Beginning coop construction...

[PouleChick]

Looks great! Do you know what layout you are doing inside yet?

 

[beautifulpirate]

Doesn't look like we accomplished much today but we really did. Lots of small things got done today.

First we fitted the door of the nesting boxes with some 2 x 2 pieces and a bit of weather stripping in order to block drafts. The weather stripping is placed in such a way that the chickens can't peck at it. Then we added chains to the door so it is supported when open and doesn't place undo stress on the hinges at the bottom.

We added a lip to the interior of the nesting boxes to prevent eggs from rolling out.

The entire coop will have a retro colored theme when it is done (and in my dreams, a retro looking sign just for fun- atomic starbursts or marquee letters or something). So it made sense that the floor be checkered vinyl. Plus it was cheap haha. It was just added for ease of cleaning but it will likely never be seen haha once it is covered with bedding.

We also installed a lip on the pop door rails to keep bedding in when the chickens go through the opening.

Getting closer to being finished. We have to go pick up some drip edge tomorrow but we should start the roofing after that. We have everything else. We also have to add the doors, the fascia, the ramp and paint it all...

 

[beautifulpirate]

Looks great! Do you know what layout you are doing inside yet?

Not sure if you read through the rest of the posts but that should clear up the layout and design. The nesting boxes are external on the North side. Two windows above them to allow more light in the winter. A large clean out door and two more windows on the East wall. Plus an open gable end, with hardware cloth screening. It will likely be left open all year unless we get a bad storm. On the South side, there is a smaller access door and no windows, to fight off a little of the summer sun. On the inside of the south wall there is a 2*4 roosting bar, about a foot away from the wall, that runs nearly the length of it (6 ft). On the west wall is the pop door and two windows. All windows are screened with hardware cloth and will eventually have plexiglass framed panels on hinges.

 

[PouleChick]

Not sure if you read through the rest of the posts but that should clear up the layout and design.

Hi sorry - yes I did now that i looked back (teething baby - not a lot of sleep at the moment equals brain fail!). Looks like it should work really well for you!

 

[beautifulpirate]

Hi sorry - yes I did now that i looked back (teething baby - not a lot of sleep at the moment equals brain fail!). Looks like it should work really well for you!

I understand. I have two littles myself. Neither had bad teething issues but I Remember sleepless nights aplenty haha.

 

[beautifulpirate]

Not much to report on today. Got the doors on. One still needs a handle and a latch. And they'll both need some weather stripping.

We also started working on the plexi glass windows. At first we thought it would be best to rabbet the windows and literally create frames for the plexiglass to sit in but it was easier to just use rubber washers and screws to secure the plexiglass without having to pre drill a bunch. Then we will use cabinet hinges to secure the windows over the screened windows which are already in place.

I seriously thought we were gonna finish everything this week but we are gonna get rain tomorrow or Sunday and may have a rainy week most of next week. We may have to put a tarp over it all tomorrow if we can't get the roof on... Ugh. So many little things take up a lot of time.

 

[aart]

All the little details can take longer than the shell.

 

[beautifulpirate]

Aart- absolutely. The walls were up in no time! It also is a bit of a pain sense we have no shop or garage. My husband keeps all his tools in the back of our Durango and we have to haul everything out every day when we work on the coop. It's like a 10-20 minute setup time sometimes. And similar to break it all down and put it all away. And when you only have a couple hours a day to work at it (between two young children and the fact that the husband works over night), it really cuts into your time. A garage is on the list of projects to tackle after this haha. Would make diy so much easier.

 

[Badbart]

Wow...that is one nice coop...

 

[beautifulpirate]

Wow...that is one nice coop...

Thank you Badbart! My vision was kind of dollhouse-esque.