A question about construction...

[the lemon tree]

I've seen SO MANY amazing coops on this forum and pigs would fly the day I made one that was even close to how great some of these are. I just have a question for those who have built their own coops-are you referring to any kind of manual for constructing it or are you just naturally and professionally talented in knowing what kind of materials, how to frame, etc .? If you are working off some kind of instruction manual or plan PLEASE let me know because I would love to build my own after spending a few hundred $ on the smallish coop that I have. I have absolutely no knowledge about how to build one but can read directions relatively well

 

[Hidden Blessings Farm]

The way I do it is to google or search on yahoo for free chicken coop design plans and it normally will give you a list of materials with sizes and everything. Step by step instructions. Im sure someone on here has plans as well they might will share with you.

 

[xtremevermonter]

Hey chickychicky, I have no idea how good this kit is but it seems like a neat idea. Definitely check it out and search for reviews.

It is a shed kit:
http://www.kotulas.com/webapp/wcs/s...gId=-1&parent_category_rn=10147&top_category=

 

[Rockpile99]

I built my first small one myself, 3x6x3tall, and yesterday my DBIL came over and helped me build a larger one. 4x8x4.

Luckily he's a contractor so not only does he know how to build, I'm not too shabby myself but his expertise helped greatly, but he also has all the tools - hardest part if you don't already have them. It's amazing how fast you can put together a frame when you have a nice electric saw and nail gun.

I tried looking for plans and such on the internet and was very dissapointed with what I was finding. Most people want $20- $30 for a set of plans and materials list. I think you would propably do just as well getting a book - like those sold at home improvement stores, on building sheds and other outdoor projects. That way at least you'd have mutiple ideas for your $20.00.

I'll try to get pics up tonight. Except for the Beer I owe him we didn't buy any material for the coop. - Free!

 

[fargosmom]

I bet if you check out your library you would find books on basic construction techniques. All you're really building is a glorified box; if you mentally start from that idea, and slowly add refinements, you'll get where you're going. My boyfriend and I built ours, over the course of a few weekends, and while he is a reasonably experienced woodworker I was the one who sometimes contributed the "hey, wait a minute" ideas that evolved into our coop (you can see it on my page). Neither of us had ever built a structure but we know how to measure twice (or more

) and cut once! Just use screws (we used deck screws - they made it easy) so if you mess up it's easy to take apart and start over. Good luck!

 

[kathyinmo]

I am 55 yr old old old female, and I was able to build mine, with VERY LITTLE help. (My DH works out of town, and temporarily is home only every other weekend.) Mine is 12 ft x 16 ft. Two of my adult sons did apply the roof underlayment and tin roofing for me, and DH was home and helped to get it started (floor and framed in, per my instructions! LOL) Mine has a "shed roof," that is, it is higher in front, and slopes down the back. It is 8 ft tall in front and 6 ft tall in the back. I have heard that it should have had a greater slope, but oh well. I learned alot by researching online. The first real problem I had was putting up the rafters, and I had to research to figure out how to cut the ," bird's mouth." I learned alot. IF I CAN DO IT, SO CAN YOU ! Just draw out on paper, what you want. Then, start figuring how much lumber you need. OR, if you have access to building supplies.... write down what you have, and figure from there. I learned tons of info on this site. Some I learned too late, and had to modify. YOU CAN DO IT ! ! By the way, I am a nurse, not a construction engineer. I am not totally finished yet, but will be within the next couple weeks. GOOD LUCK, and most of all..... HAVE FUN ! ! !

 

[patandchickens]

Just find some in-construction illustrations, or actual plans, for a garden shed. That's all a coop is. Or if you know how to make stud walls and put up trusses, that's all you gotta do for a coop.

A reach-in (as opposed to walk-in) coop is even easier - it's just a box with a slanty top

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[redhawkou812]

CC, it ain't all that hard. I'm in construction & sometimes I take a lot for granted when I'm working at home. My DW says straight up "I'm not conceptual. Whe you get it built, I'll knkow what you're talking about." I have some basic plans on our coop page. It's a std 8x8 & I dressed it up a bit with the roof line. But like some of your other writers here, there's a lot out there that can help. & having the tools to do the job is really a given. And if you have any questions about how to set a door or window or anything from foundation to roof, there's plenty of folk at BYC that can help. If you like my floor plan, I can get it to you as a pdf with more detail than I currently have on it. Whatever you decide, hope you have as much fun building your coop as we did!!

 

[sillybirds]

I got a book on shed building (by Black & Decker, I believe) at our local H.D. It gave me all of the construction basics that I needed to build my coop.

 

[CityChook]

Truth be told, I printed photographs of other BYCers building their coops, and copied what they were doing. Seriously - it was that sophomoric. There are a million pictures on this forum. We have never built ANYTHING before, had no clue how to do it and still our coop turned out really nice. Took us ALL SUMMER, but it can be done.