Main access door is a 32" insulated metal door cut down to size with a double-paned sealed unit window that has internal venetian blinds (fancy!), both found for cheap at Habitat Re-Store. The roof is black asphalt shingle. We fully flashed all edges. This is one overbuilt coop! With so much insulation in the coop, we decided to leave the long sides of the roof completely open (except for hardware mesh), with plans to block it off as necessary when the weather gets colder. This is an untested concept! We hope it works. For the heat of summer, it has been great. The coop is much cooler inside than outside.

The pop door is pretty basic - a piece of painted plywood that runs on some old drawer runners. DH has since automated it with a remote-controlled gate opener, with plans to hook it up to a daylight sensor so it can open and close even if we're not home.

The run was constructed like a pergola or trellis and covered completely with 2" stucco wire (walls and roof), buried 12" below ground except under the coop, which we wrapped with 1/2" hardware cloth instead. We then added a strip of 1/2" hardware cloth all around the bottom half of the run. We later added SunTuf roofing over the top of the trellis to keep the area dry. The white door is a vinyl screen door reinforced with hardware mesh and two barrel bolts. We put heavy concrete sidewalk blocks on either side and under the door to prevent digging (and dust bathing holes!).

Nest boxes with dividers and insulated door in place. We since have closed off one of the nests and use it for storage. All inside surfaces are OSB, painted with several layers of white glossy bathroom paint.

Main access door is a 32" insulated metal door cut down to size with a double-paned sealed unit window that has internal venetian blinds (fancy!), both found for cheap at Habitat Re-Store. The roof is black asphalt shingle. We fully flashed all edges. This is one overbuilt coop! With so much insulation in the coop, we decided to leave the long sides of the roof completely open (except for hardware mesh), with plans to block it off as necessary when the weather gets colder. This is an untested concept! We hope it works. For the heat of summer, it has been great. The coop is much cooler inside than outside.

Closeup of nest box construction. With such thick coop walls they don't stick outside too far but we insulated the sides and door with 1.5" DuroFoam and the base with a double layer in hopes of keeping winter eggs from freezing quite so quickly.

The siding was SmartSide panel from home depot and we put it right over the tar paper. The window is a double-paned, sealed unit found at Architectural Clearinghouse.

We decided to fully insulate the walls and floor with pink fibreglass and vapour barrier. This really helped keep the coop cool this summer - our chicks love to hang out inside in the heat of the day. It is as yet untested in winter! We put tar paper directly over the insulation, and then siding over that. No exterior sheathing.

Main access door is a 32" insulated metal door cut down to size with a double-paned sealed unit window that has internal venetian blinds (fancy!), both found for cheap at Habitat Re-Store. The roof is black asphalt shingle. We fully flashed all edges. This is one overbuilt coop! With so much insulation in the coop, we decided to leave the long sides of the roof completely open (except for hardware mesh), with plans to block it off as necessary when the weather gets colder. This is an untested concept! We hope it works. For the heat of summer, it has been great. The coop is much cooler inside than outside.

bryoria
Sep 2, 2014

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