The finished coop and run. After six weekends of work it's finally done! This is our new chicken coop and run. We used cedar siding and cedar shingles for the roof. We made the run (aka 'The Sunroom') into a semi-greenhouse so it stays dry (we live in rainy Seattle). On hot summer days we plan on covering the plastic top to keep it cool. The Sunlite panels on the walls are removable to allow more air-flow in warm weather.
The Plan. I used Adobe Illustrator to draw the plans. We were going for a a miniature saltbox barn look that would fit nicely with our back yard. The coop is 4'x4'. The run extends out about 5 feet from the coop.
Excavation. We dug trenches and filled them with crushed gravel. Then we used treated 4x4s to make a foundation.
Foundation and Floor. After the 4x4s went in we built the coop floor using 2x6 treated lumber and 3/4" plywood.
Framing. 2x3 lumber was used to frame the walls.
Roof. The roof was framed using 2x4 treated lumber.
Siding & Trim. We used 1x6 cedar channel siding for the walls, and 5/8" plywood siding for the doors. (note we modified the nesting boxes a bit from the original framing. We thought the boxes would be better higher up off the floor, so we got rid of the two small windows and moved the nesting boxes up about 10 inches.)
Interior. We made the nesting boxes from leftover plywood. Vinyl was used on the floor for easy cleaning. A 6 gallon tank inside the coop to supplies water to the poultry drinking nipples in the run.
Nesting boxes. A drop-down door on the outside of the coop allows easy access to the nesting boxes.
Sliding Pop Door. The track for the sliding door was made from 1x2s. The door is plywood siding. Additional 1x2 stiffeners on the back of the door keep it from warping which keeps it sliding smoothly in its track. A little rope and some pulleys allow openings and closings from outside the coop.
Windows. Windows in the doors allow a peek inside and provide more ventilation.
The Run. Here you can see the finished coop and run. We stained all the cedar with deck stain.
The Day Roost. We cut up some bamboo to create a roost in the run.
Chicken Nipples. Here's a shot of the plumbing and poultry drinking nipples. Water is supplied from the big blue tank that sits inside the coop.
Screens. All of the hardware cloth wire screens are removable for easy access and cleaning.
Dog meets Chickens. Our dog seemed unimpressed with a flock of chickens running around the basement.
Training to be a good chicken dog.
First Day in the coop. The chicks checking out their new digs.
First Outing. After spending a week in the coop we opened the door. They spent quite a while looking out before finally deciding it was safe to proceed.
One by one they made there way down the ramp. So far they seem to like their new city coop and chicken run.
The bottom line. We spent about $1400 in materials. We splurged on cedar for the siding and roofing. The Sunlite greenhouse panels were also expensive. I estimate I put in about 60-70 hours in labor so it took quite a bit longer to build that we initially expected. We're very happy the way it all turned out. Thanks for all pictures and advice. We learned a ton by studying all the other coops on this site.
I like that you included a lot of detail, and pictures!
