Building My First Ever Coop and Run

[Snowbelt]

Thank you! I had thought about raising the coop even more than the required 1ft, as I've seen alot of small coops do exactly that to give more space in a run.

I will be building a new coop in the spring, and I'm planning to have it elevated to almost two feet. There will be runs on two sides connected by the run space under the coop itself. They will use it quite a bit in summer when they need shade.

 

[AdaliaStark]

I will be building a new coop in the spring, and I'm planning to have it elevated to almost two feet. There will be runs on two sides connected by the run space under the coop itself. They will use it quite a bit in summer when they need shade.

It makes sense that they will use the under coop space for shade in the summer, would be pretty cool under there.

Best of luck to you in building your coop! Hope you have an easier time than I've had, my city sure seems to have gone out of their way to discourage people as much as possible from keeping chickens.

 

[Snowbelt]

It makes sense that they will use the under coop space for shade in the summer, would be pretty cool under there.

Best of luck to you in building your coop! Hope you have an easier time than I've had, my city sure seems to have gone out of their way to discourage people as much as possible from keeping chickens.

Yes, your city isn't very chicken friendly and they don't seem to have thought through their ordinance. I don't have that problem here, so I can build pretty much whatever I want to.

I think you said something about getting quiet chickens. I have Orpingtons, Brahmas, and Wyandottes and they are very quiet, sweet, and docile unless they are singing the egg song.

 

[AdaliaStark]

Yes, your city isn't very chicken friendly and they don't seem to have thought through their ordinance. I don't have that problem here, so I can build pretty much whatever I want to.

I think you said something about getting quiet chickens. I have Orpingtons, Brahmas, and Wyandottes and they are very quiet, sweet, and docile unless they are singing the egg song.

I do think that they worked someone who knows about chickens to create the ordinance but that it seems likely alot of concessions had to be given to the city in order to get approval.

Which is unfortunate, cause it basically seems to require a custom built coop n run and that is pretty expensive. Like I could find plans or maybe work with someone to create plans but then I would need help building the coop n run and I don't have any help. So I'm stuck looking for custom built or second-hand that might work.

Yeah I would definitely be looking for quiet breeds and maybe some unique/less common breeds if I knew how quiet they might be.

 

[Snowbelt]

I do think that they worked someone who knows about chickens to create the ordinance but that it seems likely alot of concessions had to be given to the city in order to get approval.

Which is unfortunate, cause it basically seems to require a custom built coop n run and that is pretty expensive. Like I could find plans or maybe work with someone to create plans but then I would need help building the coop n run and I don't have any help. So I'm stuck looking for custom built or second-hand that might work.

Yeah I would definitely be looking for quiet breeds and maybe some unique/less common breeds if I knew how quiet they might be.

There must be someone who makes a 4 X 6 coop in your area so you wouldn't have to pay for one custom made. The run could be added by a handyman since it would only be 4 X 8 feet and 6 feet high.

 

[AdaliaStark]

There must be someone who makes a 4 X 6 coop in your area so you wouldn't have to pay for one custom made. The run could be added by a handyman since it would only be 4 X 8 feet and 6 feet high.

Well I'm looking on FB Marusable. currently and the listings for 4x6 coops largely are dominated by one custom coop maker(who lists coops in like 15+ cities all around Illinois) who lists the price as anywhere from $1 to $123k in order to get people to message him about the coops he is advertising that he will custom build. I also found another custom chicken coop maker only about 6 miles from me, who also raises his own chickens and has a listing for custom coops for $1k.

Otherwise all the coops with or without runs I'm finding are too big or the coop is the right size but the included run is too big. Or the second-hand coops need quite a bit of repair work to be made useable.

Plus I have to factor in the cost of the annual license, the fees for the inspection(s) and the permit fees that I would need.

 

[AdaliaStark]

I spent the night looking at plans again, yay being a night owl

Thus I found a few that could maybe work with some modifications I think.

These are the 3 plans that I found, that seemed like they could maybe work. Granted one of them would require a separate run being built due to it not being included.

