Coop Build!

[govolsguy31]

I should have signed up and started this a week or more ago, but oh well. Here’s where we are on our coop build.

We’re converting an 8’X8’ lean-to shed into a coop. Due to the previous home owner, we’ll just say the lean-to isn’t square. Because of that, the coop will be just over 7’ by 8’. The run with 8’ by 12’. Planning to have 4-6 girls. Couple Rhode Island Red’s, couple Buff Orpingtons, maybe a Barred Rock or two.

Here’s the framing for the floor, along with posts for the run.

 

[govolsguy31]

We quickly learned the roof was bad, after a good storm on the day after we started the build. New roof installed. Not bad for someone who has never done roofing before, in my opinion anyway!

 

[govolsguy31]

Walls going up! One wall is shared with the shed, so not much to change there. One wall has a 5’ man door and will have a ventilation window. The wall going into the run has a “door within a door”. 12”X12” chicken door built into another 4’-6” man door. Back wall will have 2 more ventilation windows.

The roof sits on top of the walls, so there’s 3.5” of ventilation on the front and back walls just because of the roof trusses.

The pit bull thinks we’re building her a house. Haha.

 

[govolsguy31]

Doors going in.

 

[govolsguy31]

Siding to match the shed, trim and windows. Things in the coop are starting to come together. Gotta get some latches to hold the windows open. They’ll be able to close for those central Virginia winter nights.

 

[govolsguy31]

Ok, and that brings us to today. We started work on the run. Wrapping the whole run in chicken wire. The bottom 4’ will also have 2”X4” welded wire wrapped as well. Then, we’re burying 12” of sharp lath (the stuff you install stucco on) to prevent digging predators. I think it should work well. The run will be for days we aren’t home or it’s raining. We want them to free range our property as much as possible.

(The welded wire isn’t in the picture)

Any and all input and comments on all this is appreciated!!

Continuing work on the run and a few odds and ends on the coop tomorrow. I’ll keep you all posted!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Nice looking build so far, and a good space for the number of birds. Did you leave the soffits open for ventilation?

 

[govolsguy31]

Nice looking build so far, and a good space for the number of birds. Did you leave the soffits open for ventilation?

Yes, we sure did. Secured with hardware cloth.

 

[govolsguy31]

Yesterday we got the roosting bars installed, along with the nesting boxes. Bars are a little closer together than recommended because of wall space (we only had 32” to work with), so the bars are about 10” apart instead of 12”. Nesting boxes are 12”X12”.

 

[govolsguy31]

We also got everything primed and painted yesterday. Things are really coming together. One more day finishing the run should have us ready for chickens!