This is the simi-completed coop the run does not have the door on it yet. The hole project took about 3 weeks with ongoing modifications of course.
The foundation of the was laid with 2x6's to make a 8'x12' coop. My oldest son and myself in photo my wife taking the shot and my youngest carrying boards from the truck. The coop is about 100' feet form the driveway. I couldn't pull my truck closer because my truck would get stuck in the sand (Yes, I got my truck stuck in the yard).
We leveled the foundation by moving about 2 tons of sand from on side of the yard to the coop. Then created the floor with the interlocking 4'x8' floor boards.
Next we built the frame then drilled the pressed board wall panels into the frame. That took a lot of work and we didn't have anyone to take pictures. We used 2x3 wall studs for the frame. Cut the wall boards for the slanted shape. The hard part was hanging the walls. The base was level but after walking etc on it shifted in the sand. The wall boards would not line up, it's off but its working.
Taking a well needed rest in his coop.
Fully recharged from his nap, he is back at work. Construction took place in February while rest of the country was covered in snow we were enjoying the 60's here in New Mexico.
With the walls up we added 2x4's and 2x6's fro the roof. Then used the same size boards for the roof top.
Here is my youngest applying the roof shingels. We laid tar paper down first then started the shingles tacked them down with roofing nails I didn't know what I was doing I was just going off of what the Lowes guy said.
Roof near done.
We put a coat of primer then waited about an hour then painted with a single color coat.
The windows were the most single expensive items ~$35 each but worth the money for time it would take for me to fashion a plexiglass window.
The forman watches on as the work continues.
We used the same board we cut out of the wall to make the door. Since the board was so thin we reinforced the back side of the hinges/handle with scrap 2x4's.
We liked the teepee style chicken run we saw on this site. We used treated 16' 2x6' for the sides. Over all size is 16'x10'. We buried about a foot of fence under ground to help keep critters out.
We used shelf L brackets to hold up boards for the nesting boxes. My wife found the plastic bins at the Dollar Tree to fill them.
We ran power out to the coop for heat and the electric fence. Burying the power cable 24" (well within code) even in sand still took a day.
We picked up 8 baby chicks from the Tractor Supply Store as the first set of "test chicks" to see if we can keep them alive.
They are released and are loving it. I don't think we will get any more straw, everything we have read is that sand is better in the coop because you can scoop it like cat litter. People don't like that it cost so much but we have an acre of sand so I think we'll give it a shot.