Coop 1: https://www.thegardencoop.com/product/backyard-walk-in-chicken-coop-plans/

Coop 2: https://beejeweledcoop.com/products/mini-bee-jeweled-coop-chicken-coop-building-plans-3-6-chickens

Coop 3: www.etsy.com/listing/1230923514/bb-chicken-coop-plans-farmhouse-style-8

I'm still also looking at second-hand coops, possibly something custom in addition to still looking at plans.

I'm basically trying to spend some time really weighing all my options to figure out which is the best for me.

Building something from plans would admittedly be pretty difficult for me, due to not having anyone who can I ask for help; It would let me save money though through getting things with my employees discount card or at places like Re-Store. While custom would be expensive but enable me to get something that would fit the requirements from the ordinance. Something second-hand would likely be cheaper still but would likely require some tlc to make it useable again depending on the condition of what I get.

I've been thinking about all things this entire time, from when I created this thread till now and haven't really been able to come to a conclusion though. It doesn't help that I'm bothered still by my cousin ignoring me when I reach out to him for information on how things are going.

I also know that I'm probably massively overthinking things here I have a tendency to do that due to having both autism and adhd. The only thing I don't really know for a fact is how well the ventilation is with these 3 coops but that should be something I can modify pretty easily if I do decide to go with one of these.

 

[Snowbelt]

I think any of those three coops would work for you, but the first would be the easiest for you to build yourself. That one looks to have a feature that it doesn't highlight, and that I am going to use on my next coop, and that is an open top to the coop covered in hardware cloth, beneath an elevated, floating roof. That would ensure that you have adequate ventilation for your climate, since it would vent heat during summer, and during winter you could slide in flat partial or full panels over the top of the coop and beneath the roof structure to reduce any drafts while keeping it adequately ventilated. The boxy nature of the design is easy to envision and remember during construction.

If you want to build one yourself, you can break the design and construction into discrete tasks:
1. Use dimensions for the sides, bottom, and top that are multiples of 2, 3, or 4 which are the heights of the hardware cloth you will use. That way you just have to cut lengths and not widths too. With this design, I would use a run height beneath the coop of two feet and continue this around the run. I would use four foot sections above this in the run to give you a six foot total height, so you only need 2-foot and 4-foot hardware cloth.
2. Start with four posts for your coop base made from 4 X 4s. Four two-foot posts allow you to cut them from an 8-foot 4 X 4 with no waste. You can frame these with 2 x 4s to the outside coop dimension.
3. Level the base.
4. Put a plywood base on top of the base and attach 2-foot hardware cloth around 3 sides, leaving one side open to the attached run.
5. Make framing out of 2 x 4s for the four sides, leaving openings for and access door, windows, nesting boxes, a chicken door, or anything else you want. The framing would be four foot tall. Attach the sides to the base and each other at the corners. The top should be flat and will give you a height of six feet.
6. Put plywood or T111 siding or something similar on the sides. Cut out openings as needed. Paint as desired.
7. Put hardware cloth on the top to completely enclose the coop.
8. Make the frame for the run out of 2 x 4s for the dimensions the city will allow. Like the coop, it should be six feet tall and flat on top. The bottom should be pressure treated where it will be in ground contact.
9. Frame in a door where you want one.
10. Paint the frame if desired and install hardware cloth over the top and sides of the box using the same two sizes you used for the coop.
11. You can build a door for the opening out of 2 X 4s or 2 x 2s and cover with hardware cloth. Install using at least two hinges to the frame you've installed.
12. At this point you have an elongated box with a flat top that is covered in hardware cloth. The roof can be made separately to slide over the top. Make it the same width at the total coop and run, but longer to hang over the front and back. Make one side taller than the other to shed water and snow using joists that form a triangle. Space these at 2-foot intervals so you can attach 2 x 8 foot roof panels to them and build a frame with them. Note that if you have a 4 X 6 coop, you can use the panels without cutting and they will overhang by a foot front and back without cutting. Attach the panels to the frame.
13. You will probably need help for two people to put the frame up against the structure and lift one edge to slide it up on top. Adjust it so it covers the coop and run.
14. Voila! You have made your own coop of your own design!

