I'm not quite sure how this is going to work out, but I'll give it a shot.
The coop is aprox 6' by 6' and the run is 6 1/2' by 12 1/2' All preditor proof (probably shouldn't have said that)
In the middle of July, I decided to convert my old kids playhouse, that I took down off of the stilts and have been using to store STUFF.
So, the first thing I had to do was to reside it and put a rain proof roof on it. So I cut all of the pieces and painted them. They went over the top of the barnboards, which did not keep the rain out.
Then I started on a plan to have a door, windows, and vents. It went piece by piece, day by day for quite a while. Kinda a designed it as I went along.
I got doors and a nice big window from a neighbor refurbishing an old shed. I reused the opening for the back window.
I got a lot of the old hardware/hinges, handles, and latches from him and the Habitat store. I reused and old pond liner for the roof. Cut it and fastened it down.
Put the gutter on last
I cut and fit a door on the side and cut and fit a window on the side also.
The wood window door will protect it this winter. I have a latch on the inside. Not real sure about this yet.
I made a two/hole nesting box and put up a roost with steps, which I now see is a problem so I'll have to change that. This stick got changed to a 2X3
The ledge where the step leads to gets full of crap, so has to go.
Made a trip to farm and fleet and got the feeder, waterer, and other supplies. Feeder goes inside the coop and waterer goes outside. That will work till real winter.
I got a cheap piece of vinyl to protect the plywood that I added to the floor, and added the 5 bales of wood chips. (going to do the deep liter method) Also added the chicken door. This needs some work before winter though.
OK, now to start on the run. Most of this is a section on my kids old sandbox.
I got the landscape timbers from that same neighbor along with lots of boards from a son, and some from the habitat store, and of course had to buy some new.
Started by digging the holes and burying the timbers, then added the 3' by 1/2" hardware cloth 8" deep, and everything is stapled on with the real staples, hammered in.
Then I added 3' chicken wire to the top, with the same method.
I added chicken wire to the top next
I had a section of the top between the coop and run that I wanted to build a lean-to, so added that next. This should be getting done pretty soon now.
I added the door to the run, and finished off above the door so it is TOTALLY enclosed.
I fastened the west 2" X 4' window open for the season, and all windows and the two vents, one north and one south, both 7" X 14" near the roofline...
With hardware cloth on the inside.
Yesterday bought 3, 7' roofing panels that I'll put on the run this weekend.
NOW, on August 23rd I got my chickens, poults from 3 different flocks. I have 7:
1 barred plymouth rock, 1 australorp, 1 buff orpington, 1 silver laced wyndotte, 1 delaware and 2 welsummers. They are approx 13 weeks old.
So, everything is going good so far, and learning LOTS as I go, mostly from this site.
I still have to put in a small door, 2' by 2 1/2' so they can get out into the yard.
It's been quite a project and nearing completion.
The small door is done and the pictures ended up in the middle of this article for some reason.
I did put the roof on last weekend and it turned out good and solid. I will keep close tabs on it this winter to keep the snow to a minimum.
It has a pitch on the thickness on one two by four. I'm hoping that the brown color will help the snow melt on sunny days.
I can let the chickens out in the backyard now.
The coop is aprox 6' by 6' and the run is 6 1/2' by 12 1/2' All preditor proof (probably shouldn't have said that)
In the middle of July, I decided to convert my old kids playhouse, that I took down off of the stilts and have been using to store STUFF.
So, the first thing I had to do was to reside it and put a rain proof roof on it. So I cut all of the pieces and painted them. They went over the top of the barnboards, which did not keep the rain out.
Then I started on a plan to have a door, windows, and vents. It went piece by piece, day by day for quite a while. Kinda a designed it as I went along.
I got doors and a nice big window from a neighbor refurbishing an old shed. I reused the opening for the back window.
I got a lot of the old hardware/hinges, handles, and latches from him and the Habitat store. I reused and old pond liner for the roof. Cut it and fastened it down.
Put the gutter on last
I cut and fit a door on the side and cut and fit a window on the side also.
The wood window door will protect it this winter. I have a latch on the inside. Not real sure about this yet.
I made a two/hole nesting box and put up a roost with steps, which I now see is a problem so I'll have to change that. This stick got changed to a 2X3
The ledge where the step leads to gets full of crap, so has to go.
Made a trip to farm and fleet and got the feeder, waterer, and other supplies. Feeder goes inside the coop and waterer goes outside. That will work till real winter.
I got a cheap piece of vinyl to protect the plywood that I added to the floor, and added the 5 bales of wood chips. (going to do the deep liter method) Also added the chicken door. This needs some work before winter though.
OK, now to start on the run. Most of this is a section on my kids old sandbox.
I got the landscape timbers from that same neighbor along with lots of boards from a son, and some from the habitat store, and of course had to buy some new.
Started by digging the holes and burying the timbers, then added the 3' by 1/2" hardware cloth 8" deep, and everything is stapled on with the real staples, hammered in.
Then I added 3' chicken wire to the top, with the same method.
I added chicken wire to the top next
I had a section of the top between the coop and run that I wanted to build a lean-to, so added that next. This should be getting done pretty soon now.
I added the door to the run, and finished off above the door so it is TOTALLY enclosed.
I fastened the west 2" X 4' window open for the season, and all windows and the two vents, one north and one south, both 7" X 14" near the roofline...
With hardware cloth on the inside.
Yesterday bought 3, 7' roofing panels that I'll put on the run this weekend.
NOW, on August 23rd I got my chickens, poults from 3 different flocks. I have 7:
1 barred plymouth rock, 1 australorp, 1 buff orpington, 1 silver laced wyndotte, 1 delaware and 2 welsummers. They are approx 13 weeks old.
So, everything is going good so far, and learning LOTS as I go, mostly from this site.
I still have to put in a small door, 2' by 2 1/2' so they can get out into the yard.
It's been quite a project and nearing completion.
The small door is done and the pictures ended up in the middle of this article for some reason.
I did put the roof on last weekend and it turned out good and solid. I will keep close tabs on it this winter to keep the snow to a minimum.
It has a pitch on the thickness on one two by four. I'm hoping that the brown color will help the snow melt on sunny days.
I can let the chickens out in the backyard now.
