Things you've learned while building your coop...

[AnnesChicks]

Do not permantly attach your roosts to the walls of the coop. I have a small 4X6 coop, raised up two feet. Perfect design I thought, to park the wheelbarrow under the door and rake the litter into it, no need to climb in. I figured since the rake could reach all the way under to the furthest corner - no problem.

Guess where they layed their first two eggs! Sigh....

 

[mendogurl]

Don't rush. I am really glad it took so long to make our coop.
Gave me time to get to know my chickens and understand their habits. By the time they moved in, I had such a better idea
of what they needed than when I started.
They moved from the dog carrier brooder at night, to a big pet run (portable) in the daytime, while we built the coop and run.
Allowed them to get some room to spread their wings a bit, and took the pressure off.

Make shade in your run !

 

[OutdoorFun4]

I am almost done with my coop and run.

Here is what I have learned:
1. Take all the advice you can get.
2. Don't hurry. It is going to take much longer than you think.
2. Be comfortable with your budget.
3. Plan and Build the best coop you can.
4. Take pride in your work.
5. Involve your entire family - even if it slows you down.
6. Have fun! If you don't know what I mean...see Gopher Boy's coop.

Remember:
perfection is the enemy of the good. (relax)

I love my birds, but they poop in their own water. I don't think they are going to notice a bent nail!

 

[chickens3]

It is a lot harder then what it looks like it took me 8 hours to make a box with chicken wire on the bottom for my chickens. 3ft high by 2ft wide and 3ft long.

 

[Malou-La-Croix]

can someone explain what exactly a "poop board" is? I will be making a coop with my dad this weekend for my two golden comets and I am loving this post!
Also, I see people repeatedly saying to make the nest boxes so that the chickens can't roost on top of them--any examples of this type of nest box would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Malou-La-Croix]

Quote:
Would love to see a pic or two of your coop Anne--I will be building one similar in size~!!

 

[cmjust0]

1) Don't blow your knee out the night before you're supposed to start building. It'll slow you down quite a bit.

2) 11/32" plywood looks a lot sturdier up on the rack at Home Depot than it actually is, so don't floor your coop with it -- especially if you weigh 260lbs. I made cuts on two sheets and nailed them down six ways from Sunday before actually stepping on it to hear the "crunch snap crack crunch" of subfloor flexing beneath my feet. It's only a $20 mistake so far, but A LOT of wasted time and unnecessary aggravation...

3) Using a chainsaw is a whole lot faster than using circular saws and jigsaws and chopsaws and tablesaws -- it's the ultimate in cordless power tools! With a sharp chain, patience, and a little practice, I've found they can be just as accurate too. (Tip: Use a sharpie marker instead of a pencil.)

4) You're not gonna get this done in one weekend.....

 

[FlashPointFarm]

Quote:
Great post!

 

[Peeplperson]

All wire can be barbed wire - wear good gloves!

 

[vermontgal]

Don't use clapboard for walls on the inside of the coop, even if this is a material you have on hand from a neighbor's free pile... All of the angled surfaces will collect chicken dander.