4’x8’ coop

[booth2010]

So when I started planning keeping chickens I was going to do a 4’x6’ coop but the more I thought about it and discussed it on here I realized it was way too enclosed for FL and it would have been difficult to clean being that the door was only 4’tall and I am 6’. The coop is meant to house 8 chickens that will free range an 1800sqft section of my yard during the day.
After a very quick brainstorm I thought up a 4’x8’ with the back and one side wall enclosed with the front and other side open with 2”x4” welded wire. The front of the coop will have roughly 7’ of headroom and the rear will be around 5’. I won’t ever be against the back wall so it shouldn’t be a problem. There will be 4 nesting boxes against the back wall and 2 4’ roosting bars on the left half of the coop. I will be recycling an old door for the coop door.
Attached are some pics of my progress this weekend. The floor framing is complete and most of the floor has been attached. I need to grab a jigsaw to make a few cuts of the floorboards before I can finish and then I’ll have to cut the back flush. The girts are all in place for the rear and side walls. Theyre not even but I figured it’s just a chicken coop no need to be perfect. At least the walls are perfectly straight and the coop has come out pretty square.

 

[booth2010]

Rear wall assembled and my assistant holding it against the wall

 

[booth2010]

4x4s cemented in with some framing around the edges to keep it square.

 

[booth2010]

Rear and side girts in place along with all but 4 floor boards. And again my helper posing for a picture.

 

[lazy gardener]

Nice start on your framing. However, I suggest that you use 1/2 x 1" or 1/2 x 1/2" welded hardware cloth or fencing for your open walls instead of the 2 x 4. Any number of predators can easily squeeze or reach through the larger grid. I also suggest that you provide a big roof overhang on all 4 sides to help shed weather. Minimum size recommendation for coop is 4 s.f./bird, so you will be glad you up-sized to 4 x 8. And walk in style is so much easier to work with.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Glad to hear you went with 4x8, the size of material ... 2x lazy gardner on the wire & roofing. Not sure where your located but the overhang will be nice with nasty weather. Will also add the "minimum" sizing is important, prevents alot of flock turbulence and issuses. Bigger is always better = Chicken Math hits many of us

 

[booth2010]

However, I suggest that you use 1/2 x 1" or 1/2 x 1/2" welded hardware cloth or fencing for your open walls instead of the 2 x 4. Any number of predators can easily squeeze or reach through the larger grid. I also suggest that you provide a big roof overhang on all 4 sides to help shed weather

Thanks for the input. I have decided I will go with the 1/2x1/2 hardware cloth, I was hoping for a little larger but I couldn't find any 1x1 or 1/2x1 for under $100. I have been concerned with the roof overhang for a little while. With such a high pitch I have been thinking that with a little wind the water may go straight into the coop. The overhang on the front was going to be 2' and on the open side it was going to be 1'. The over hang on the open side is still going to be 1' but now I am going to flatten the roof in the front and have a 4' lean-to to prevent rain from blowing in. I think it will work out well.

 

[jthornton]

You could pitch the front overhang down and have your main vent behind that.

JT

 

[booth2010]

You could pitch the front overhang down and have your main vent behind that.

JT

That could work but it would be less than a 2' overhang, I'm not sure how much rain that would keep out when the wind is blowing. I think I will go with the 4' lean-to off the front, I think itll look nice plus its only like $35 more to do that.

I was looking at your plans for the roll out nesting box, I was thinking about doing 4 individual boxes but now I'm thinkin a 3' community box would be enough for 8 hens. For some reason when looking at your plans I just cant see how it rolls out. But then again when I was looking at it yesterday I was exhausted. Do people typically put anything on the back wall that catches the eggs? I'm sure the pitch isn't enough for the eggs to crack when hitting the back anyways.

 

[jthornton]

I cut the carpet runner a bit long so it rolls up at the end and for fun I put a wedge of wood under it just because I had it laying around.



This shows the first false floor with the risers under it to pitch the floor up in the front. I've since changed to 1/2" OSB to get a bit more slope in the false floor. I have a broomstick pin under the floor and use that to push up the false floor then I can pull it out and sweep the dirt off from their dirty little toes.



JT