Two years ago, I had the crazy idea that I would like to get some chickens. It wasn't until this past November when I decided to commit to the plan, and begin building my chicken coop. In my free time, I built a few pieces at a time until it all started coming together. My coop was built to hold 5 standard size chickens. The body of the coop is 6 feet long, by 3.5 feet wide. The OSB floor of the coop is 2' off the ground to allow the chickens to get out of the elements. I designed the roof so it would overhand each side by 1 foot. Although sturdier than needed, I used untreated 2x4's for the main coop since I was able to get some inexpensively. Here are some pictures of how I framed the coop:
The floor is made of OSB, so I made sure to protect it and the walls with multiple coats of oil based primer, and 1 coat of exterior latex paint for a smooth finish. I designed the cleanout door so it would be just high enough to roll my wheelbarrel along side of it, and brush out the pine shavings into it, making cleaning an easy task.
I used some L brackets from the hardware store that I modified to help frame the roof:
I also used OSB for my roofing material. The roof structure was strong enough to support my body weight while installing standard tar paper and roof shingles. In the following pictures, you can see that I opted to add more ventilation on the ends at the recommendation of several members here. With the aid of a box fan, my chickens have survived our 2 weeks of 110 degree Texas heat!
After relocating the coop to its permanent spot in the yard, I cut out, painted, and then installed the main walls and nest box:
By this time, I had already received my 3 week old chicks, so now I was really commited to finishing my coop quickly! After installing my main wall panels, I began to make the attached run. My goal was to have 50 square feet between the space under the coop and in the run. The attached run was 8' long and 4' wide. I decided to loop some large mesh 14 gauge wire over the top so that the height inside the run was just over 6'. This allows me to walk inside standing upright, which makes changing their water and food a much easier task. My two year old son was eager to help with testing the run for any weaknesses.
The floor is made of OSB, so I made sure to protect it and the walls with multiple coats of oil based primer, and 1 coat of exterior latex paint for a smooth finish. I designed the cleanout door so it would be just high enough to roll my wheelbarrel along side of it, and brush out the pine shavings into it, making cleaning an easy task.
I used some L brackets from the hardware store that I modified to help frame the roof:
I also used OSB for my roofing material. The roof structure was strong enough to support my body weight while installing standard tar paper and roof shingles. In the following pictures, you can see that I opted to add more ventilation on the ends at the recommendation of several members here. With the aid of a box fan, my chickens have survived our 2 weeks of 110 degree Texas heat!
After relocating the coop to its permanent spot in the yard, I cut out, painted, and then installed the main walls and nest box:
By this time, I had already received my 3 week old chicks, so now I was really commited to finishing my coop quickly! After installing my main wall panels, I began to make the attached run. My goal was to have 50 square feet between the space under the coop and in the run. The attached run was 8' long and 4' wide. I decided to loop some large mesh 14 gauge wire over the top so that the height inside the run was just over 6'. This allows me to walk inside standing upright, which makes changing their water and food a much easier task. My two year old son was eager to help with testing the run for any weaknesses.
