Collapsible Coop

[chickentrunks]

Not sure what these are....maybe some detail pics once you have it figured out.

I have a 'collapsible' brooder, it's just screwed together with drywall screws,
only takes about 30 minutes to assemble.

I'm thinking once I expand my flock and move to my land, I'll use this thingy as a brooder. It's a good size to house a batch of 20 or so chicks until they're ready for the outdoors, and if I make 2 runs that can communicate it would be cool for introducing chicks to chickens

 

[aart]

These are turn latch hasps (i keep calling them hinges, my bad haha), they also call them safety hasps, but yeah they aren't cutting it.

Ah...no.

Just use screws<shrugs>

 

[chickentrunks]

So the chickens slept in their coop last night for the first time and they seem to like it, even though I haven't completed everything I said I would! It's been rainy here and I got some sewing commissions (that's my little home business), so I wasn't able to work on the roof again today.

Aart, if I just use screws then the coop won't be 'collapsible' - I've put a screenshot of the hooks and eyes I ended up using instead of the safety hasps. The house unfolds beautifully - when i finish the roosts I will need to clean out the house and install them, so I'll put up pictures of the house in it's collapsed state. The hooks and eyes in combination with hinges that have removable hinge pins make it so that I can disassemble the house into the slabs its comprised of and load them into a moving van, since I know this rental property isn't going to be my final home.

 

[trumpeting_angel]

Do you have raccoons? I’m late to the discussion, and I read the posts but I’m a little unclear on the latches. But raccoons can undo hook & eye latches.

1 sq. ft. of ventilation per bird is, I think, the minimum, or the standard. In any case, sounds like you’re probably familiar with caring for chickens in the heat!

 

[aart]

Aart, if I just use screws then the coop won't be 'collapsible'

Sure it will.....it just won't be 'tool-less'.
Nothing wrong with using a screwdriver unless you need to 'collapse' it frequently.
This 72x30x36" brooder is held together with about 3 dozen screws,
the 6 panels and liner/cleats are stored on a 30x16" foot print and leaned against the wall in my garage when not in use.

Just keep it in mind...in case those latches don't hold up....cause, yeah...

But raccoons can undo hook & eye latches.

 

[chickentrunks]

The latches are under considerable tension, and I have to push the whole wall in to undo them. The safety hasps are there as backup as well - I haven't heard about or seen racoons here but i can put locks on two of the four safety hasps and the walls will not be able to be opened without removing the locks. Hopefully those wily animals won't learn to lockpick hahaha (just kidding).

I put so much work into this house, I don't want to poke too many holes in my walls. Secondly the walls are not designed to be screwed together, I would need some 4" screws at least, and even then I'm not sure they would hold the weight of each wall. The thing is stout.

 

[trumpeting_angel]

Just a carabiner through the hasp will keep out the raccoons, except the trained locksmiths among them.

 

[chickentrunks]

Just a carabiner through the hasp will keep out the raccoons, except the trained locksmiths among them.

I didn't think of that hahahahaa

 

[JDN]

Thanks for this. I'm planning on building a pigeon loft this weekend and drew inspiration from Ted's KD woods coop and this coop.

One Question...

Where on earth did you find 2x2 lumber suitable to work with? Everything at the local stores is crooked as a Chicago Alderman

Regarding Bugs/Mites/Lice...Provide your chickens ample dust (not hard in ABQ I imagine) and some Diometious Earth if you're worried.

 

[aart]

crooked as a Chicago Alderman

Best way to get good 2x2's(nominal) is to rip good 2x4's down the center.
Had a local lumberman do this for me regularly...too bad he's now retired.