Well, after a couple months of work I finally got the coop "Chicken Ready" and moved the chicks in a couple days ago. It turned into a much bigger project than I had anticipated when deciding to build rather than buy a kit. This was the first thing I had built anywhere near this complicated, learned a lot along the way and had to do some things twice but I think it turned out pretty good for a first timer.
I spent a lot of time looking at other coops and took a little from here and there like most folks, changed what I liked to work with where I wanted to coop and the size I needed. Built bigger than I thought I needed in anticipation of future flock size. Right now I have 10 chicks, 3 are bantams. One (Buff Orpington) has a bum leg so she's in a smaller enclosure outside during the day not far from the coop and goes in the big brooder in the garage at night. Hopefully the leg heals up soon, not sure when she hurt it but she can't walk more than a few steps and is wobbly. No outer signs of anything wrong and she's eating/drinking fine.
Basic dimensions are as follows:
Coop is 10' long x 4' wide and 6' tall at the front, 5 1/2' tall at the back. It's elevated 2' off the ground with run space underneath.
The run is 14' long (not counting under the coop) x 4' wide and 8' tall at the front, 7 1/2' tall at the back.
Base in place and leveled
3/4" treated plywood coop floor on and painted with exterior latex paint
1/2" hardware cloth on coop base
Cleanout doors on the back of the base swing up and are latched at both ends
Working on the coop frame
Framing up on the base
3/4" treated plywood going on the walls, nest box framed out
Walls about done, door spaces cut out and windows in. Installed the windows backwards so they can be opened/closed from outside. Roof rafters in place.
Cedar fence boards going on for siding
Nest box dividers in place
Chicks in their outside "playpen" wondering what all the noise is about...
Roof is on, run framing going up. Roof extends about 6 feet over the run.
Cedar siding about done on the coop, nest box door on.
Run boards stained and 100+ feet of 1/2' hardware cloth on the run walls, 1" hardware cloth on the roof of the run not already covered. Hardware cloth is aproned out all around and tacked down with 6" landscape staples. A few inches of gravel down on the run floor outside the part covered by the coop. Coop doors going on.
All sealed up, cleanout doors installed on the back of the coop.
Human door hung on the end of the run.
Wiring done, there's a light and GFI outlet inside the coop, another outlet outside on the front, and a light at the end of the run. I made two "poop trays" and hung a lift out 1x1 frame on "L" brackets with 1" hardware cloth a couple inches over them to keep the chickens from getting into them. The trays lift out for the occasional deep cleaning. Two roost levels, one at the same height as the poop trays and one higher up. The trays have a few inches of sweet PDZ in them for easy cleanup with a kitty litter scoop. Insulated the ceiling and walls with the bubble wrap solar insulation, easy to work with and the chicks won't eat it, no room for vermin to nest in it.
Built a ladder system for the chicks to get to the upper roosts, they learned to use it pretty quickly and were up top the first night in. Floor of the coop is a few inches of sand for easy cleanup and insulation.
Outside and inside pretty much done, chicks are in!
Back of coop with the cleanout doors.
About 6" of sand on the run floor, put down some heavy landscaping cloth between the gravel and sand to keep the sand from washing out in heavy rain. The part of the run under the coop was left bare dirt for the chickens to dust in. Hung some roosts in the run using a couple branches off an apple tree that died this year along with a bench to sit on. Only used one 2x4 for the bench to keep the chickens from doing their business on the seat...
Another view of the run with the light installed and the girls having a good time stretching out.
Used a 7 gallon bucket and some PVC with saddle nipples for outside water, there's a galvanized waterer with heated base inside the coop behind the front door for winter.
This was certainly a big learning experience for me, in the end I'm glad I took the plunge and went with building rather than buying a kit. Lot's of satisfaction seeing something come together and watching the progress along the way.
I spent a lot of time looking at other coops and took a little from here and there like most folks, changed what I liked to work with where I wanted to coop and the size I needed. Built bigger than I thought I needed in anticipation of future flock size. Right now I have 10 chicks, 3 are bantams. One (Buff Orpington) has a bum leg so she's in a smaller enclosure outside during the day not far from the coop and goes in the big brooder in the garage at night. Hopefully the leg heals up soon, not sure when she hurt it but she can't walk more than a few steps and is wobbly. No outer signs of anything wrong and she's eating/drinking fine.
Basic dimensions are as follows:
Coop is 10' long x 4' wide and 6' tall at the front, 5 1/2' tall at the back. It's elevated 2' off the ground with run space underneath.
The run is 14' long (not counting under the coop) x 4' wide and 8' tall at the front, 7 1/2' tall at the back.
Base in place and leveled
3/4" treated plywood coop floor on and painted with exterior latex paint
1/2" hardware cloth on coop base
Cleanout doors on the back of the base swing up and are latched at both ends
Working on the coop frame
Framing up on the base
3/4" treated plywood going on the walls, nest box framed out
Walls about done, door spaces cut out and windows in. Installed the windows backwards so they can be opened/closed from outside. Roof rafters in place.
Cedar fence boards going on for siding
Nest box dividers in place
Chicks in their outside "playpen" wondering what all the noise is about...
Roof is on, run framing going up. Roof extends about 6 feet over the run.
Cedar siding about done on the coop, nest box door on.
Run boards stained and 100+ feet of 1/2' hardware cloth on the run walls, 1" hardware cloth on the roof of the run not already covered. Hardware cloth is aproned out all around and tacked down with 6" landscape staples. A few inches of gravel down on the run floor outside the part covered by the coop. Coop doors going on.
All sealed up, cleanout doors installed on the back of the coop.
Human door hung on the end of the run.
Wiring done, there's a light and GFI outlet inside the coop, another outlet outside on the front, and a light at the end of the run. I made two "poop trays" and hung a lift out 1x1 frame on "L" brackets with 1" hardware cloth a couple inches over them to keep the chickens from getting into them. The trays lift out for the occasional deep cleaning. Two roost levels, one at the same height as the poop trays and one higher up. The trays have a few inches of sweet PDZ in them for easy cleanup with a kitty litter scoop. Insulated the ceiling and walls with the bubble wrap solar insulation, easy to work with and the chicks won't eat it, no room for vermin to nest in it.
Built a ladder system for the chicks to get to the upper roosts, they learned to use it pretty quickly and were up top the first night in. Floor of the coop is a few inches of sand for easy cleanup and insulation.
Outside and inside pretty much done, chicks are in!
Back of coop with the cleanout doors.
About 6" of sand on the run floor, put down some heavy landscaping cloth between the gravel and sand to keep the sand from washing out in heavy rain. The part of the run under the coop was left bare dirt for the chickens to dust in. Hung some roosts in the run using a couple branches off an apple tree that died this year along with a bench to sit on. Only used one 2x4 for the bench to keep the chickens from doing their business on the seat...
Another view of the run with the light installed and the girls having a good time stretching out.
Used a 7 gallon bucket and some PVC with saddle nipples for outside water, there's a galvanized waterer with heated base inside the coop behind the front door for winter.
This was certainly a big learning experience for me, in the end I'm glad I took the plunge and went with building rather than buying a kit. Lot's of satisfaction seeing something come together and watching the progress along the way.
