Here is my 8x8 barn style coop I built last year. The coop currently houses 4 hens (3 Plymouth Rocks and 1 Rhide Island Red), we also have 3 ducks that use the coop as a shelter when they want to get out of the weather.
I designed and planned the coop myself using google sketch up. I read up on who knows how many different coops and based my plans off of what I liked in those coops and what seemed to work the best.
I added the windows and vents after I made up the plans and moved the nesting boxes to the opposite side of the coop. Other than that the coop ended up pretty much as designed. Unfortunately, my plans don't have any measurements on them but I based the coop on plywood sheet sizing. What I mean by that is this; the two side walls are 4'x8' as are the two lower sections of the front and rear walls. This meant not having to cut the sheets of plywood other than for doors, windows and vents.
I used concrete foundation blocks to keep the base off the ground, I did this to protect the wood from water and I also read and was told that having the chickens climb up into the coop is a comfort to them.
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The framing is just 2x4 frame spaced 24" on center. I made the roof joists myself, I used a website to figure out the angels and lengths for the joists. They were a lot easier to make than I was expecting them to be. Had them done in just a couple hours.
The real fun part was the exterior walls. I wanted the coop to resemble a barn as much as possible. I wanted the walls to look like planks and not a flat sheet of wood. I built this router jig/sled so I could put grooves in the plywood.
Using this jig gave my walls exactly the look I wanted. much cheaper than buying grooved sheet board or building with individual planks.
The nesting box on the side of the coop he a hinged lid to make egg gathering a breeze.
We also added an unground pool for our ducks.
We thought that was going to be our last project for the coop as we were letting the birds free range in our yard initially. That was until we got a Siberian Husky and needed to protect the birds from the instincts of our newest family member. So I built a fence enclosure around the coop so that they could still free range while the dog was outside. I used left over cedar planks from the fence that we had to rebuild after a series of storms began knocking it down.
I plan on building a slightly larger matching shed next to the coop, especially since I tore down the shed that was there and the wife told me I had to rebuild one. I also plan on running water and electricity to the corner of the fence to make cleaning and filling the duck pond easier, but that will be a luxury. I've also added solar lights to the fence posts around the run, it's a nice little touch.
I don't know that I would do anything differently if I were to build another coop. I would like to add a weather vane with a rooster on top.
We had a rough winter this year and it was nice to see that my planning and carpentry held up and kept my birds warm and safe during the winter, insulation may be something added in the future as well.
