Building a Log Chicken Chalet

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kadenchickens

kadenchickens

In the Brooder
6 Years
Nov 15, 2013
22
0
22
The premise is quite simple. Here in the mountains of BC winter gets COLD. We want to have comfortable chickens.
So what materials are avialable. How can a i build a strong warm coop capable of handling a mountain winter.
It has to be strong Shed snow easily and easy to keep warm.
I want to use locally avialbe materils if at all possible. Simply driving to the hardware store in 150 kms round trip.For those of you who are not Metrically inclined it take a solid 2 hours to drive to the hardware store and return.Same goes for the bank and groceries or doctor or any such thing most would consider convient.
So we live in logging country. So small logs are my first choice. But only ones that i can lift into my truck and wont stick out the back of the 6 foot box too far.
 
So looking around the local mountian i came across some small cedar poles destined to be burned in a slash pile. Light enough to lift and will fit in the truck and besides cedar is nice wood to work with. So bringing them home and peeling them and start into the project.
I wanted the coop easy to heat so I decided to build a two story version . Chickens will live in the top floor and come out and play in first foor sheltered from the heavy snow and wind. Not a large coop.
 
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I use fairly simple hand tools with the exception a chainsaw and a good quality cordless drill. Used an old pair of dividers and marker to rough out the outline of the notch and then cut it out with the chainsaw. Lots of trial fitting to get it the way I wanted it, So farr all the nothecs are held together without nails, Not that I am trying to save on nails. It is just more fen to say look "No Nails where injured in this project." Save the nails for the roof.
I did decide to use a sheet and half of preassure treated plywood for the floor.
 
In my efforts to reuse and recycle and scrounge. I found some 3x3 posts left over from unloading concrete ties near the railway.
Rather than see then burnt. They were repurposed as Rafters.
Planning such a structure can take some intense thinking. Will the chickens actually like it? Will it be comfortable enought for them? Would I make the chikens live in something that I would not sleep in? Well perhaps best to try it out for size and begin the tedious nd stage planning event.
 

My plan was to get it done in time for winter..well almost one but officially winter is not until Dec 21 so I did make it. Note the custom sliding patio door to provide access to the outside world in the event the chickens should choose to venture out there.
The custom designed ramp system allows for easy ingress and egress. "they can get in and out" and get so excercise as well to get them fit and ready for the coming spring garden tilling season.

I am no chicken whisperer, but I am thinking they are lookign pretty comfortable. Let the silky and her mixed brood in first. So they can comfortable before letting the bigger ones in.
 
The temporary divider will let them all get comfortable.
It is also a great idea to build your coop when your nieghbor is remodling his house and your other nieghbor has some cecer boards left over from his little bandsaw mill.
I tend to use screws adn the cordless drill for most projects. This may seem more money.. But easier to make changes later, and much easier on my hands after railroading for most of my life. That however is its own story. Now I am reitred and enjoy buildign Log Chicken keepers.
 
Kadenchickens! May I suggest you move this most excellent thread to the part of the forum called "Coop Design, Construction and Maintenance". I can pretty much guarantee that you are going to get lots of great comments and high-fives for your innovative and unique coop.
 
I think your best bet may be to start a new thread over there and copy and paste your comments into the new thread. You could just post a link to this thread in the Coop Design thread but I don't think it will have as much impact as putting all the content over there. The photos are so spectacular that you really want folks to see them.
 

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