FREE chicken coop plan (nice one too) on the Purina Mills Website - Page 6

Mine is not built yet.
This is sort of like the sketch DH did for me back in March for my silkies. He didn't add nesting boxes on the outside though, and my roof pitch was steeper.
In theory it will be a good one ......... will know for sure whenever he gets it finished!

ETA: I already told him it should be bigger or I need more than two

Amazing plan, but i would never get even my 7 bigger girls in there. They all like to be on the highest roost and push each other around if they are not on it.

Thats one reason why Im not building my roosts going up. I plan on having them all the same height. Straight across.

A few of my ideas:

1) Have roost straight across.
2) Have two sides where they open all the way. That way I if I want I can open the two doors and just push everything out the side.
3) I would like to have the window on top of the nest. That way they can have it as dark as possible. B/c if its on the opposite side then the sun will be shining right in on them trying to lay. And my girls like it dark!

The only thing is I dont want the nests inside the coop. But I also dont want it on the down side of the slope. Cause if its raining and Im trying to get eggs..well you know where thats headed.

I think the idea of making the sides hinged so they can open is great - if I was building another that is the only major thing I would change. The plan shows the roof sloping away from the side the nest boxes are on, and that is also what I did. It works great!

I like this design, but I wonder about this coop (and others) that sit off the ground.    I live in a very cold climate (North Dakota) and I think the coop would be better sitting on the ground.    I imagine all that cold air blowing underneath the floor, and it would fill up with snow.  Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Becky

My coop area is off the ground. i dont think it will affect the temp inside too much.
Insulated ceiling (bubble wrap and 2 1 foot sections of plywood with pink insulation). We have a clear plastic corrigated roof and wanted a bit of light in, but was told to use bubble wrap to prevent condesation.

Two sides are insulated walls (pink stuff) and the heat the hens produce should be enough. We have Brahmas and they are good with the cold weather.




We are leaving the plastic around the whole thing this winter. Just the front open.
We have eave vents, 2 foot by 7 inches and an angled one 4 foot long that starts at 7 inches.
We also leave the pop door open. It opens into the "run" area and is secure.

I will be checking for condensation tho! Don't want frost bit chickens!

Celia
2 Brahma hens, should be laying any day now!

You could put pieces of plywood around the bottom in winter, like how people put a "skirt" around trailers and mobile homes. Then remove them in summer so it stays cooler and the chickens have a shady spot to rest.

I've enjoyed looking at all the pictures.  Since our adopted hen surprised me with 9 bitties a few days ago I've asked hubs to build a coop so we don't loose any more adopted "children".... my rooster is AWOL.... I'm figuring some of my neighbors reclaimed him as part of their "games" that some cultures enjoy .... thus the desire to get this coop up so my little ones won't suffer the same fate.

I have only 2 hens left... the momma and another one who I doubt I'll ever catch.

I'm so new at this chicken thing... but excited at the prospect of having our own eggs.

anyone near me?  I'm in central NC.... not far from Ft. Bragg

gini

Howdy FarnhamSoaps and

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