Here are some photos from our coop build. We started out with an amazon build-it coop which quickly deteriorated (like 6 weeks!) while my hens were busy outgrowing it. My handy hubby started on this baby and it got done just in time:
Cost: $1000 easy
Climate: Near Barrie, Ontario, CANADA Summers up to 35oC and winters down to -35oC
Materials: chicken wire, welded wire, windows and door from garage sales and habitat for humanity stores, walls, floor & roof plywood with pressure treated lumber, siding rough cut pine from local saw mill, industrial floor tiles from habitat for humanity, shingles leftover from roof. biggest expense was welded wire and pressure treated wood.
Decision to insulate: NO - with the roof eves kept open - didn't see the point
Building is 6' x 6' and 8' in the front to 6' in the back.
First attempt: Amazon coop - great in concept - but an actual total waste of money....perfect for getting hubby and the kids on board.
In the mean time, the chicks are snug in a large tupperwear container:
These chickens are going to outgrow that home fast!
Now the real coop and run gets framed up!
Some shots of the nest boxes started and the guillotine style chicken door leading into the run
Next comes siding to keep those ladies warm in winter...and winter is coming!!
First snow!
First snow men!
The ladies enjoying the winter weather:
Feed in PVC feeder - I need to keep it on an angle or the hens will dig out all the food. Extra food in the steel garbage can.
Hay used as bedding and floor insulation. I put in a bail and the girls spread it out on their own.
Roost with a view. PVC waterer with an aquarium thermometer inside to keep water from freezing, it has run dry without a problem. I added a heat lamp to keep the nipples from freezing on the outside, as that became a problem with very cold weather.
I also ran a daylight bulb on a times. All run off an extension cord from the house.
panoramic photos, not great, but maybe helpful
We loved this project and we love our hens! I usually leave the chicken door into the run open unless it gets really cold or windy. In the run, the fence is buried 10 " and the sides are all piled with stones, we have lots of foxes around too.
The fruits of our labours:
The kids especially enjoy collecting eggs each morning - the chickens and their coop were an amazing success and a great addition to our family!!
Cost: $1000 easy
Climate: Near Barrie, Ontario, CANADA Summers up to 35oC and winters down to -35oC
Materials: chicken wire, welded wire, windows and door from garage sales and habitat for humanity stores, walls, floor & roof plywood with pressure treated lumber, siding rough cut pine from local saw mill, industrial floor tiles from habitat for humanity, shingles leftover from roof. biggest expense was welded wire and pressure treated wood.
Decision to insulate: NO - with the roof eves kept open - didn't see the point
Building is 6' x 6' and 8' in the front to 6' in the back.
First attempt: Amazon coop - great in concept - but an actual total waste of money....perfect for getting hubby and the kids on board.
In the mean time, the chicks are snug in a large tupperwear container:
These chickens are going to outgrow that home fast!
Now the real coop and run gets framed up!
Some shots of the nest boxes started and the guillotine style chicken door leading into the run
Next comes siding to keep those ladies warm in winter...and winter is coming!!
First snow!
First snow men!
The ladies enjoying the winter weather:
Feed in PVC feeder - I need to keep it on an angle or the hens will dig out all the food. Extra food in the steel garbage can.
Hay used as bedding and floor insulation. I put in a bail and the girls spread it out on their own.
Roost with a view. PVC waterer with an aquarium thermometer inside to keep water from freezing, it has run dry without a problem. I added a heat lamp to keep the nipples from freezing on the outside, as that became a problem with very cold weather.
I also ran a daylight bulb on a times. All run off an extension cord from the house.
panoramic photos, not great, but maybe helpful
We loved this project and we love our hens! I usually leave the chicken door into the run open unless it gets really cold or windy. In the run, the fence is buried 10 " and the sides are all piled with stones, we have lots of foxes around too.
The fruits of our labours:
The kids especially enjoy collecting eggs each morning - the chickens and their coop were an amazing success and a great addition to our family!!
