FIRST COOP BUILD FOR CHICKEN NEWB

[Jimmy D1]

Hi all. Decided to get chickens after about four years of debate between my wife and I. After looking at coops and pricing I decided to draw up and build my own. Seems like a great group of folks here so I am going to share my build and hope it works out. Haha. If so maybe someone can use some of it later. Or maybe some folks can chime in and give tips about things for me to fix. First thing was building a brooder box out of a section of privacy fence I had left over at the house from closing in the last section of my yard. It's nothing special but I think it will do the job.

Then my wife decided to put her little touch on it.

We bought puppy pads, pine shavings, heat lamp, chick feed with medicine, feeder, water system, scratch all to go in once we receive chicks.
Drew up some rough coop/run plans

My intention is to build it on two 12 foot 6x6 post so that I can attach hooks and if I ever need to move it can hook it up to the truck and pull it across the yard. After this rough sketch I started a rough drawing to get a materials list together and it looks like this....

Please don't mind the mess. I'm no artist but I swear it makes sense to me. Haha I am going to use hardware cloth in all the windows and the cut out wood will be placed on hinges so that I can open/close them depending on weather or situation. I will be putting on a tin roof over the whole coop and run and it will be pitched from front to back. I went today and purchase the materials and plan on starting the build tomorrow if the weather holds out.

Here is the lumber pile so far.
60 8 foot 2x4s not pressure treated
30 8 foot 2x4s pressure treated
2 12 foot 6x6 post
2 sheets osb
2 sheets plywood
8 sheets pre-primered T1-11
Nails
Joyce hangers
Hurricane ties
So far 683 dollars worth of material. I will still need to buy the hardware cloth for the run and windows, tin and roofing screws. After the prices that I saw for a pre-built coop of this size and quality I feel like I will be better off for building it myself. Only time will tell though, hopefully this all works out.

 

[Jimmy D1]

Got the chicks today.
4 Lavender Orpington
2 Blue Orpington
2 Black Orpington
SOOOOO Cute!!!!

 

[Jimmy D1]

Got most of the coop built. Still have to do the roof and finishing. Didn't get as many pictures as I wanted due to the threat of rain on the horizon and trying to teach my two boys how to build a structure. Started with building the frame for the floor.

Then the roost wall, equipped with framed pull out drawer for easy clean out and a small
window.

My wife ran to Homedepot and picked up a roll of linoleum. Decided to put it down and tack the base plates down overtop which worked out great. Next up was the door wall with window.

Forgot a stud on this wall which I will add later, that's what happens when I get in a hurry. LOL
Not a bad days work. Got up all 4 walls and then ended up tarping the top due to running out of daylight. As soon as I got everything put away it started raining really hard so I'm glad I quit when I did. When I built the third wall I messed up and forgot to overlap the T1-11 so the below picture is right before I fixed that and hung the tarp up for the night.

 

[Jimmy D1]

Update. I have found it extremely difficult to build and take pictures. LOL I have take some over the last few days though so this is where I am now. Got the trim and door done.

Finished the nesting boxes, except for paint on the outside and placing the roll out pads on the inside. I did throw on some spray paint though just as temporary protection until final coat goes on.

Nest boxes are built about 4 inches deeper and there is a divider in the back that is 3 1/2 inches higher than the floor so that the eggs will roll back there out of the chickens reach. Ordered roll out pads online for the bedding. We will see if it works. Roof of nesting boxes is hinged for easy access. Next was interior stuff. Roosting bars with poop trays and a ramp.

Going to do the Sweet PDZ in the the trays under the roost bars. Tomorrow is windows and ventilation. Hopefully get that done so I can move on to building the run. Apparently the poop tray looked like a good place for my son to take a break from all the building. LOL

 

[aart]

Finished the nesting boxes, except for paint on the outside and placing the roll out pads on the inside. I did throw on some spray paint though just as temporary protection until final coat goes on.

Optical illusion or is the top on that nest flat?

 

[Angbohlin]

Plenty of space fore them! My husband is NOT a carpenter and he just built our first coop! I actually think it is the first thing he has ever built and it’s great! However, when he started it we only had 6 chicks and now we have 10 and it is 25 sqft. BUT our chickens will free range when they are older and be locked in at night so hoping that will be enough space.

 

[Jimmy D1]

Optical illusion or is the top on that nest flat?

Optical illusion, although it is not as sloped as I had planned for. All the water runs off of it though. We have had some pretty nasty storms since they were done and I have went out fingers crossed after every one. So far the nest boxes have remained dry as a bone.

 

[Jimmy D1]

Plenty of space fore them! My husband is NOT a carpenter and he just built our first coop! I actually think it is the first thing he has ever built and it’s great! However, when he started it we only had 6 chicks and now we have 10 and it is 25 sqft. BUT our chickens will free range when they are older and be locked in at night so hoping that will be enough space. View attachment 2109953

Looks good. Love that overhang/screened area. This is the first structure I have ever built as well. Ended up being way overbuilt due to mistakes I made along the way. I have learned alot though so I am gonna call it a win.

 

[Jimmy D1]

Got some windows and the chick door done yesterday. Really thought I would get more done than that but I had to think about how I was going to do it for a couple hours before I made the first cut. LOL This coop has racked my brain. Probably easy for a carpenter or builder but as the title says "Newb" here. Hahaha. Used 1/4" HW cloth and sandwiched it in between the T1-11 and 2x4's on the inside and its also stapled.

 

[aart]

Maybe too late now....but....
Better to hinge those window/vent covers at the top, so they can stay propped open during a rain.