Coop design... I finally decided!

[Hillsvale]

Comments and suggestions welcome.

It will be 8x8 with 2x8 covered porch for evening relaxing, just thought this one looked so cute so I wantd to build it... spouse thinks I am certifiable but I am OK with that.

http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/...Ntx=mode+matchall&recN=0&N=0&Ntk=P_PartNumber

 

[vyshtia]

I think that is absolutely adorable!

 

[citalk2much]

Oh that is cute!

 

[Hillsvale]

I suspect the cat will hang out on the porch... he's too lazy to bug the birds but he would appreciate watching them!

 

[gsim]

Really pretty coop. If you are going to go the playhouse route, why not shop for one for sale by people who are moving. Lot of that going on right now and especially with the economy so bad. You may find what you want on craigslist for 5 cents on the dollar. I have seen some really nifty ones made from playhouses.


I built an 8 x 16 coop with 30 year roof, vinyl siding, vents, ceiling fan, fluorescent lights, water hydrant outside, 4 windows (two the half circle topped kind) 6 panel door, gutters, soffit vents, stoop, and all on 6 creosote legs . It is complete with a 2000 sq ft pen, 6 ft tall 2x4 welded wire fence set in cement with 24" chicken wire added to ground level inside. It has a 5-mile 4 kv fence charger with 4 courses of hot wire around perimeter. It all cost me $1800 and I had very little salvage stuff for it to begin with. Had to buy 95% of materials. It took a good while to do it tho, and that is a downside to doing it the way I did.

 

[Hillsvale]

craigs list isn't big in Nova Scotia however I did check Kijiji and the only thing there was a tiny play house for 400. that still needed windows, insulation and wall board inside.. I can get the wood for my coop for less than the playhouse.

I am building big enough for the anticipated love of chickens and a potential expansion when I loose my mind completely...

 

[CTChick]

You are so smart to plan ahead - I started thinking I would get 3 hens ... ended up buying six because what was three more? haha ... then discovered silkies, those evil things ... frizzles ... easter eggers ... orpngtons ... got an incubator, buying dorking bantam eggs ... bought a golden yellow pheasant ... want to breed guineas ...

Yeah. "Plan ahead" says the girl with two coops, two runs and chain link panels on the back of her husband's truck getting ready to expand ...again.

It's a sickness, I tell you. And here's a question for a thread: How many CHICKEN or poultry books do you own??? I am up to 7, and they ain't cheap either. I find them on ebay, when I am not busy looking for hatchng eggs or coops ...

Laura

 

[M To The Maxx]

Looks great!!!!

 

[Mahonri]

Beautiful.... and you could enclose the porch for a feed room.

 

[Hillsvale]

I contemplate building a loft for the feed etc. and if the birds have their wings clipped (which seems to be a good idea) they won't be able to get up there and hang out. I am the queen of plastic storage totes so the food will be in there. I plan on meaties too so they will get either a tractor or a portion of this coop (or the extension we know is coming)

We are attempting to get the fencing done before winter and the frozen ground kicks in.. its really wet today but the Mr is roaming about working on that now. He has even asked me to get the wood for the coop frame and wants me to get started on that .... I think he just needs the push to get the fences done!

We stopped into a lumber yard yesterday and I found what will be the wood siding for .22 cents a foot.... that's an awesome price.