Pictures of my coop progress. Sorry, no plans, I just invented as I went along. This is the first time I've framed or roofed anything so any of you experts out there....KEEP IT TO YOURSELF! It's "just" a chicken coop.
But now I know how to use a "speed square" for basic truss construction. Learn something new everyday as they say. If anyone wants any more detailed pictures for help on their own, I'd be happy to supply them.
The base is 4' X 6' and it stands about 2 1/2' off the ground. 3/4" plywood for the base and wood siding on the sides. The roof underlayment is "chipboard".
Most of the rest is standard 2X4 construction. I used cedar fence boards for the trim. I just ripped them on the table saw for width.
I used the fence boards for the window frames as well. I used my table saw to cut a notch in the frames for the glass. Instead of latches for the windows I think I'll try velcro.
I used exterior grade deck screws for about 99% of the construction. Takes longer but substantially stronger then nails and the impact driver made it a piece of cake.
It gets into the 100s here in the summer so I left the entire gable area open (covered with hardware cloth) for ventilation. I'll build some kind of cover for it when the need arrises.
I have not built in the nesting boxes yet as the chickens are only 6 weeks right now and it's quite hot outside to work. I will extend them out from the back side of the coop so I have external access to them as I've seen here with many of the designs. I planned for them with the framing of the back wall, placing the 2X4s about a foot on center to create space for 3 future boxes.
The roosting poles are from our birch tree in the front yard. We just hacked off a couple branches, cut them to length and voila, roosts!
When we first moved the girls into the coop we just moved their "tweety bird" cage in with them and wired the door open. This seemed to give them security for a few days until they got used to the new diggs. I don't even think they could get back into that cage if they wanted! Yikes they grow fast!
On to the pictures:
First poop in the new coop! BAD CHICKEN! LOOK WHAT YOU DID! I'M GONNA RUB YOUR BEAK IN IT!
Starting to add the framed sides to the base. Working in our board shorts so we could take pool breaks. In the low 100s, YIKES!
Siding going on.
Now the roof
Ready for the girls first night!
I just used some wire "cable" with some clips and screw eyes to hold the door open and another set on the inside to hold it closed at night.
I've changed the hook arrangement now so it's not in the way like it is here.
Not quite complete. Still needs a bit of painting here and there and the flower box isn't up yet.
We let them out of the area to "free range" at times when the golden retriever is out for protection. The rhodisian ridgeback drools at them so we leave her inside when the girls are out. Hopefully when they get bigger they cease to look like a snack to the ridgeback, she's much better protection then the golden. The golden would probably whine but not do much if a predator came
A bit more trim added.
The modified cable arrangement. The girls are appreciative that it's no longer in their way!
One to hold the door open and another to hold it closed.
Just a picture of some of the framing for what it's worth.
Here's how the door is help open during the day, just pull up on the cable and hook it to the screw eye.
Here is where the future nesting boxes will extend from on the back wall. The 3 spaces are 12" on center.
To lock up the door at night I clip the cable to the screw eye show here.
The hanging water jug.
I used chicken wire for the outside run as I have yet to see any predators asside from raptors near our house. I HAVE seen racoons and possums within about a mile of our place so hopefully our dogs deter them from coming anywhere near our place. The girls are always locked up safe at night so I'm not concerned then and the dogs are usually outside during the day.
The base is 4' X 6' and it stands about 2 1/2' off the ground. 3/4" plywood for the base and wood siding on the sides. The roof underlayment is "chipboard".
Most of the rest is standard 2X4 construction. I used cedar fence boards for the trim. I just ripped them on the table saw for width.
I used the fence boards for the window frames as well. I used my table saw to cut a notch in the frames for the glass. Instead of latches for the windows I think I'll try velcro.
I used exterior grade deck screws for about 99% of the construction. Takes longer but substantially stronger then nails and the impact driver made it a piece of cake.
It gets into the 100s here in the summer so I left the entire gable area open (covered with hardware cloth) for ventilation. I'll build some kind of cover for it when the need arrises.
I have not built in the nesting boxes yet as the chickens are only 6 weeks right now and it's quite hot outside to work. I will extend them out from the back side of the coop so I have external access to them as I've seen here with many of the designs. I planned for them with the framing of the back wall, placing the 2X4s about a foot on center to create space for 3 future boxes.
The roosting poles are from our birch tree in the front yard. We just hacked off a couple branches, cut them to length and voila, roosts!
When we first moved the girls into the coop we just moved their "tweety bird" cage in with them and wired the door open. This seemed to give them security for a few days until they got used to the new diggs. I don't even think they could get back into that cage if they wanted! Yikes they grow fast!
On to the pictures:
First poop in the new coop! BAD CHICKEN! LOOK WHAT YOU DID! I'M GONNA RUB YOUR BEAK IN IT!
Starting to add the framed sides to the base. Working in our board shorts so we could take pool breaks. In the low 100s, YIKES!
Siding going on.
Now the roof
Ready for the girls first night!
I just used some wire "cable" with some clips and screw eyes to hold the door open and another set on the inside to hold it closed at night.
I've changed the hook arrangement now so it's not in the way like it is here.
Not quite complete. Still needs a bit of painting here and there and the flower box isn't up yet.
We let them out of the area to "free range" at times when the golden retriever is out for protection. The rhodisian ridgeback drools at them so we leave her inside when the girls are out. Hopefully when they get bigger they cease to look like a snack to the ridgeback, she's much better protection then the golden. The golden would probably whine but not do much if a predator came
A bit more trim added.
The modified cable arrangement. The girls are appreciative that it's no longer in their way!
One to hold the door open and another to hold it closed.
Just a picture of some of the framing for what it's worth.
Here's how the door is help open during the day, just pull up on the cable and hook it to the screw eye.
Here is where the future nesting boxes will extend from on the back wall. The 3 spaces are 12" on center.
To lock up the door at night I clip the cable to the screw eye show here.
The hanging water jug.
I used chicken wire for the outside run as I have yet to see any predators asside from raptors near our house. I HAVE seen racoons and possums within about a mile of our place so hopefully our dogs deter them from coming anywhere near our place. The girls are always locked up safe at night so I'm not concerned then and the dogs are usually outside during the day.
