Coop Reveal! Designed and Built Ourselves

[Plymrocker]

Hi Chicken-Loving Friends!

I've been SO excited to show everyone our chicken coop finally finished, which my husband worked so hard on for 8 weeks, every spare minute he had, which was pretty much only on weekends. The kids and I helped him as much as we were able but, he really did the real work.

We've got a whole blog post on it. If you'd like to check it out, please just give the photos time to load. There's quite a few, plus a gallery of the inside, etc. Our Facebook followers loved it! Hope you do too!

And with so many more knowledgeable chicken keepers here (we are brand new keeping chickens-they are 10 weeks old), we'd love your thoughts on it! We'll take any questions or recommendations for improvement!

- Laura / Plymrocker

http://houseofjoyfulnoise.com/its-the-chicken-coop-reveal/

 

[Eggsoteric]

Very nice. Love, love, love the color!

 

[Plymrocker]

Very nice. Love, love, love the color!

THANKS!! I have thought all along with this color.....people are either going to love it, or hate it!
So far, everyone seems to LOVE it. (But that may be because those who hate it, are keeping quiet, to be nice )
I'm really o.k. with someone hating it. We all have our color preferences.

 

[azygous]

I can tell you really, REALLY love your chickens! Do people ever tell you they wish to come back as one of your chickens when they die?

I'm pleased to see you utilized the space under the coop. Chickens adore the under side of structures. It makes them feel calm and secure.

 

[Plymrocker]

I can tell you really, REALLY love your chickens! Do people ever tell you they wish to come back as one of your chickens when they die?

I'm pleased to see you utilized the space under the coop. Chickens adore the under side of structures. It makes them feel calm and secure.

Pretty much, @azygous ! Several have said they'd like to move into our coop. LOL
I am really glad we elevated the coop to extend the run underneath, as well. They really do utilize that space. They use the whole run very well, but I can tell they love the underneath part. It is also great shelter from weather, from the hot sun or rain, when they'd like to be outdoors. And it'll be nice when it's winter as well, with the snow. The only difficult part it cleaning up under there. It's all construction sand, but we scoop what poop we can, and it's not easy to reach. My husband does it with a leaf rake.

Thanks so much for looking and sharing your thoughts.

 

[HighStreetCoop]

I love a colorful coop! And yours is beautiful. Your husband did a fantastic job.

Mine is going to be reclaimed cedar with orange accents on the coop and run. I can't wait for it to show up next month!

 

[Plymrocker]

I love a colorful coop! And yours is beautiful. Your husband did a fantastic job.

Mine is going to be reclaimed cedar with orange accents on the coop and run. I can't wait for it to show up next month!

Thanks @HighStreetCoop ! Yours sounds amazing as well! The combo of cedar with orange accents sounds awesome! I hope you share it here when it comes. I'd sure love to see it.

 

[HighStreetCoop]

Thanks @HighStreetCoop ! Yours sounds amazing as well! The combo of cedar with orange accents sounds awesome! I hope you share it here when it comes. I'd sure love to see it.

I'm sure I will. Right now I'm in that dreaded FULL TILT PREP MODE while caught in a holding pattern waiting for everything to arrive/happen. By the end of next month I should be up to my eyeballs in chicks. Can't wait!

 

[aart]

That is one rock solid coop and run!! Kudos to the builders!

I have an 'under run' also, not quite as big as yours - didn't want to have to crawl under too far in case I need to fetch a bird, but it is great for when it rains or snows.

I love your built in window props! Do they operate from the inside or outside of the coop?


I have several suggestions (sorry, engineer by nature - trained to see things missed)
-Great job using hardware cloth with screws and washers, but I'd put in a couple more in between the ones already there along any edges of the HC on the outside. If a dog or coon gets it's teeth/claws under an edge it can tear...and coons are freakishly strong.

-Open up that soffit on the high side for ventilation so moisture and ammonia can escape the coop to avoid respiratory issues. Not sure of your location, but you said snow so I assume a freezing climate. Humidity in freezing temps is what causes frostbite.

-I see a couple of rotating loop latches...putting loop latches with caribineers in them on all coop doors without HC will foil any coon.

-Turning the roosts to 'wide side up' will help keep chicken feet warm in the winter and be more comfortable for them once they are full grown.

-Adding a few more 2x4's under the HC run roof might help with snow load(if you get alot)...or plan on keeping the snow swept off the roof.

 

[jasonquinnryan]

Fall is upon us and our chickens are loving their coop.

My daughter and I built this together. Memories are priceless