my first coop

[deerchooper]

well I have started to build my first chicken coop. I have tried to get plans and sizes of everyone coop but I could find what I wanted. I found a dog house style but then lost it and went off of 1 measurement, now I have a lean-to style coop.

I have a 4'x8' floor plan being I want about 8-10 chickens. I will have 6 nesting boxes and I have a total of $300 in wood and hardware. I had some 1/2" osb for the roof and nesting boxes. the nesting boxes will be wrapped with the t1-11 after there built to match.

pictures to come in a couple of days.

be warned im on the wing it plan and design on the fly. I still haven't figured out the front side of the coop, the nesting boxes are going to be mounted on the 4' side walls. its 8'-4" tall on the high side and 5'-6" on the low side.

 

[deerchooper]

I was also thinking of having a soffit and ridge vent coved with 1/2" landscapers cloth ( the wire stuff) or what ever its called. the deck is 18" off of the ground. I have the nesting boxes mounted a little lower from the standard off of the deck, so my wife can reach in easy. I think I have them 12" now off of the deck, but will have to double check.

 

[BellyShell]

Hey even when I have plans I find myself "winging it" on the fly because in the middle of building I'll have a break through moment of "hey this would work better" lol. Coop building is fun...total stress release for me! Enjoy it!

 

[Liberty Nursery]

I actually love building coops, I also wing it myself. Reminds me of playing with legos as a kid. I love to build them from scraps I have laying around or that others are throwing away. However every time I build one I have to buy something to secure it, and I always have to use screws I paid for. Good luck on the new coop deerchooper.

 

[scali1971]

Find new home construction and when they have piles out front just ask if you can have them, never had anyone say no as those piles are going to the dump anyway. You can get some really nice pieces of limber this way

 

[deerchooper]

sorry for the late pictures. I took them with my phone and im pretty busy at times.

but here they are.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/deerchooper/chickens/heyjune26105_zps90842511.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/deerchooper/chickens/heyjune26106_zps51566151.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/deerchooper/chickens/heyjune26107_zps00185504.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/deerchooper/chickens/heyjune26108_zps421ece2a.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/deerchooper/chickens/heyjune26109_zps24a665bf.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/deerchooper/chickens/heyjune26116_zpsc38c461b.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/deerchooper/chickens/heyjune26130_zpsbe0445aa.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/deerchooper/chickens/heyjune26133_zpsa10bc539.jpg

 

[deerchooper]

sorry for the links, ive posted on many forums but I have so much trouble getting pictures on here. uploading them from my computer to here takes for ever and I only been able to get one to work.


those are pics of our coop. 32sq' floor.

the widows are for kitchen cabinet doors I bought for $10 (a pair) at a place called star supply, they get old stock and sell it. all kinds of things. I have the 1/2" wire mesh on the inside of the window opening frames and along the top half of the door. I want to hinge that as well to allow air in.

the nesting box is 12" off of the deck and my roost is 18" off of the deck. but once you look at it in the coop they look close in height. is that a problem? should I raise the roosting poles higher?

im going to put a steel roof on it soon.

I also plan to only have the run off of the coop at the chicken door then open it up about 4' away from the coop, it would be 4'h and 3'w at that spot. I would like to be able to enter the coop without getting into the run, if ya know what I mean. plus I would be able to open all the windows with out entering as well. I plan on building a simple slide up and down door with a rope pull.