The Creation of Coop de la Ville
On March 17th, 2010, our family became the proud owners of 8 baby pullet chicks. 2 White Rocks, 2 Barred Rocks, 2 Buff Orpingtons, and 2 Speckled Sussex all affectionately known as Beatrice The Barn Boss" and Fuzzy, Mabel, and Katrina, Gertrude, and Henrietta, Agnes, and Bertha. 
We used a Rubbermaid container to keep them in with a heat lamp and paper towels lining the bottom and constructed a chicken wire top to cover it. Paper towels make for easy cleanup plus they keep the chicks from slipping causing splayed legs. We then started hunting around for coops and found that they were REALLY expensive! My wonderful husband told me to look around on the internet and let him know if I saw any I liked. We could just build our own. I came across a few I liked and taking something from each this is the creation of Coop de la Ville...
FYI: When someone tells you that chickens grow fast, THEY MEAN FAST!!!!
The coop is 6' x 4' x 6' with a 2' fenced platform. 2" x 4" pressure treated wood was used for the base and regular 2" x 4"'s for the rest of the framework. The coop platform is completely fenced in with 1/2" hardware cloth covering both the sides and bottom with the end opened into the run. No digging rodents are getting in there. Flooring is 3/4" OSB and the roof is 5/8" OSB with roofing felt and 1 pack of black asphalt shingles.
4' x 8' T111 sheets were used for the exterior. Don't remember how many we purchased. Two 19" x 24" screened windows were put in the front. My husband made frames for the inside of the windows with 1" x 1" welded wire for added security against critters when the windows are opened and also for the back vent flap opening and adult door.
There are 6 nesting boxes altogether in front but only the middle 4 are opened for use by the girls for laying. The outer 2 we use for storing items. Each box is 12" x 12" and 16" high at the tallest point. Scraps of T111 were used for the dividers.
Pop door measures 10" x 13"
I was in charge of the painting. We decided against painting the interior but chalked in ALL corners and cracks to prevent drafts from coming in. The exterior was primed in gray then I used the shade Merlot for the walls and Polar Bear White for the trim which I purchased from our local Lowe's store.
The back vent's opening is 4' x 7" and is screened in with 1" welded wire. The adult door opening measures 20" x 51" and has both a solid door and a screened door made from 1" welded wire and 1/2" hardware cloth on the bottom 2' of the door so those pesky little paws can't reach in and grab one.
With the chicks already out of the Rubbermaid container (which didn't take long) and busting out of the homemade cardboard box construction made from 2 office chair boxes, Coop de la Ville is just about finished. It took approximately 8 weeks or so to complete the coop and run.
Beatrice "The Barn Boss"
2 - 2' x 4's in a T formation were installed with joist hangers for roosting perches about 36" off of the floor.
The run is 8' x 10' and constructed with 7 pressure treated 4" x 4"'s and numerous 2" x 4"s. 2" x 4" welded wire is used throughout and buried a foot down around the perimeter to deter critters from digging in. 2' tall 1/2" hardware cloth wraps around the entire bottom also to keep critters from getting in and chickens heads from getting out. The roofing is put up on an angle using 2" x 4"s with Ondura 79" red corrugated roof paneling to allow for drainage. A 2" x 4" roosting perch is placed in the back and an electric fan hangs from the top inside for use on hot days as well as one inside the coop.
From just sketching something on a notepad and not using any type of plans, here's our Coop de la Ville
Thank you honey for all of your hard work!
After finally getting my husband's desk cleaned up and organized, we came across the original drawing he did to build our Coop de la Ville
Future plans include hooking electricity up to the coop and expanding the run. If we could have changed something… It would have been to make the coop 8' x 6' x 6'. What we have now is fine for 8 but we are limited now to just those 8.
UPDATED 6/21/2012
Their first days out in their new move-a-bout pen. These birds are the absolute best!!!
Now with them mixed in with the others...one more situation...our Bitsy and Priscilla are now Bitsy and Beauregard! "Beau" for short. They are inseparable! One does not move without the other and you can't just pick up one without the other. They actually whine if they're not together.
