Chicken coop design & construction

[ShawnAJamessr]

Designed & built by: Shawn A. James Sr.d.b.a. ; Jamesgang 5 Hurst, Texas

First of all,,,,I do not have any chickens. .
I am, well, rather creative.
I believe I am a person who likes the chance to create & build unique items when given the opportunity.
I have a client who knows of my abilities and requested that I research, design & build a chicken coop.
It was overwhelming when I started my research. She also wants to incorporate a roof-top garden and plenty of planters.
She loves the barn style coops with lots of off-set windows and country appearance.

I created different sketches & dreamed up many different ideas.
However, I have never raised chickens. ...
finally, she drove me around to different places that are raising chickens. ..that changed my whole perspective!
All previous ideas, designs & thoughts had to be reconsidered. .

 

[ShawnAJamessr]

Ultimately, I created this idea on paper and started building it October 30, 2014.

 

[ShawnAJamessr]

This is Dallas. Temperatures do not normally get too hot or too cold. So I told... Regardless, based on research, I wanted to make certain chickens were protected from freezing winds in the winter months and likewise I wanted to minimize situations of causing the birds to get too in the summer inside a building.

I incorporated clear-story windows

to prevent heat build-up & also ground level ventilation / screened openings below all windows.

However, I was very aware this could be a negative situation in the winter months. So I designed operable vertical doors for each ground level opening. This was easy, I did not want the building to possibly fail / twist in severe winds and possibly fall over.
I would rather over engineer the structural design versus create future problems.

I thought about pre-built trusses using angled design. Ultimately, I changed the framing and created a scissor / Truss design in the walls.
By the way, no nails! Every bit of the framing is screwed together.

 

[ShawnAJamessr]

Pictures of X frame design.

picture of the X frame design in the walls.

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC!

 

[Book Em Danno25]

 

[Book Em Danno25]

hello there!! i think your thread would be better suited in here. there are building experts there, and i think you will get more help there. Welcome to BYC!!!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/9/coop-run-design-construction-maintenance

 

[ShawnAJamessr]

Not sure where you are directing me to go?

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

Very nice coop!

 

[Michael OShay]

Welcome to BYC. Glad you decided to join our flock. My wife and I were both raised in the great state of Texas, not too far from where you are (Blue Ridge for her, Greenville for me). You coop desgn is beautiful and I agree with Turkenstein25 that you should post it on our Coop and Run Design and Construction section. Just click on https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/9/coop-run-design-construction-maintenance and it will take you there. Cheers.