Hi! Here's a coop I just finished. I got plans off the Internet for $15. It's 5x6, w/ treated 4x4's for base, 2x3 framing and 5/8" T-1-11 siding. It called for 6 nests but I only made 3 (and my girls still only use 1!). I hv 6 hens and a roo, but the roost inside could accommodate 12+. I raised the base to 18" and framed it w/ hardware wire (that I can remove if I want to use tractor w/ front end spike loader to move it), so they have shade during the day. I also added a ridge vent and put in a solar powered gable exhaust fan that pulls cool air from chic door out above people door on other side (it works great!!---I live in very south TX and hv to deal w/ 80-100 degree days most of the year). I bought a 10x 10 dog kennel w/ sun shade from Tractor Supply and added a single 10' panel and a 6' return so run is 10 x 20'. I kept them in the pen until they all started using the roost (about 2 weeks), then started letting them free-range during the day. It's been about 3 mo's since they moved to their new home and all the girls return to lay their eggs there (in their old pen, they layed 1/2 their eggs in random places around yard). This coop is sooo easy to collect eggs from (and to clean: I just roll wheelbarrow up to people door and rake out the single bag of shavings I put in). The roost just swings up out of the way. Anyway, I built it all by myself, the only thing my husband helped me with was the roof panels (ya, I'm a woman AND I'm over 60!). I had so much fun, I decided to build another identical (just diff color). 2nd one is going a lot faster, should be done in a couple weeks (I work on it when I get home from my "real" job!): my 20 week old Cream Legbars can hardly wait!
