Our Banty Condo! A small coop to match our stone house.
Our banty condo was built for ornamental chickens. Ones to be close to the house for family viewing, care and fun. Our pet chickens. All our other chickens live in the barn. It provides indoor and outdoor protection from predators and weather. We used recycled windows and doors. Perches were cut from our trees for a natural look. Over all cost of materials was about $300. More stonework needs to be done. Updates will be posted. Below are pictures of the process.
Foundation
left over cement, kids to decorate
frame work
Plywood sides, wooden roof with tar paper, checking the cuts for the metal roof.
Working on the sides.
Date and hand prints
Boys 'helping'
Salvaged window, beautiful! Perfect for seeing inside.
Hole for ramp in floor
Putting the roof on, board removed to cut opening for door.
Good sturdy door.
Hinges and latch for side door.
Pen area framed in and salvaged door installed. Cut out for back window.
Painting the inside. On the right you can see the interior window. Both windows have wire and are framed so no sharp edges are exposed.
Stained and painted.
Vent at top and a sheltered area framed in. To be stone finished later.
Back window, opens upward, held open with chain. Chain has a hook on the eave to prevent it from swinging when not in use.
Interior window, has a chain on ceiling of covered outdoor area, to hold open. Easy access to nest box.
Wire fence around pen area. We used 1/2 inch by 2 inch welded wire. We used slats to 'sandwich' the edges for added strength. It's also more visually appealing. Slats were stained to match the coop. Natural perches in one corner for roosting.
Mostly finished coop. The unstained wood will have a door cut in it for yard exploration and a stone finish added.
Done enough to put 2 month old chicks in...The hole in the floor was framed in to keep litter in coop and prevent accidental falls. Feed and water are hung outside in sheltered area.
Window roost added, more roosts in right corned behind them.
Stone finish around window. Thin pieces of slate for less weight. A few details for fun added in process.
A mini white pottery groundhog. A mini face jug. A cool textured pottery thingy.
A broken mug, handle only (if you are seeing a pattern, I'm a potter). A small gap to make removing the window for cleaning easy. Only noticeable with camera's flash.
Small hole drilled next to window. The cord from the heat lamp is plugged in under the patio.
Feed and water is hung inside for the winter. Happy chickens!
Even these little ones can enjoy being outside on a chilly, windy day. When the weather and time permits, our bantys are let out to forage in the yard. When it's time to come out we call the typical 'Chick chick chick.' When foraging time is over we call "Coop coop coop" and they are trained to run back in! Good babies.
This is Stanley. He had to be moved to the barn with the 13 layers...Four girls just weren't enough!
More pics to be added when the last details are finished!
Our banty condo was built for ornamental chickens. Ones to be close to the house for family viewing, care and fun. Our pet chickens. All our other chickens live in the barn. It provides indoor and outdoor protection from predators and weather. We used recycled windows and doors. Perches were cut from our trees for a natural look. Over all cost of materials was about $300. More stonework needs to be done. Updates will be posted. Below are pictures of the process.
Foundation
left over cement, kids to decorate
frame work
Plywood sides, wooden roof with tar paper, checking the cuts for the metal roof.
Working on the sides.
Date and hand prints
Boys 'helping'
Salvaged window, beautiful! Perfect for seeing inside.
Hole for ramp in floor
Putting the roof on, board removed to cut opening for door.
Good sturdy door.
Hinges and latch for side door.
Pen area framed in and salvaged door installed. Cut out for back window.
Painting the inside. On the right you can see the interior window. Both windows have wire and are framed so no sharp edges are exposed.
Stained and painted.
Vent at top and a sheltered area framed in. To be stone finished later.
Back window, opens upward, held open with chain. Chain has a hook on the eave to prevent it from swinging when not in use.
Interior window, has a chain on ceiling of covered outdoor area, to hold open. Easy access to nest box.
Wire fence around pen area. We used 1/2 inch by 2 inch welded wire. We used slats to 'sandwich' the edges for added strength. It's also more visually appealing. Slats were stained to match the coop. Natural perches in one corner for roosting.
Mostly finished coop. The unstained wood will have a door cut in it for yard exploration and a stone finish added.
Done enough to put 2 month old chicks in...The hole in the floor was framed in to keep litter in coop and prevent accidental falls. Feed and water are hung outside in sheltered area.
Window roost added, more roosts in right corned behind them.
Stone finish around window. Thin pieces of slate for less weight. A few details for fun added in process.
A mini white pottery groundhog. A mini face jug. A cool textured pottery thingy.
A broken mug, handle only (if you are seeing a pattern, I'm a potter). A small gap to make removing the window for cleaning easy. Only noticeable with camera's flash.
Small hole drilled next to window. The cord from the heat lamp is plugged in under the patio.
Feed and water is hung inside for the winter. Happy chickens!
Even these little ones can enjoy being outside on a chilly, windy day. When the weather and time permits, our bantys are let out to forage in the yard. When it's time to come out we call the typical 'Chick chick chick.' When foraging time is over we call "Coop coop coop" and they are trained to run back in! Good babies.
This is Stanley. He had to be moved to the barn with the 13 layers...Four girls just weren't enough!
More pics to be added when the last details are finished!
