cladding you can pull it to bits down to those components. You can halve the joints on the frames and join them with bolts (does away with your concern about screwholes enlarging. Cladding could just be marine grade ply, screwed on. Make the roof out of alsynite so it's lightweight (as long as you don't live in the snow, you might need something stronger to hold up snow.)