FH's Bantam 4x8 coop build

feralhound

Chirping
5 Years
Apr 21, 2016
44
23
79
Jax, FL
So I've been working on and off this coop build in my spare time a couple times a week with my dad for roughly about 1 -1 1/2 months. It's so hot that we only work for a few hours at a time, but finally walls will be going up tomorrow! I think what took the most time was the fact that I didn't have any "set" plans, I had an idea in my head and no set measurements. So that was fun too.
For Windows, I got some used window skirts/sashes without the frame- so we also had to figure out how to build a frame so we could stick hinges on them and prop them open durring the summer.

So the coop is 4x8 ft, is 7ft high in the front and 6ft high in the back. It is elevated by large grey concrete blocks, a foot or so above the ground. I'm planning on using T-1 siding. It'll have three Windows, and will have white poly roofing which will be held up by 2x4's. The area where the rafters will be places will not be covered by t-1 siding for year round ventslation purposes and will be covered by hardware cloth. The bottom of the coop I'm putting the roofing coat on- I can't remember the name at the moment but I've seen several coops use it.

I am placing the nesting boxes on the inside (right side) about maybe a foot or two off the ground, and creating a storage area above that. On the left will be my roosts, with a poop board underneath, not in the floor. So they should have the whole floor of the coop to run, not that they'll be inside much anyways. For a pop door, as of right now I'll be using a manual pulley system until I get a decent automatic door.

For the run, still debating if I want to get a dog run and put hardware cloth skirt on the bottom, or just create a run myself using 2x4's. If I make the whole thing from scratch, I'll be using welded wire with a hardware cloth skirt at the bottom, will make each 6ft(high)x8ft(wide) panels seperate so I just will have to screw them together; and will make it 16x8 (plus they'll have across to run under the coop). The area I'm putting it is very shaded, so I'm just putting some poultry netting over the top. The crew will all be locked in at night.

This is the start of the front frame.
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And this is the backside of the front frame, finished today now that we got the correct window measurements. Added hardware cloth to the inside of where the window will be, tacked it down with roofing nails.
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This is one of the side frames; the left side with the window.
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This is the base which we completed in Nay before going on hiatus for a while (lol), it's been in my shed until today. This probably isn't its final resting place, have to level the land first.
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And or coarse the babies, who are two weeks old today :) 3 Easter eggers and 4 Belgium bearded D'Uccles.
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Looks like your coop is coming along nicely .... understand about the hot (and humid) weather, it is the same here and we are working on enlarging a coop that we made because chicken math finally hit home.

How tall is your base?
 
Looks like your coop is coming along nicely .... understand about the hot (and humid) weather, it is the same here and we are working on enlarging a coop that we made because chicken math finally hit home.

How tall is your base?

The blocks that it sits on are 16in high.

I fought tooth and nail with my room mate to get the chicks I have now, under one condition- no more lol. Im definently not planning on expanding my flock anytime soon, I know everyone probably says it but my room mate is here to reinforce it- he's afraid of birds.

Got the sides up- only three pictured here, after we got the hardware cloth on the back and got that one up we had to hurry and cover it with a tarp as it started to rain.

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It's looking good.

Don't forget to tell us later if your room mate ends up loving chickens and wants to get his own. Really, it wouldn't surprise me. The breeds you have are really nice.
 
Haha, will do! He's not a fan of the noise either, but since all the neighbors have chickens it's not like I'll be adding much more noise than what's already head

So got a sheet of the roofing on, but after s lot of trial as error with supporting the roofing panels we should be able to get the rest up no problem. Also got the siding today, and decided I'm going to leave the area above the door open for more ventalation. Or well make a little door so I can close it if need be. Will just have to tack down some hardware cloth on that too .
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I didn't cut the wood holding up the roof incase I wanted to drape something over it, or hand tacky things like solar powered lights from it lol
 
Think I'd leave ventilation around the top (by the roof) on the sides and cover it with hardware cloth. Are you going to build a run, or free range? A little door would probably be good so have the option of shutting it. Are you building the nesting box so you can access eggs from outside the coop?

We had 2 nesting boxes before we enlarged our coop, and are now planning on adding 2 more on the other side. So still working on ours here too.

Best wishes.
 
Think I'd leave ventilation around the top (by the roof) on the sides and cover it with hardware cloth.  Are you going to build a run, or free range?  A little door would probably be good so have the option of shutting it.  Are you building the nesting box so you can access eggs from outside the coop?

We had 2 nesting boxes before we enlarged our coop, and are now planning on adding 2 more on the other side.    So still working on ours here too.

Best wishes.