I find with these kinds of projects, it helps to think of it in small, discrete steps. That takes something daunting and makes it doable. And remember, it is just a chicken coop, not the Taj Mahal, so if it isn't perfect, the chickens don't care at all.

Best of luck with whatever you decide to do. And keep us posted!

 

[AdaliaStark]

I think any of those three coops would work for you, but the first would be the easiest for you to build yourself. That one looks to have a feature that it doesn't highlight, and that I am going to use on my next coop, and that is an open top to the coop covered in hardware cloth, beneath an elevated, floating roof. That would ensure that you have adequate ventilation for your climate, since it would vent heat during summer, and during winter you could slide in flat partial or full panels over the top of the coop and beneath the roof structure to reduce any drafts while keeping it adequately ventilated. The boxy nature of the design is easy to envision and remember during construction.

If you want to build one yourself, you can break the design and construction into discrete tasks:
1. Use dimensions for the sides, bottom, and top that are multiples of 2, 3, or 4 which are the heights of the hardware cloth you will use. That way you just have to cut lengths and not widths too. With this design, I would use a run height beneath the coop of two feet and continue this around the run. I would use four foot sections above this in the run to give you a six foot total height, so you only need 2-foot and 4-foot hardware cloth.
2. Start with four posts for your coop base made from 4 X 4s. Four two-foot posts allow you to cut them from an 8-foot 4 X 4 with no waste. You can frame these with 2 x 4s to the outside coop dimension.
3. Level the base.
4. Put a plywood base on top of the base and attach 2-foot hardware cloth around 3 sides, leaving one side open to the attached run.
5. Make framing out of 2 x 4s for the four sides, leaving openings for and access door, windows, nesting boxes, a chicken door, or anything else you want. The framing would be four foot tall. Attach the sides to the base and each other at the corners. The top should be flat and will give you a height of six feet.
6. Put plywood or T111 siding or something similar on the sides. Cut out openings as needed. Paint as desired.
7. Put hardware cloth on the top to completely enclose the coop.
8. Make the frame for the run out of 2 x 4s for the dimensions the city will allow. Like the coop, it should be six feet tall and flat on top. The bottom should be pressure treated where it will be in ground contact.
9. Frame in a door where you want one.
10. Paint the frame if desired and install hardware cloth over the top and sides of the box using the same two sizes you used for the coop.
11. You can build a door for the opening out of 2 X 4s or 2 x 2s and cover with hardware cloth. Install using at least two hinges to the frame you've installed.
12. At this point you have an elongated box with a flat top that is covered in hardware cloth. The roof can be made separately to slide over the top. Make it the same width at the total coop and run, but longer to hang over the front and back. Make one side taller than the other to shed water and snow using joists that form a triangle. Space these at 2-foot intervals so you can attach 2 x 8 foot roof panels to them and build a frame with them. Note that if you have a 4 X 6 coop, you can use the panels without cutting and they will overhang by a foot front and back without cutting. Attach the panels to the frame.
13. You will probably need help for two people to put the frame up against the structure and lift one edge to slide it up on top. Adjust it so it covers the coop and run.
14. Voila! You have made your own coop of your own design!

I find with these kinds of projects, it helps to think of it in small, discrete steps. That takes something daunting and makes it doable. And remember, it is just a chicken coop, not the Taj Mahal, so if it isn't perfect, the chickens don't care at all.

Best of luck with whatever you decide to do. And keep us posted!

Thank you so much!! That breakdown like that really does make it more manageable and seem alot more doable.

I definitely will keep you and everyone else who had commented in this thread posted on what I decide to do!

Anytime I look at plans for coops, I do keep returning over and over to the first plan I linked, just because I like the look of it, though I can't explain why I like the look it just that I do

In fact, after I made that comment I decided to reach out to the people who made that plan for advice on how I would any modifications to make it work for me. I don't know when I will hear back from them but I now also have your comment to work off of too! So thank you so much again!