First Coop Build

[jthornton]

If anyone has any recommendations or tips so far into this project let me know.

Put lots of ventilation up high in the "coop" area. Have large overhangs on the roof! Slope the roof away from the door. I would put a 6"-8" board around the bottom to contain the pine chips if you use those (something I didn't think of on my run).

JT

 

[Urbanwiscochickens]

Got the interior wall put in, using a piece of scrap from another project

Got the first wall sided, this was the easy one, no windows or doors.

The view from my deck, hopefully finish it up this weekend

 

[jthornton]

What's the interior wall for? Looks very small in there... have fun crawling through chicken poop to get one from under the raised floor when it's sick or broody.

JT

 

[Urbanwiscochickens]

The wall seperates the chicken living area from the nest box and storage area. The living size in the coop is 4x3, there will be a door on the side that exposes the whole coop for clean out. Has anyone built a nesting box that can be removed for easy cleanout?

JT[/QUOTE]

 

[jthornton]

The wall separates the chicken living area from the nest box and storage area. The living size in the coop is 4x3, there will be a door on the side that exposes the whole coop for clean out. Has anyone built a nesting box that can be removed for easy clean out?

Probably could have just left the bottom open all the way across for access to the nest area for the hens. I assume you will have a floor above the nest area to divide off the storage area...

Big doors will be nice. I have a roll out nest box with a removable floor for easy cleaning. I give it a brush every week or so to clean the carpet. The eggs roll out into a holding area for clean collection.

Roll Out Nest Box Mk3 plans.

JT

 

[rosemarythyme]

My nest box is removable but it's fully internal. Not sure how you'd do an external one that would be safe from the elements but could also be removed... you'd almost be better off doing nestboxes in the run, in that case.

Actually I take that back. I had an external, removable nest box with interior coop access before, but it was quite literally a dog house with a tunnel that stuck into one side of the coop. It wasn't very weatherproof so the tunnel got wet whenever it rained. Got by for 2 years using that set up but I wouldn't recommend it.

 

[aart]

Probably could have just left the bottom open all the way across for access to the nest area for the hens.

Probably only need one nest for 3 birds.

Still, 4x3 is tight space.
Sure, square footage meets the 'numbers' but logistically hard to fit roost and landing space in there.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

Probably only need one nest for 3 birds.

My dozen all lay in 1 of 2 community boxes, I rarely get an egg in box 2

Gary

 

[aart]

My dozen all lay in 1 of 2 community boxes, I rarely get an egg in box 2

How big is that community nest tho?
Ever put fakies in the other one?

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

How big is that community nest tho?
Ever put fakies in the other one?

They are both 40" long, on #2 I hot glued the fake egg to the carpet so it will not roll out. I do get an occasional egg in the new box and I am not getting eggs on the floor of the coop so its working.

Gary