Wanna thank everyone here for all the good info / Ideas. I want to pay it forward and hopefully give back to the site.
I have been lurking in the shadows for the past few months after deciding to go down the Chicken road (my neighbor gave an assist on that). Once I decided to do it I had to convince my wife? that was easy! I'm in sales and the kids were a shoe in. I believe this will be a great educational family experience that will last forever. Any how, I decided to build a "lean to", I did a rough sketch (paper and pencil) and $800.00 later I feel like it all worked out with the help of my family.
Prior to starting the project I had ordered 10 female baby chics from MPC. ( I wanted to get one of everything but my wife would of had a cow. so I told her we may do 6 er 8, and go figure 10 showed up. I had done lots of research with BYC being the most comprehensive on all topics, pretty cool site for a beginner to get started with.
I had the coop complete by the time they hit the P.O. and only had to build a run! The coop is 5' X 16' with two entrances one is a viewing area (rear) for the kids with no direct access to the birds. I also use this for storage (straw, Hay, Feed, ect.) The front of the coop is the business end designed to handle all the chores, from there you can collect eggs, open/shut pop door, feed em, water, and clean-outs all without entering (maybe not the clean outs). I used a skid floor design with wire mesh underneath the subfloor and a wire perimeter skirt. Linoleum floor base that wraps up the walls like baseboard. 24" on center walls, 3 homemade windows, eve ventelation, An over extended Roof overhang to keep girls dry w/ a gutter (chicken porch), electricity, 5 outside mount nesting boxes, 2X4 flat one level roost to keep their feet warm, and a remotely controlled pop door. Most of my materials were clearance, or used. All of the lumber was a pile from Lowes a little twisted for $80.00. a clearance prehung door $15.00, a craigslist door and shingles, clearance linoleum floor. Some things were retail but what are you gonna do? The run is 16' X 16' with the same $80.00 pile of wood a $75.00 clearance 100' roll of 2" X 4" wire fence from tractor supply(was hit by a fork lift). $20.00 100' roll of poultry fence off Craig’s list. I had to pick up a couple 2x4's to put my run door together. I made a deal with a local hardware store and got all of my hardware old stock (hinges/latches/locks) for $20.00. The siding was $16.00 a sheet on sale pre primed @ Lowes. I only needed 4, had 3 on hand. The run has a nice slope to it with an old stump, trees, and plants for fun... I’m gonna go with the deep litter method for now and if I do not like it I will change to sand. We still need to trim and landscape/decorate, I will leave that up to the kids.
Most of my ideas came from the BYC site in which we appreciate. My chics showed up on time and healthy, so far so good, the girls have been in the coop/run for 2 weeks and seem be very happy. it has been a great experience so far for my family and we are looking forward to a rewarding Chicken endeavor. We all take part in contributing to the cause…
P.S. I do have one chic with a slipped tendon in which we are currently doing everything we can to correct. Wish us luck
Thanks!
PGH.
Framing after the flooring was complete.
Roof sheeting tarpaper and nest boxes.
Primer with the boys
Sided, primed and looking like something.
Paint, and time to start the run.
Rear entrance to the viewing ares/storage.
Rear viewing area.
Rear view.
Inside front
First time out the pop door.
They look relaxed
Hope you enjoyed it. I did!
I have been lurking in the shadows for the past few months after deciding to go down the Chicken road (my neighbor gave an assist on that). Once I decided to do it I had to convince my wife? that was easy! I'm in sales and the kids were a shoe in. I believe this will be a great educational family experience that will last forever. Any how, I decided to build a "lean to", I did a rough sketch (paper and pencil) and $800.00 later I feel like it all worked out with the help of my family.
Prior to starting the project I had ordered 10 female baby chics from MPC. ( I wanted to get one of everything but my wife would of had a cow. so I told her we may do 6 er 8, and go figure 10 showed up. I had done lots of research with BYC being the most comprehensive on all topics, pretty cool site for a beginner to get started with.
I had the coop complete by the time they hit the P.O. and only had to build a run! The coop is 5' X 16' with two entrances one is a viewing area (rear) for the kids with no direct access to the birds. I also use this for storage (straw, Hay, Feed, ect.) The front of the coop is the business end designed to handle all the chores, from there you can collect eggs, open/shut pop door, feed em, water, and clean-outs all without entering (maybe not the clean outs). I used a skid floor design with wire mesh underneath the subfloor and a wire perimeter skirt. Linoleum floor base that wraps up the walls like baseboard. 24" on center walls, 3 homemade windows, eve ventelation, An over extended Roof overhang to keep girls dry w/ a gutter (chicken porch), electricity, 5 outside mount nesting boxes, 2X4 flat one level roost to keep their feet warm, and a remotely controlled pop door. Most of my materials were clearance, or used. All of the lumber was a pile from Lowes a little twisted for $80.00. a clearance prehung door $15.00, a craigslist door and shingles, clearance linoleum floor. Some things were retail but what are you gonna do? The run is 16' X 16' with the same $80.00 pile of wood a $75.00 clearance 100' roll of 2" X 4" wire fence from tractor supply(was hit by a fork lift). $20.00 100' roll of poultry fence off Craig’s list. I had to pick up a couple 2x4's to put my run door together. I made a deal with a local hardware store and got all of my hardware old stock (hinges/latches/locks) for $20.00. The siding was $16.00 a sheet on sale pre primed @ Lowes. I only needed 4, had 3 on hand. The run has a nice slope to it with an old stump, trees, and plants for fun... I’m gonna go with the deep litter method for now and if I do not like it I will change to sand. We still need to trim and landscape/decorate, I will leave that up to the kids.
Most of my ideas came from the BYC site in which we appreciate. My chics showed up on time and healthy, so far so good, the girls have been in the coop/run for 2 weeks and seem be very happy. it has been a great experience so far for my family and we are looking forward to a rewarding Chicken endeavor. We all take part in contributing to the cause…
P.S. I do have one chic with a slipped tendon in which we are currently doing everything we can to correct. Wish us luck
Thanks!
PGH.
Framing after the flooring was complete.
Roof sheeting tarpaper and nest boxes.
Primer with the boys
Sided, primed and looking like something.
Paint, and time to start the run.
Rear entrance to the viewing ares/storage.
Rear viewing area.
Rear view.
Inside front
First time out the pop door.
They look relaxed
Hope you enjoyed it. I did!