Building Bigger, Better Coop

[gryeyes]

This was the first coop - a stationary A-Frame, not "tractor" - I built.

This is the cardboard model I put together from the plans for the new coop, to see if I understood them. The floor is 4 x 8, with the back wall six feet tall, and the front wall four feet tall.

I'm gonna be up to 13 chickens and two ducks pretty soon (4 chicks and 2 ducklings in their brooders right now) and I needed a larger coop with better features. I am ALMOST done with its construction.
Here's the coop situated in my back yard, before I cut out windows and the space for the pop out nest box.

I am most proud of the rear access, roll-away nest box I built and installed this past weekend:

Here's what the nest box looks like from the inside of the coop. I still need to figger out some sort of perch in front of it, so the chickens have something to jump onto before going into the next boxes.

And here is the People Door end of the coop...

I've got roost branches inside, have set up the automatic chicken door (but not yet cut the hole to the outside for it yet), and of course I'll need to caulk everything, then paint.... I'm guessing 3 more weekends and it will be good to go. Just in time to bring the babies from the brooder outside. Whew!

 

[alicefelldown]

That looks really nice - good job!

Can you post more detail on your rear access, roll-away nest box please? I've been trying to sketch one out for my coop but haven't put saw to wood just yet.

 

[gryeyes]

I got the plans from Opa, a BYCer. There are some topic threads about rollaway nest boxes; he's built a few. I e-mailed him and requested information. He provided a cut list and some photos to study.

The floor of the nest box is raised in front so the rear is lower, and the eggs roll away from the chicken, behind a "curtain" board barrier which is placed so there's an egg-high gap through which the eggs roll. Then there is a cover over the collection area at the back of the nest box.

Poor Opa put up with several "explain this to me" e-mail pleas as I worked on the nest box.