Hey all... It's been a while since I was here last. I built my first coop back in 2008 and had to close down the egg factory when we moved. Well, this spring we decided it was time to build another coop. I like to over build things, but that's not a bad thing! This coop will be a 4'x8' coop styled after a monitor barn, I like the look and the design allows for a nice cross flow ventilation high in the roof.
So, lets start off with the photos!
Started off with a simple platform, with pressure treated posts, cemented in the ground.
Then with the help of my youngest son, we build some walls. This coop will be built with barn board applied directly to the coop frame much like a post and beam barn, Because of this, some "typical" build designs stray from the norm. I have decided to also countersink lag bolts for most of the design. The lag bolts are 3.49 a pound, where nails is 5.99 a pound... its almost a wash, but work SO MUCH better! Plus, it gave my 6 year old the chance to use a 100 year old "cordless drill"!
With the walls up, it's starting to look more like a coop. I had some scrap sheet flooring material too. Not enough do to the whole floor, but one end is bare for the nest boxes, and the other end will have a poop board set up under the roosts. The back wall has a fixed window installed to allow for some light in the coop and let the birds enjoy the view.
By setting the wall studs sideways, it allowed the back wall to be flush with the side walls and left a smoother inside profile for the window. The window sits proud of the framing by 3/4" to allow a flush outside with the siding and some 1" shop made molding to trim it out on the inside worked very nice!
Now off to the roof design. This will follow a barn style that uses a small second box and roof above the main roof. This will allow a 6" tall, full length vent for the coop. This brings me up to today, but it's just been 3 days of work so far. Tomorrow I will be making the upper roof rafters and adding in a few tie in points to the lower roof.
If you look, you can see the flooring is cut for a floor exit ramp. I decided to go with this design on my coop, I have not used it before, but I like the concept. My plan is to have the nest boxes on the end behind a hinged door that will look a lot like a barn door. Because the next boxes will block an easy access, I plan to use T-nuts to bolt the nest boxes down, and allow them to be pulled out if needed. I will also have at least one of the 4 squares in the side walls open as a hinged door, maybe more, I am still debating it.
I will be adding more as I go, but its off to a killer start! Oh, in case anyone was curious, the silver stuff you see is
aluminum tape to cover the bolt holes from water getting into them and rotting out the wood. I know, its an over kill, but i had it kicking around so....
So, lets start off with the photos!
Started off with a simple platform, with pressure treated posts, cemented in the ground.
Then with the help of my youngest son, we build some walls. This coop will be built with barn board applied directly to the coop frame much like a post and beam barn, Because of this, some "typical" build designs stray from the norm. I have decided to also countersink lag bolts for most of the design. The lag bolts are 3.49 a pound, where nails is 5.99 a pound... its almost a wash, but work SO MUCH better! Plus, it gave my 6 year old the chance to use a 100 year old "cordless drill"!
With the walls up, it's starting to look more like a coop. I had some scrap sheet flooring material too. Not enough do to the whole floor, but one end is bare for the nest boxes, and the other end will have a poop board set up under the roosts. The back wall has a fixed window installed to allow for some light in the coop and let the birds enjoy the view.
By setting the wall studs sideways, it allowed the back wall to be flush with the side walls and left a smoother inside profile for the window. The window sits proud of the framing by 3/4" to allow a flush outside with the siding and some 1" shop made molding to trim it out on the inside worked very nice!
Now off to the roof design. This will follow a barn style that uses a small second box and roof above the main roof. This will allow a 6" tall, full length vent for the coop. This brings me up to today, but it's just been 3 days of work so far. Tomorrow I will be making the upper roof rafters and adding in a few tie in points to the lower roof.
If you look, you can see the flooring is cut for a floor exit ramp. I decided to go with this design on my coop, I have not used it before, but I like the concept. My plan is to have the nest boxes on the end behind a hinged door that will look a lot like a barn door. Because the next boxes will block an easy access, I plan to use T-nuts to bolt the nest boxes down, and allow them to be pulled out if needed. I will also have at least one of the 4 squares in the side walls open as a hinged door, maybe more, I am still debating it.
I will be adding more as I go, but its off to a killer start! Oh, in case anyone was curious, the silver stuff you see is
aluminum tape to cover the bolt holes from water getting into them and rotting out the wood. I know, its an over kill, but i had it kicking around so....
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