A-Frame Coop Finished...*** New Pics Added pg 5***

[UrbanMama]

Okay, I'm hoping to use this thread as a sort of journal for building this coop. We've decided on the A-frame style after lots-o-research!

Yesterday, I spent the day clearing the land for the run area and today we purchased the lumber and started the framing.

Here's the area where the run will be...

It's much longer than it looks in pics, it goes quite a ways behind my hubbies shed (and it will be longer when I have time to clear the rest of the brush) I built up the stone wall to go around the run area....
And another view...

Here's the beginning of the frame....(you can see the shed my husband is fixing to put his tools and such in...)

Another view...

Tomorrow, I'm hoping to finish the bracing on the sides. I'll try to keep taking pics as I go!

 

[SterlingAcres]

Lookin' good! Welcome to BYC

 

[ncCHICKS]

Love it! Is it going to be like a chicken tractor? I was wanting something like this.

Is it made of 8 foot boards? I REALLY like this! Wow.... I have limited space, and I think I may just steal your coop!

 

[redoak]

Looks good so far, I like the design.

 

[UrbanMama]

I'm building it 8X12 for 96 sq feet...almost all pieces of wood come in 8 or 12 ft lengths so less cutting...yup, I'm that lazy!

Seriously though, I'm building the coop myself, I've never done anything like this before and the less cuts the better!

When I'm done, I'll post a materials list if you all are interested. We just bought our home a month ago...so there aren't any scrap pieces of wood laying around to be salvaged. Originally, my father was going to help with materials and plans....but instead he's helping me with a green house. The ironic thing is that I'm designing this to look like a greenhouse...hide it in plain site!

So far, we're at around $420.


******Edited to add that it's not technically going to be a tractor, though I'm hoping it will be light enough to move if the need arises. The run is going to be in the back, between the stone walls and behind my hubby's shed.****

 

[ozzie]

Edited to add that it's not technically going to be a tractor, though I'm hoping it will be light enough to move if the need arises.

I think you will find that the bigger the tractor (and yours is huge), the heavier they turn out to be. Even with smallish tractors, the fact that you want it to be sturdy enough to withstand the wind and tough enough to keep predators out, they do tend to be heavier than first imagined. That's what happened to my 'tractor'. It's only 6x4foot and it's turned out to be really heavy despite all my efforts to try to keep it as light as possible.

Either build it where it will sit eventually or risk getting hernias trying to move it later - and sometimes it's not just the weight you have to contend with, it's the sheer size of it and working out how to lift the darn thing...just speaking from experience.

ozzie​

 

[UrbanMama]

Ozzie...I think you're right!

After framing it today, it definitely is heavier.

Here's today's work...

My helper...

And the frame almost done...

Is it bed-time yet??? I didn't realize how much work this would actually be! Remind me when we build the next coop to sweet-talk hubby into helping!

LOL

 

[miron28]

That is looking great! Keep up the pictures!

 

[Heather J]

Keep us posted. I'm still looking for ideas for a simple coop I can build myself (waiting on DH for the current coop project is driving me batty! I'll be raising up babies this winter that I'll want to move into separate coops as soon as the worst of the cold is past. Can't wait to see how it goes.

 

[Cindy in PA]

This is a great looking coop! I wish I had such talent. I have an 8 by 8 foot coop built 15 years ago by DH where I house 12 chickens. Since he has been so much LESS inclined to help me increase my chicken habitat over the last years, I am thinking of ways to increase my flock! Good work and keep the pictures coming.