First coop

[mikeharold]

Hello all, been reading through these forums and learning a lot. This is our first time raising chickens so it's all new so far. While I have never built a coop before, I am a carpenter/builder so that's not intimidating or a struggle, it's a matter of figuring out how to meet the chickens needs and what has worked for others.

So this is the spot that we have picked as it's a corner that really has no use and we do nothing with. It has good shade in the afternoon to help keep them shaded in the summer. You can also see my supervisor making sure I do things right!





Simple base for the coop all squared up and ready to frame.




This side will have the nest boxes and I think I will put a couple small windows in too. I have 2-2x2 windows framed on the other side along with their entry door. Will have at least one more on the end wall to the left as well.


This will be the access door that will open completely. Lots of room to get in there and clean and tend to the coop.


Not bad for an afternoons worth of work. Need a little more material to frame the roof then it's time to put up the siding and roof it. The siding is going to be reused fence boards that will give it a nice rustic look. For windows, I wasn't able to find any that would work so I'm simply going to cover the openings with hardware cloth and hinge the siding to open and close them. Simple and cheap. Oh, and the coop measures 6x4 and we are only planning to have 4-5 chickens(I'm sure you've heard that line before) so plenty of room.Now I need to figure out how I'm going to enclose the run.

Thanks for looking. Comments and suggestions are most welcomed.

 

[strssdmom]

Looks great! Wow, all that done in one day. My DH works a bit slower, but he gets the job done so I can't complain.

I like the location of the coop, and obviously you dog agrees that is a good place for it.

Looks like you met all the chickens needs with your coop. The only thing I would consider before finishing up is whether or not you will use the Deep Litter Method or not. You might want to add a lip at the door and the chicken door so the bedding doesn't end up on the ground, if you choose to use the DLM.

Looks great!

 

[mikeharold]

Actually the dog doesn't know she's going to lose that corner of the yard yet, it's one of her favorite spots to hang out on the top of the hill and spy on the two neighbors through the fence. And yes, I am going to do the DLM and plan on putting a lip on the door, but only on the door. That way when I open the door to clean I can just rake it straight into the wheelbarrow and be done with it. Now off to get more supplies and hopefully pick up my siding.

 

[mikeharold]

Any ideas on a good way to enclose the run up in my corner? I have a couple of thoughts, but haven't seen any pics of an enclosure on a hill like I have. Fishing for some good ideas that are affordable.

 

[mikeharold]

Also got a little work done on the coop. Framed the roof and built the door frame. Still waiting to go get the fence boards for the siding. It now sounds like there may not be as much material as I was led to believe originally and not sure there will be enough. Hmmm, may be time for a plan b on the siding...

Also, I keep reading the importance of ventilation so I made sure I have plenty! Drilled out holes in my rafter blocks and stapled hardware cloth on the back side. We do these for attic venting on houses and kind of ironically we call them bird blocks...never thought I would actually use them for birds!

 

[AZGardenFarmer]

* I took chicken wire and attached it to the back of my shed. So maybe make some wood pieces into brackets and attach to the fence. Then hook chicken wire to those. If I could post pics, I would but haven't met the requirement of Started Threads on here yet.

 

[AZGardenFarmer]

* Your coop looks really good. And there's plenty of space under it so the bottom stays cooler, during the summer. Definitely good the right ideas. ;-) *

 

[mikeharold]

Got some more work done on the coop today. I wound up not getting the used fence boards, she only had about 12 boards, well short of what I needed. Lowe's had cedar dog ear fence boards on sale for $1.68 each which worked out to be the same cost as ply for siding so the fence boards it was. I ran them through the table saw and made a rabbit on the bottom edge of the boards to create a ship lap to look like old siding. I like the look.




Nest boxes framed in and ready to cover. Also need to roof it, hang the access door, and figure out how I'm going to operate the pop door. Almost move in time for the little ones! They're getting too big for their brroder box so I hope to put them out in the coop by next week.



Here they are, 4 weeks now. Getting fiesty and rambunctious. They get to go outside in a temp. pen when we have time and love it!

 

[mikeharold]

Finished the coop last weekend and the chicks have been out there for the week. Will be building the run next weekend after I finish a fence job that we just happen to be using 60" tall 2x4 no climb wire, Should have enough left over for the run!






Yes, that's an a/c unit in the window! The coop was getting too hot and it's supposed to hit 100 on Mon. so hopefully this works until they can go outside.