Im not the best at taking pictures. Events, parties, kids, everything. So building my coop should be no different, I suppose. So this will not be quite as step by step and organized as others coop threads.
So last spring we decided to move to some land, and wanted chickens too. So we bought them before we closed and raised them in our garage.
Then we decided a spot over behind the new garden would be nice. Close to overflow veggies, and maybe eat some bugs, too.
After some exhaustive research, we decided to go with the "Open Air" house style, since our coop is a fair distance from power, and I really didn't feel like paying electric bills to heat any structure.
Dont have much for pictures at this point, but we built up by the shop to be moved later. Much of the wood was salvaged, and I have no cut lists or designs, I was just sorta "winging it"
The enclosed coop is 8 by 10 i believe, with a 2 foot deck on the front, and a failry substantial front overhang. It is over 6 feet tall right inside the door, and very easy to walk right in to check on eggs, clean, etc. Large front window and upper window are both screened with hardware cloth. No insulation, sided with T1-11. We put it on skids to be able to move it if needed.
Once mostly built, we decided our coop needed a name. Those familiar with Trailer Park Boys may get the reference. The roof steel was also salvaged, from an old family barn. The porch was added for shade, with a substantial overhang to hopefully prevent snow from being blown inside in the winter. Total cost into the coop and run was about $400, as many items were scavenged.
Then it was finally done enough to bring down to our preselected spot. Moving Day! The large opening in back is the future home of the nest boxes, accessed from outside.
Setting up for the attached run. I believe it is over 20 feet by 45-50 feet or so, can't recall exactly. Fence is about 5 feet high, with a three foot row of chain link, covered in chicken wire, and also wire buried about 1-2 feet down to dissuade predators. We also added netting over the run to keep aerial predators at bay.
And finally the girls get to try it out!
Now fast forward to winter, and I have been very impressed with the coop design. Very fresh and clean smelling, with plenty of ventilation. Minimal frostbite, only on the large combed chickies, namely a Leghorn we were given for free. With winter just wrapping up now (maybe, -26 again today) I'd say that the design works in pretty harsh climates (several feet of snow and some pretty cold stretches, lowest of -39 this year) with no electricity or heat of any kind. We did put a couple of straw bales inside against the large window, not sure if they were needed or not.
Closeup of the nest boxes from outside. 2 doors that are hinged down, each with 3 nest boxes, 6 total.
And all getting nestled in for the night. You can see the nest boxes in the back. They are starting to lay in them now, but most of the winter they preferred a corner on the floor behind the straw bales.
Hopefully can get some more photos at some point, if it starts to warm up. Overall, very satisfied, and the fun of raising chickens is great, not to mention the end result.
So last spring we decided to move to some land, and wanted chickens too. So we bought them before we closed and raised them in our garage.
Then we decided a spot over behind the new garden would be nice. Close to overflow veggies, and maybe eat some bugs, too.
After some exhaustive research, we decided to go with the "Open Air" house style, since our coop is a fair distance from power, and I really didn't feel like paying electric bills to heat any structure.
Dont have much for pictures at this point, but we built up by the shop to be moved later. Much of the wood was salvaged, and I have no cut lists or designs, I was just sorta "winging it"
The enclosed coop is 8 by 10 i believe, with a 2 foot deck on the front, and a failry substantial front overhang. It is over 6 feet tall right inside the door, and very easy to walk right in to check on eggs, clean, etc. Large front window and upper window are both screened with hardware cloth. No insulation, sided with T1-11. We put it on skids to be able to move it if needed.
Once mostly built, we decided our coop needed a name. Those familiar with Trailer Park Boys may get the reference. The roof steel was also salvaged, from an old family barn. The porch was added for shade, with a substantial overhang to hopefully prevent snow from being blown inside in the winter. Total cost into the coop and run was about $400, as many items were scavenged.
Then it was finally done enough to bring down to our preselected spot. Moving Day! The large opening in back is the future home of the nest boxes, accessed from outside.
Setting up for the attached run. I believe it is over 20 feet by 45-50 feet or so, can't recall exactly. Fence is about 5 feet high, with a three foot row of chain link, covered in chicken wire, and also wire buried about 1-2 feet down to dissuade predators. We also added netting over the run to keep aerial predators at bay.
And finally the girls get to try it out!
Now fast forward to winter, and I have been very impressed with the coop design. Very fresh and clean smelling, with plenty of ventilation. Minimal frostbite, only on the large combed chickies, namely a Leghorn we were given for free. With winter just wrapping up now (maybe, -26 again today) I'd say that the design works in pretty harsh climates (several feet of snow and some pretty cold stretches, lowest of -39 this year) with no electricity or heat of any kind. We did put a couple of straw bales inside against the large window, not sure if they were needed or not.
Closeup of the nest boxes from outside. 2 doors that are hinged down, each with 3 nest boxes, 6 total.
And all getting nestled in for the night. You can see the nest boxes in the back. They are starting to lay in them now, but most of the winter they preferred a corner on the floor behind the straw bales.
Hopefully can get some more photos at some point, if it starts to warm up. Overall, very satisfied, and the fun of raising chickens is great, not to mention the end result.
