This coop design we came up with after looking all over the internet for the perfect coop. This is a 4' x 4' x 8' coop. 4'x 4' corner posts were used for the perimeter of the run. We tried to use 8' lengths of everything so it would be easier and we wouldn't have to cut. We used some thicker plywood for the body of the coop, top bottom, two long sides, and one piece split in half for each end. We cut the door openings in the front. I helped my Dad and my husband to build this coop - have to admit that we came up with some modifications as we went along. We allowed about 18" underneath the coop so the chickens could get under there in bad weather (or just have a good little hiding place to hang out).
The coop was framed out with 2' x 4's and we added a pop door which can be raised up by a rope that goes on the outside. Four nest boxes were added on one of the ends, and an outside access door to the nests was cut out of one side. We also cut a vent up high on the rear of the coop, and cut out vent windows and nailed hardware cloth into the openings. I covered the floor with scrap vinyl to make it easier to clean out and Dad made a removeable roost to put into the coop so I could take it out and clean it and around it. I made the ramp, painted the coop barn red and white, and nailed on the trim around the front and the doors. Later, after the pullets arrived, they loved having their roost outside in the run area, so my husband and I built some permanent roosts inside the coop. We put up a couple of 2"x4" about 10" out from the back and one side wall so they would have their floor space free to hang out in in case of extreme cold weather.
We buried 1"x 2" wire fencing around the base of the run to keep the critters out, sunk it down about 12" and concreted it down and covered the entire run and coop area with 1" poultry wire over which we nailed 1" x 2" wood trim. It looks nice and it makes sure the chicken wire is attached securely . The roof was covered with second-hand R-panel galvalume. I think it turned out nice, it's not an eyesore at all and it's very secure. My husband said if I HAD to have chickens, then he didn't want it to look ugly. We tried to use what we had as far as it would go, but we did have to buy a few pieces of lumber and the 4"x4" posts. The only thing that we would have done differently is to build the coop first and then build the run around it. The way we did build it was trying to fit the coop into the space that we'd allowed, and it was off just a little bit. We made it work though and I'm happy. My pullets love it, and even after 3 days, they are beginning to put themselves into their coop in the evening. Now I'm read for them to start laying! Thanks for looking! AND, I learned to operate a nail gun, a chop saw and a few more power tools. Power tools are GREAT!