Thank you!
I was originally planning on leaving that little triangle open, but my dad warned me about water seeing into the sidings and they would start to pull apart. Unfortunently we didn't leave overhang for the sides either, so that wouldn't keep out the rain. Didn't realize that until we already had all the roofing panels predrilled and everything.

But yes I am leaving the top 3 1/2 inch by the top of the top open to give the warm air a place to escape. I also have three Windows that will be left open 90% of the time for Ventalation.
Nesting boxes (3) will be on one side, inside the coop on the right side- raised up so the chickens have lots of floor space. I am not a fan of the outside nesting boxes personally, I think it's because I'm not a fan of making extra roofing lol.

And I will start building the run next week, making it 16x8, and will put hardware cloth skirting the bottom of the coop so they will be able to run under the coop as well. Will free range when I'm home :)
I was actually looking at pop doors and ideas today, will probably be going guiloteen style with rope and pulley system until I can get an automatic one.
 
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Roof is on, 3 out of 4 sides are up! Left one triangle area on the left side open (though of course attached hardware cloth to it) since the roof hung over a little on that side.
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Put in one of the Windows today, had previously built the frames for them.
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Going to attach hardware cloth to the bottom of the front and put the siding up on the front hopefully today. Also going make two hinged frames w/ hardware cloth for either side of the bottom for easy access.

Things I have left to do:
Front siding
Door
Hardware cloth around the bottom
Finish putting in the other two windows and make a door for the top "vent" above the door
Figure out where I want to put the pop door
Paint and trimming
All of the inside
Build the run
 
Pretty good progress for a week's time ... how are your peeps doing? Where are you keeping them while you are building? Have they been outside yet? I'd recommend Kilz Complete to paint it with ... does a good job sealing, prevents stains, etc. and don't have to paint over it if you don't mind having a white coop (I used it inside and out). I just use a brush that can be thrown away though as it is just too big of a mess to clean up.

Might want to make it so you can open the hardware cloth some place around the bottom of the coop in case you ever want to catch a hen (and you probably will). We put the door in the center of our coop but side might be better. We are cutting a door out the side too (because we want them to access the run differently) since we enlarged and made it a little wider. One hen always blocks the door and others seem to constantly stand in line waiting for her to go in so they can, so hopefully that situation will be corrected.

Our remodel is going slow but still progressing and like each change we've made. Just wish the weather would cooperate and at least give us some clouds to make doing this so much easier.
 
Uh, been a while. I was out petsitting for a weekend, then went out of town, hardly completed anything else. Plus it's rained every afternoon (typical Florida), which has also prevented me from doing a lot of work. Yesterday was clear skies so I took the opertunity to paint the outside to protect my wood.
Today I started on sealing the floor with black jack; my chicks are getting huge and I want them out in the coop by possibly the weekend/next week! We stuck the front on last week, I still have to complete the door and put the rest of the Windows on. And of course all the inside and run, but they're still too little to use the nesting boxes ect.

Pretty good progress for a week's time ... how are your peeps doing?  Where are you keeping them while you are building?  Have they been outside yet?  I'd recommend Kilz Complete to paint it with ... does a good job sealing, prevents stains, etc. and don't have to paint over it if you don't mind having a white coop (I used it inside and out).  I just use a brush that can be thrown away though as it is just too big of a mess to clean up.

Might want to make it so you can open the hardware cloth some place around the bottom of the coop in case you ever want to catch a hen (and you probably will).  We put the door in the center of our coop but side might be better.  We are cutting a door out the side too (because we want them to access the run differently) since we enlarged and made it a little wider.  One hen always blocks the door and others seem to constantly stand in line waiting for her to go in so they can, so hopefully that situation will be corrected.

Our remodel is going slow but still progressing and like each change we've made.  Just wish the weather would cooperate and at least give us some clouds to make doing this so much easier.  


I'm keeping my chicks in the tool shed, door propped open during the day. They're in a makeshift "brooder"; a kittie pool with chicken wire around it and screen material binder clipped to the top. They're doing fabulous, I take them out into a little pen outside with me when I work. They love it!

I was looking at the Kilz my Home Depot had, but they didn't have the right stuff in stock. Impatient me got Bayer exterior pro instead, plus I could get any color (I decided on teal). It wasn't horribly expensive like the high end Bayer was, but wasn't as cheap as the Kilz either.

About creating an opening for the hardware cloth at the bottom: Oh I Plan on it! I built two frames to go on either side (4 ft sides) and am going to attach them via hinges. I may not have ever had chickens before, but I do know when it's time to get a sick/frightened animal it's going to be the one place you can't catch it.
I'm thinking of putting my door under the nesting boxes instead of in the middle, I never thought of hens blocking it- will make it wider than planned!

Hope your almost done with yours by now!

Pics to follow a bit later.
 

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