2. Design
So, let's begin...
Before finalizing all the details, I sent the following picture to my client for consideration. In the end, she chose to have the more generic house shape, as in drawing "3", -but with a ramp and pen underneath, as from "2". She also wanted no removable floor, which is totally fine, and would be a hassle to make:
I then sent her this drawing of what the front and back of the coop-hutch would roughly look like, which I have amended here with some basic measurements. As you might detect later, some things drawn here are incorrect with respect the actual, eventual design:
Here is a list of the main features incorporated into the design:
Before we move-on to the "Construction" pages, here are a few more pictures of various design features. (-I will save you the headache of looking at any other of my available drawings... -After construction, they became a near-indecipherable chaos... But, these are okay, still.):
Here is a bit about the ramp-door design. A few things changed in the final build:
And here is a little bit about how I imagined constructing some decorative roof-trim 'from scratch':
Before finalizing all the details, I sent the following picture to my client for consideration. In the end, she chose to have the more generic house shape, as in drawing "3", -but with a ramp and pen underneath, as from "2". She also wanted no removable floor, which is totally fine, and would be a hassle to make:
I then sent her this drawing of what the front and back of the coop-hutch would roughly look like, which I have amended here with some basic measurements. As you might detect later, some things drawn here are incorrect with respect the actual, eventual design:
Here is a list of the main features incorporated into the design:
- Enough sleeping/eating/laying space for 3-8(max.) chickens, as well as 1-3 rabbits, -provided they all have regular access to a larger outdoor area/pen. (-If you find any of this problematic, please see the "Update/Clarification" in orange on the first page (-Introduction/Preface).)
- A divider-wall inside will hopefully encourage the rabbits and chickens to establish separate, social areas. The larger portion is more-explicitly designed for chickens, with roosting bars and egg-boxes, and the smaller side for rabbits, with a main area for them to eat and drink, then separate access to what I call the "private rabbit room", -a 'safe-space' for any rabbits to hide, sleep, etc., with little outside lighting.
- Insulated with =4.5cm, ±1.75" mineral-wool, for the cold winters of Latvia.
- Clear windows for easy viewing of where everyone is, -'double-glazed' for insulation as well.
- A relatively simple electrical system with 3 ceramic lightbulb sockets for additional lighting during the winter months, as well as heat-bulbs, if necessary.
- A "food-storage" compartment for easy access to stored food, the electrical system, and other things.
- Galvanized, square wire-mesh for the pen and vents, with an opening of no more than =1.3mm, =1/2", which deadly weasels, etc., cannot penetrate.
- Semi-adjustable vents with partial-covers for the coldest weeks of the year.
- An easily-closable "ramp-door" using a flexible cable, if closing it is even necessary.
- Made with no treated/pressure-treated wood, for the rabbits' safety (-if they decide to chew).
- 'Safely' sealed with a pine-tar-infused linseed-oil sealer.
- Ridiculously strong (...and heavy).
Before we move-on to the "Construction" pages, here are a few more pictures of various design features. (-I will save you the headache of looking at any other of my available drawings... -After construction, they became a near-indecipherable chaos... But, these are okay, still.):
Here is a bit about the ramp-door design. A few things changed in the final build:
And here is a little bit about how I imagined constructing some decorative roof-trim 'from scratch':
- Next page: 3. Construction (Part 1)
- Previous page: 1. Introduction/Preface
"(2022-3-4) Update/Clarification:
Since many people have pointed-out a size 'problem' with this coop, it is worth strongly emphasizing that this coop is designed to be placed within a giant, 9x9m (~30x30ft), 81m² (~900ft²)(!), predator-proof pen, -far more 'round-the-clock space per bird/rabbit than countless setups I've seen. Under ideal conditions, the bottom, boutique "pen" of this house should remain open at all times. Overall, if you believe only 3 chickens, say, should sleep inside this particular house at any one time, than that's your prerogative. Regardless, this was the first time I had attempted something like this, and of course I would change many, many things in future builds. ~Thanks for looking!"