Coop Builders - What would you have changed or done differently?

[Estatechicks]

I purchased a ready to put together coop at our local ranch supply store. It was cute and all and is working, (only have two hens.) Husband is a carpenter and a very good one, and put the coop together for me, and then put it under the eaves, (4' overhang on his woodshop). we have big wind where we live and this keeps the girls out of big drafts. they have a nice run, will need to be bigger at some point I think, 6' x 6' square with a very sturdy lid. it is a bit low, because it is made from a 4' high dog kennel. that will need to be remedied. Cleaning the coop is pretty easy, 3 doors, but I am not sure about the nest boxes, they are right off the place where they roost. I put plastic tubs in the nest box spaces to make it more of a "space", but one just gets pooped in, I am sure one of them is roosting on the edge of it. will need to add another roost? I see the girl's outgrowing their coop, 78" long, 30" wide and about 4' high. This is my first attempt at raising chickens, and so far they are happy and healthy. They are about 12 weeks. Buff Orpingtons.
they do get to free range a bit, we live on an acre, but it is in a subdivision, so we are somewhat limited and we have a very sneaky gray hawk that lives in the neighborhood. I am sure if I am super nice and find some cheap or free material I can talk hubby into building the girl's a bigger coop.
I just love this sight, I have learned a lot!!!

 

[ChickenMama2014]

That is my dream coop "barn"! Beautiful!

 

[lithiachick]

I love the coops and insight of this thread! I'm not handy at all and my DH has other projects right now- so I found a coop builder and tweaked his Amish style design. My first time uploading pictures from my phone! Since I only plan on 3-5 chickens (yeah right!) I had him divide the 6 nest boxes in half with separate doors and closing off the in side for storage of grit, oyster shell, treats. From BYC, I made sure to have the nest boxes nearest the chicken door and will make sure the chicken door will have a barrier to keep the litter in. I also plan to change the roosts (or add one lengthwise to allow a poop board underneath. My DH

says he will build the run and will be very focused on predator proof.

We have every type here!

I'm hoping to be able to make the pvc feeders and will decide on vertical or horizontal nipples for the water.

I guess I have time because the Barnvelder eggs are due to go into the incubator tomorrow and the coop is being delivered today.

 

[hbhoffman]

Try doing it at night. Fix a new box, put them in, transfer to coop at night. We have successfully done this before with putting our pullets into a new coop with other hens. When they all wake up they look around and begin to settle in. We tend to keep them in for a couple of days ago they begin to imprint that this is their home and know to come back to the coop at night. Hth.

 

[hbhoffman]

Forgot to add my question:
Has anyone buried either chicken wire or hardware cloth or plywood under their raised coop/run to successfully keep out rats? I have access to free plywood and was thinking of nailing it to the bottom posts across the bottom of the run. Then adding in dirt and sand on top of the boards. We could add wire but the expenses of buliding is starting to concern my DH. I know they chewed through our shed with 1/4 sides. So we are definitely going with raised 3 foot off ground and 2x4s cedar supports and an enclosed run underneath. We always have huge rats in our immediate area. It is a constant nuisance.
Another question is has anyone used metal vents like the ones used in the flooring of your house? If I put those at the top for ventilation they can be left open 90% of the time but partially closed for the more bitter wind and 0 degree days in the winter.
Last question is does anyone know how to add a trap door to the floor that slides rather than drops that can be done from the outside?
Great thread! Glad to see it still being added to.

 

[MrSelf Destruct]

I would have made my run more squared to make it easier to add a roof to it.

 

[mlowen]

Forgot to add my question:
Has anyone buried either chicken wire or hardware cloth or plywood under their raised coop/run to successfully keep out rats? I have access to free plywood and was thinking of nailing it to the bottom posts across the bottom of the run. Then adding in dirt and sand on top of the boards. We could add wire but the expenses of buliding is starting to concern my DH. I know they chewed through our shed with 1/4 sides. So we are definitely going with raised 3 foot off ground and 2x4s cedar supports and an enclosed run underneath. We always have huge rats in our immediate area. It is a constant nuisance.
Another question is has anyone used metal vents like the ones used in the flooring of your house? If I put those at the top for ventilation they can be left open 90% of the time but partially closed for the more bitter wind and 0 degree days in the winter.
Last question is does anyone know how to add a trap door to the floor that slides rather than drops that can be done from the outside?
Great thread! Glad to see it still being added to.

If you click on "my coop" you can see what I did. My whole coop/run is "wrapped" in hardware cloth. Keeps out everything, except maybe mice (and they'd get eaten.) The more ventilation the better. I'm in Maine. We had many overnights at 14-15 below zero and the days did not get above freezing. I had no heat, no insulation and one leghorn lost one point on her comb to frostbite. It's the humidity due to lack of ventilation that can cause frostbite. I covered the coop windows and the run walls with plastic, to keep down the wind, but the eaves were all open the whole winter.

 

[hbhoffman]

I looked your coop and agree that it isn't necessarily the cold but the moisture. I plan on having hardware cloth at the top or metal grates or both depending on how this all gets cobbled together and what is on hand.
Anyone used the Elasmoteric (sp?) Henry white roof coating from Home Depot for the floor? Roof? Is this the equivalent to the Lowe's Black jack brand? Anyone used the white sealing tube that are the thing (matbe?) as the gallon buckets? If used on the roof, then what happens next? Never roofed anything before! Was thinking of doing the corrugated panels. Can the coating go on then add the panel on top? We definitely get hot humid summers and bitter winters.

 

[MrSelf Destruct]

I looked your coop and agree that it isn't necessarily the cold but the moisture. I plan on having hardware cloth at the top or metal grates or both depending on how this all gets cobbled together and what is on hand.
Anyone used the Elasmoteric (sp?) Henry white roof coating from Home Depot for the floor? Roof? Is this the equivalent to the Lowe's Black jack brand? Anyone used the white sealing tube that are the thing (matbe?) as the gallon buckets? If used on the roof, then what happens next? Never roofed anything before! Was thinking of doing the corrugated panels. Can the coating go on then add the panel on top? We definitely get hot humid summers and bitter winters.

I'm not sure if it's the same as Blackjack. I used blackjack on the inside of the coop on the floor to give it a protective coating. I just used the corrugated Ondura that I picked up in sheets at Lowes. Is this the same thing you are talking about? I didn't use any coating. I built the roof with plywood and used the Ondura nails to attach the Ondura to the plywood and 2x4 frame.

 

[parisallen1]

My husband built this one for me!
It took him a day and a half to actually build and paint it, but he worked on planning it out for about two weeks on his computer.
He even wrote a set of plans for it that he is selling on Ebay. (I'm in charge of shipping!)
The poop boards pull out so that I can clean them off from outside, and there is a vent door above the roost that can be opened
if it gets too hot. He also installed an automatic chicken door. It opens every morning just before I leave to drop my daughter off at school.

I'm trying to talk him into installing solar lights!