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  1. PeterW

    First Coop Design & Build - added video of automatic door

    4 1/2 years later, revisited this page and...I miss my chickens!. We moved from Ireland to San Diego in January 2012 and donated our whole setup, chickens included, to a family friend. Hopefully one day we'll get to keep chickens again so I can have another shot at coop building. Last time was...
  2. Peterws Member Page

    Peterws Member Page

    The Background Last month was my wife's birthday and for some unknown reason she decided she wanted chickens. I wasn't too keen at first but soon came round to the idea. We had chickens, ducks and geese at home when I was a kid and I thought it would be kind of cool to carry that into the next...
  3. PeterW

    Automatic door opener

    Yes, I built my own automatic door based on a reference design by C.Fabien. You can find pictures and a video of my door here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=5580098#p5580098. It cost less than €30 and has been running for about 5 months now without failure. Only...
  4. PeterW

    Automatic Chicken Coop Door - Auto Closes Coop - Beta Version 1.0

    I also built an auto door based on C.Fabiens design. From an earlier thread (https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=384109&p=3)... Pop Door. As previously mentioned, I built an automatic door based the design found here...
  5. PeterW

    First Coop Design & Build - added video of automatic door

    @Resolute: I dread to think what the total overall cost is but here goes...The initial lot of timber (4 sheets OSB, all the 2x3, 7x1, 5x2 etc) came to somewhere around €300. Then there was probably another €100 on top of that for screws, chicken wire, extra wood for the run etc. The windows...
  6. PeterW

    First Coop Design & Build - added video of automatic door

    I made a video of my coop door in operation: At the moment it opens at 8am and closes at 6pm. That'll need frequent adjustment as the evenings get longer...we had 2 chickens locked out a couple of days ago when I had the door set to close at 5.30pm. It was pretty much dark at that time but...
  7. PeterW

    First Coop Design & Build - added video of automatic door

    3 months on. Thankfully it hasn't taken me that long to finish the coop, although it has become one of those never ending projects where I keep thinking of things to change or add. The chickens have been in the coop since mid October and seem to be happy enough, even through our harshest winter...
  8. PeterW

    First Coop Design & Build - added video of automatic door

    So it's nearly 6 weeks since I last posted an update. The coop project got put on hold for a while as we decided to take advantage of some good weather to paint the house. Anyway, finally the chickens have moved into their new home. There's still a few things to be done but I'm happy with the...
  9. PeterW

    First Coop Design & Build - added video of automatic door

    Thanks! That's one of our 6 cats who I think have all been sleeping in the coop all this week. They won't be too impressed being evicted when it's time for the chickens to move in.
  10. PeterW

    First Coop Design & Build - added video of automatic door

    Another week gone. Most of the siding is now up and my wife is taking advantage of the good weather to start painting. Progress on the front wall was SLOW because I hadn't really figured out how to build in the nest box and do the framing around the windows. So we spent ALOT of time just...
  11. PeterW

    First Coop Design & Build - added video of automatic door

    An update on my progress: I settled on a minor variation of the 8x6, walk-in design I posted above. I realised I'd have to go into the run to open & close the 2 small windows on the end wall so I swapped them with the large window on the back wall. I also spent a good while in Google Sketchup...
  12. PeterW

    perch layout - help!

    I bookmarked the below thread for future reference (when I finally get to installing the roosts). Very useful. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=72208
  13. PeterW

    First Coop Design & Build - added video of automatic door

    Hi and thanks for the replies. Of course, I should have mentioned I live in county Galway, Ireland. Our bad weather almost always comes from the south/south-west. So our coop will face north with the west face sheltered by an adjoining shed. That shed has power to it so building the coop...
  14. PeterW

    First Coop Design & Build - added video of automatic door

    Wow thanks for the replies...lots of good information to consider as I work on a new design. Since I posted that first design I'm now leaning towards building a walk-in coop, probably 6ft x 8ft and spent most of yesterday evening browsing this site for ideas, building techniques etc. I'll...
  15. PeterW

    First Coop Design & Build - added video of automatic door

    I forgot to ask... I've seen it mentioned on a couple of sites that the main door to the coop should open inwards rather than outwards. What's the main reason for this? Thanks, Peter
  16. PeterW

    First Coop Design & Build - added video of automatic door

    Hi and many thanks for the replies. Regarding ventilation - the windows will open outward from the bottom with the openings covered with chicken wire so they can be left open for ventilation in summer. I was planning to add some louvre type vents in the gable ends too but it sounds like I'll...
  17. PeterW

    First Coop Design & Build - added video of automatic door

    Hi all Last month was my wife's birthday and for some unknown reason she decided she wanted chickens. After initially being reluctant I soon came round to the idea and started thinking ahead to building a chicken coop. I soon stumbled upon this website and while I gained alot of inspiration...
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