Finished...a nealy-free coop

[davemonkey]

...and it only took me 8 months!

Okay, it took me that long to actually get started, but the build went fairly quickly. It's a bit hard on the eyes, but it will hold chickens. At this point, you are all realizing that I can build in "squares"...not a wood-worker by any stretch of the imagination.

ALL the material came from 2 dilapidated structures on my property, except for the hardware cloth. So, the only money I spent was for the hardware cloth, and the cost of the nails/screws/misc. I figure it totaled about $150.

Overall it is 9'6" x 8' (outside dimensions) and 8' tall (with a gently sloped roof from front to back). The North wall is completely covered in sheet metal, the West is 50/50 (metal/cloth), South wall all cloth, and East wall 40/60. The reason for the openness is because I live in SE Texas...and it's hot here...really hot...and we don't have "winter".

It has 2 doors because a fence will be installed at the front of the coop to divide my yard (which is completely fenced in) in two and I want to be able to let them out into either side as needed. (The front of the coop will be part of that fence, so to speak.) Total yard area is +10,000 sq ft on each side of the to-be-installed cross fence.

My next project will be a waterer made of 4" PVC...also found amongst the ruins of the other structures. (Old houses are fun.

)

 

[MoonShadows]

Very nice job, Dave. I actually like that rustic look. best of luck with it. let us see more images when you can.

 

[davemonkey]

Very nice job, Dave. I actually like that rustic look. best of luck with it. let us see more images when you can.

Thanks MoonShadows. I also like "rustic", but I think I went to a whole new level on this one..."sub-rustic".

My wife and I have been wanting chickens for awhile, but we've not wanted to shell out any $$ for this. I spent quite a bit building a shed a couple years ago (and that thing is SOLID! ). Soooooo....the chicken coop had to be "free" or nothing. I robbed whatever was usable from 2 old structures on the property. There are actually some MUCH better sheets of metal on the one barn, but it's so old and rickety, that those pieces are actually all that is holding up the structure (the wood on that one is ALL rotted out). So, I only took what was easily accessible without making it collapse. Though, it will soon need to be dismantled completely (don't want the kiddos running back in the woods to meet an untimely demise).

My guess is that this coop will only last a few years, during which time I'll be looking at nicer designs and learning how to do detailed wood-work. Eventually, my wife wants the coop to look like one of those old red barns you see in the movies.

 

[JanetS]

l like it! You did a great job. When we built our coop, we spent to much money. Glad to see you used hardware cloth. How many chickens do you have?

 

[lindabean]

I, too live in S.TX but more central than you. Last week we had a 105+ degree day followed a few days later by a 56 degree morning. I just got chickens after a 2 year period without them. In rural area here & seems EVERYTHING is out to get them. Hubby & I reinforced the top of the pen last summer by covering the 1/4" plastic mesh with 1" chicken wire, but even with that, 1 of the new girls was "stolen" 2nd night. Next day gathered up all the wood we could find & totally enclosed their house. We will never make our living as carpenters, but so far my remaining girls have been there each morning. Down side is that they aren't used to going in the house at night, so I have to catch them each evening & put them inside & lock the door. Hoping they will soon understand the routine & go in on their own soon. No eggs yet, but breeder said they were about a month away from laying, so we are spending this time together getting to know each other. I've always enjoyed sitting in the pen with them (and previous girls) just watching them. They get used to me being there other than when I have to catch them & are starting to come close enough to touch. I know soon they will be under my feet all the time, but not there yet. Am back on BYC and will be checking in regularly.

 

[davemonkey]

l like it! You did a great job. When we build our coop, we spent to much money. Glad to see you used hardware cloth. How many chickens do you have?

Well, I don't know yet how many chickens we have. My brother has a fairly large flock and is wanting to replace a dozen or so with some Easter Eggers (I think?) and I am headed to his place next week to take what he'll give me.

It'll be a mix of birds so I can see what does well for me...I'm guessing about a dozen. My yard can handle about 36 chickens (and still be considered free-range), but my coop can only handle about 17 or so (if my aim is 4 sq. ft. per bird).

Anyway, I'll update when I get them home next weekend.

 

[davemonkey]

I, too live in S.TX but more central than you. Last week we had a 105+ degree day followed a few days later by a 56 degree morning. I just got chickens after a 2 year period without them. In rural area here & seems EVERYTHING is out to get them. Hubby & I reinforced the top of the pen last summer by covering the 1/4" plastic mesh with 1" chicken wire, but even with that, 1 of the new girls was "stolen" 2nd night. Next day gathered up all the wood we could find & totally enclosed their house. We will never make our living as carpenters, but so far my remaining girls have been there each morning. Down side is that they aren't used to going in the house at night, so I have to catch them each evening & put them inside & lock the door. Hoping they will soon understand the routine & go in on their own soon. No eggs yet, but breeder said they were about a month away from laying, so we are spending this time together getting to know each other. I've always enjoyed sitting in the pen with them (and previous girls) just watching them. They get used to me being there other than when I have to catch them & are starting to come close enough to touch. I know soon they will be under my feet all the time, but not there yet. Am back on BYC and will be checking in regularly.

