Everyone says its over kill, but i like to do things big so i dont have to add on or rebuild in the

[rp844]

so I started off I wanted a few chickens in the back yard small coop for 4 birds, city would let me but I wanted to do it anyway.
Wife did like that and wanted to move anyway so we got a place on just under 3 acres and I can get a lot more chickens.
Started off I ordered 15 + one free for early may we purchased the new house but were not ready to move the I had to push the shipment out to early June this meant that a few breads I wanted that weren't available in May were now available so the chicken count went to 21 + 1 so 22.

I started collecting wood from pallets at my work, after a month I discovered a big housing development near my work where they had16 houses going up at the same time, there were 5 dumpsters and I could swing by at 4am before work and collect a lot of discarded wood, (they throw away a lot of good wood and finishing products) I also visited Craigslist in the free section to find pavers and other big timbers.

Decided my coop was going to be 8x12 and the run would be 12X32 they could also go under the coop making the out door space a total of 12x40.

I scored some brand new window on CL for $23 each and a 10 year old brand new door for $25 (I want to build a coop for cheap but have it look like a spent a fortune) picked up close to $600 dollars worth of Hardie Board siding for $100

Ok enough about that lets start with the build, drew up what I wanted on the computer using a machining software so I had an idea of where I was going, the window dictated where things would be a little.

Started with footing I decided to do it right and dug 4 footing 46" deep 12" dia. and hand mixed a total of 28 60lbs backs of concrete for 4 footings








I put 3 rows deep of edging paver be around the out side 3 edges of the coop to keep predators out.




On top of the pavers I put 6x6 timbers to fasten hardware cloth to. (6x6's free off CL)

Ready for post and floor to be built

 

[rp844]

I did purchase 2 12' and 2 8' green treated 2x6's for the out side edge of the floor

All other 2x6's were out of the dumpsters and housing development.



Good look underneath where the chickens and roam

after building floor I painted all 2x6's with a think deck restore paint. then put on the sub-floor (sub-floor also from dumpsters)

 

[rp844]

I drew up the walls and where all the studs would go so I had a quick easy build day. also made a cut sheet for each of the 4 walls so I could cut the pieces I need and then assemble them quickly with my air nail gun.

Most wood for walls was from pallets and crates at my work.

my little helper (she loves the chickens)

3 walls built the 1st day.

all 4 walls built and stood up.

you may notice before I raised the walls I put down a sheet of linoleum for easy cleaning in the future (linoleum came from Menards in there small left over pieces area so about half price)



Had to stand the walls up from the ground, was a real pain but I did it. I have done all of the work solo and I had a good time doing it.

 

[rp844]

Next was time to sheet the walls, I got the plywood off some really big crate we had a 6 million dollar machine shipped to us in.

sheeted the walls they are about 7' tall maybe a little less.

also put ridge board at top to attach rafters to.



sheeted in the peak

Chicken door will go under the middle window here. left enough room if I wanted to put in a guillotine style door, but i'm leaning more to the Pullet shut chicken door.

 

[rp844]

Next was time to figure out the rafters and get them in place

I put them on every other one so I could face nail into one rafter then, angle nailed into the opposite one. Used hurricane clamps to attach to the coop

Made rafters using free 2x6's put decided to purchase a few 2x8's for the end rafters. (for looks mainly)

here I have the 2x4 cross beams ready for metal roofing.

I wrapped the entire coop in roofing tar paper for a weather proof seal, (it was free out of the dumpster)

 

[rp844]

here are my widows and door. $160 for 7 windows and $25 for the door

was going to just go with 6 windows but this big one looked so nice and for the price I couldn't pass it up.

 

[rp844]

Spent a day mounting window's and doors

Trimmed out the windows and I went along (all trim was out of dumpster there is 3 different color trim pieces but ill paint them all one color when I'm done.





window aren't exactly the same size on the ends but with in a half inch so probably not even noticeable

 

[rp844]

Next came the roof that was pretty much retail price other than getting 11% rebate from Menards



I wasn't going to trim It out, was just going to paint the trim boards but then decided to spent the money and buy all the parts to fully trim out. Red is a custom color so I would of had to custom order Red trim and I trimmed it on a wim so I went with white and I think it turned out pretty good.


Here you can also see that big window in place. I plan to have roosting bars infront of the window I hope that isn't going to be an issue if I does ill put up curtains for them.

 

[rp844]

Wasn't really sure how these were going to turn out I just sort of shot from the hip on them and I think they will work pretty well.

 

[Allears]

WOW