Coop 2009

Imagine that, people who have chickens and have more than one coop…
I think it is an airborne phenomenon spread by chicken feathers…​
There were a few things I wanted to change in my second coop. The first coop was strictly functional and not very pleasing to look at. The second one had to be cute and accent my garden. The second thing was I did not want a walk in coop; I hate walking in the coop! I always step in poo or brush against something covered with 2” of dust. So, a cute reach in coop was the ticket. Third, I did not want to supplement light and love the coops with decorative windows. We found the windows on Craig's-list for 10.00 for all four. I did not intend to have four windows just one would have been fine. But…. They were so nice I decided to use them all. I could always block one or two of them off if I didn’t like it. Well we put it together and just couldn’t bear to think of taking one off. Fourth thing we did different was ventilation. Our last coop had to be retrofitted this summer with plenty of ventilation, last winter we did not have near enough vents for 9 chickens. we were amazed by how much moisture was in the coop, it ran down the windows. This one was going to have vents built into it to start with. We did not want to cut holes in the wall after the fact. Fifth thing different, nice siding. The final thing is we used sand in the run and IN the coop. 3-4" outside and 2" on the inside. I love it! If you are even considering sand go for it you won't regret it. it is so easy to dispose of after words (if you want to replace it) we just mixed it in the garden bed, no composting for a year!! love love love sand.
I absolutely love this coop. It looks so pretty in my garden area. We will do a little bit of new landscaping around it spring of 2010. It was too late in the season when we got it done and we would have had to rip out my tomatoes. There will be a path around the front to the nest box and run. Right now, we have to kind of skirt around the garden bed that is in the way, but not for long.

I hope you enjoy the pictures.
This is an almost finished pic, just need to finish run.
it has the clear palruf corrugated roofing.
8400_img_6271.jpg

Future chicken palace location.
8400_img_5942.jpg

8400_img_5950.jpg

8400_img_5954.jpg

8400_img_5956.jpg

Wow were those windows a lot of work!!
8400_img_5979.jpg

Walls are simple, window frames, not so much.
8400_img_5995.jpg

8400_img_5998.jpg

8400_img_6002.jpg

8400_img_6003.jpg


Here are the cut outs for the feeder and the pop hole
8400_img_6046.jpg

Roof joist one of several.
8400_img_6059.jpg

Future nest box/storage area. New feeder on the floor.
8400_img_6091.jpg


We used salvage door skins from home depot to cover the interior walls. Real thin. They are fully caulked, insulated and flashed with sheet metal. along with several coats of primer and several coats of exterior paint from the restore place in town. All pieces were finished in the garage and then assembled in the yard with the exception of the siding.
8400_img_6095.jpg

All painted and the floor covered in a vinyl scrap. ready to assemble
in the back yard. I get my garage back!!
8400_img_6151.jpg

large screened vent under this window. will have a wooden louver vent cover.
8400_img_6157.jpg

8400_img_6162.jpg


Large communal nest box. it has pine shavings and is now blocked off with just a small opening at one end. they constantly tossed out the shavings into the sand in the coop. messy. I have had no complaints using this method and I had a gold laced Cochin in there being broody for 2.5 months!! it was so cute she would cuddle any one who was laying an egg, then steal their egg...
8400_img_6224.jpg

The cedar siding was slow going. but it looks so nice!! this shows the outside feeder, the lid lifts up to fill from the outside. notice vents at the top, they are on both sides and can be closed.
8400_img_6228.jpg


Nest box/storage. The best part is inside the box, the future pop hole opener. the plans to make the automatic pop hole opener is on one of my other pages, check it out!
8400_img_6233.jpg



No stain on yet. The windows lock in 3 places. One on the top right pane,in the middle of both, and a bolt on the bottom of the left pane into the floor. there is a fiberglass door stop kind of thing between them both so the right door hits on the left door and there is no crack between.
We put a ladder like roost in this one just like the last. Our silkie found a way up and roosts with everyone else.
our chickens spend very little if any time in coop. their door goes up right after dawn and closes just after dusk.
We used sand in the run and in the coop. I can't imagine it any other way.
8400_img_6254.jpg

I love it!!!
8400_img_6239.jpg


​