YIKES! that is HOT. We sit right on the coast, so even on the hottest days the sea air still buffers us. The hottest temps we've had this summer were at 95.

I received some good advice that has worked for others, and I believe will work when I bring home the grown birds to my home. Keep them cooped up for a solid week...without letting them out. Then, follow that with another solid week of only letting them out a couple hours before dawn. This should get them used to seeing your coop as "home" and want to go there in the evenings without having to be rounded up.

I'll never make it as a carpenter either.

But I can sure build the heck out of a square!! [...er....rectangle...]

 

[lindabean]

My husband is from Corpus Christi, where I met him. We lived on that part of the coast for about 20 years before moving to my parents ranch about an hour NW of San Antonio about 6 years ago. We are trying to keep the property in the family & it was deteriorating in to brush & cedar trees with no one here on a regular basis. I really miss the Gulf breezes! But in the Hill Country we usually have at least 3 seasons each year. We both retired from regular work to move here, but needed to find part time employment after 2 years, so we drive school buses for the local district. Love having summers off! But up here, when the Gulf Breeze doesn't push through, it can get blistering hot. That one day was the worst all year. Our chickens pen is under a big oak tree and they get the best of the SE breeze and shade most of the day. The advice your friend gave was what I heard here on BYC a few years ago. I couldn't find birds that were already laying, but the ones I bought Monday should start in a few weeks. I will keep them in the pen till then and for maybe a week after they start, just to pattern them to lay in their house. I leave for work at school about 5:15, and don't want to let them out that early, especially being gone for a few hours. Since I don't get up till at least 6:30 in the summer, I will get them used to going out about 9. Someone suggested I should wait till they have layed before letting them out, but as they don't all lay every day, that could be hard to figure out. Before, they would usually go back in the pen & house to lay if they layed later in the day. After a while, they get in to a pattern of laying & if I noticed a drop in production, I would look around the shrubs where they spent the afternoons, looking for eggs. I never had any trouble getting them back in to the pen in the evenings, as they went in on their own or would follow me when I brought out food. Husband has had a big change in attitude about the chickens over the years. Now he really enjoys having the fresh eggs & has gotten over his attitude about colored eggs. Not the same man who insisted 25 years ago that I find new homes for my little flock, which I did, being a good new wife. Have you found who you are going to get your hens from, yet?

 

[davemonkey]

My husband is from Corpus Christi, where I met him. We lived on that part of the coast for about 20 years before moving to my parents ranch about an hour NW of San Antonio about 6 years ago. We are trying to keep the property in the family & it was deteriorating in to brush & cedar trees with no one here on a regular basis. I really miss the Gulf breezes! But in the Hill Country we usually have at least 3 seasons each year. We both retired from regular work to move here, but needed to find part time employment after 2 years, so we drive school buses for the local district. Love having summers off! But up here, when the Gulf Breeze doesn't push through, it can get blistering hot. That one day was the worst all year. Our chickens pen is under a big oak tree and they get the best of the SE breeze and shade most of the day. The advice your friend gave was what I heard here on BYC a few years ago. I couldn't find birds that were already laying, but the ones I bought Monday should start in a few weeks. I will keep them in the pen till then and for maybe a week after they start, just to pattern them to lay in their house. I leave for work at school about 5:15, and don't want to let them out that early, especially being gone for a few hours. Since I don't get up till at least 6:30 in the summer, I will get them used to going out about 9. Someone suggested I should wait till they have layed before letting them out, but as they don't all lay every day, that could be hard to figure out. Before, they would usually go back in the pen & house to lay if they layed later in the day. After a while, they get in to a pattern of laying & if I noticed a drop in production, I would look around the shrubs where they spent the afternoons, looking for eggs. I never had any trouble getting them back in to the pen in the evenings, as they went in on their own or would follow me when I brought out food. Husband has had a big change in attitude about the chickens over the years. Now he really enjoys having the fresh eggs & has gotten over his attitude about colored eggs. Not the same man who insisted 25 years ago that I find new homes for my little flock, which I did, being a good new wife. Have you found who you are going to get your hens from, yet?

Yeah...you traded the moderated temps for having actual "seasons", instead of just summer and fall.

I'm getting my hens from my brother. His first flock was a mix of various breeds (that he raised from chicks) and now he is wanting to replace some of them for a specific breed. He's giving me a dozen or so, I think...for FREE!!!!!!

 

[davemonkey]

Got my flock home today, and they have settled in NICELY. I received a Roo, a cockerel, a pullet, and 10 layers.

The Rooster is an unknown, and when I get my camera back I'll be posting a pic for ID. He is AWESOME though...protective of the flock, yet not aggressive with the kids, and hunts down morsels for his girls instead of gobbling them up himself. The only reason my brother let him go is that he wants his leghorn to step up as head Roo. The cockerel I got is a leghorn...pretty young still.

The pullet is a sexlink (sp?). The hens I got are 3 Barred Rock, 3 Austalorps, 4 easter egger.