First Time Coop Build

[Tretinker]

We are building a coop for the first time. Due to the rocketing price of timber the majority of wood has come from free pallets.

The skeleton is 3 x 3 for the posts and 3 X 2 for roof frame and floor frame.

This is partly being built outside the run and will be dismantled into 3 sections to be rebuilt inside the run.

We will be installing an Omlet automatic chicken door.

A rainwater feed watering system.

Feeders that allow us to not have to regularly refill.

I thought I would post pictures as we progress.

I'm sure we have done lots that's not perfect but we have tried to make this better than we've had at least!

 

[My Bagurks]

Looks great so far. Do you plan to paint it? Just a stain would look amazing with the reused lumber. Just remember you have to clean it out and get eggs.

 

[Tretinker]

Looks great so far. Do you plan to paint it? Just a stain would look amazing with the reused lumber. Just remember you have to clean it out and get eggs.

Thank you!

This is the part we aren't sure about, we definitely don't want to colour paint it but wonder if a protective coating of some kind is needed?

The front will have a door that is about half the width and then the other half will have hatches to access the egg boxes. I forgot to take a picture of the door as this is built but these can't be attached to the front until it's in the run. The front had the access to dismantle the 3 sections.

I should say there will the ventilation at the front back and one side.

The floor is shuttering ply that will be covered with linoleum.

One thing we haven't figured out full are the perches. We think we will do ladder style however my husband (the one doing the work ) wants to use lengths of wood an inch or two wide. I want to use doweling so it's rounded but we do have tons of branches do you think those could be used as doweling is expensive now (isn't everything!).


So far we have spent £170 on timber this is just skeleton and flooring! The soil pipes, clips and caps came to around £45. For the water supply, downpipe etc and waterer cups it came to about £38. The water butt we already had but I'd like to replace this which was about £18 but I think these have gone up in price....guttering we also already had.

 

[rosemarythyme]

One thing we haven't figured out full are the perches. We think we will do ladder style however my husband (the one doing the work ) wants to use lengths of wood an inch or two wide. I want to use doweling so it's rounded but we do have tons of branches do you think those could be used as doweling is expensive now (isn't everything!).

Assuming you have standard size birds, you want roosts around 2" (or more) wide. Roosts should be 12" away from the wall and 14-16" apart from one another.

I use branches. As you mentioned, they're free, and I have a lot of trees so I can be picky and choose sturdy, straight branches.

 

[Tretinker]

We do have bantams as well, so we'll need some lower ones too.

Can I ask why 12 inches away from the wall? One of the ideas was to build off the wall but if that's not feasible we'll go ladder style.

 

[mowin]

We do have bantams as well, so we'll need some lower ones too.

Can I ask why 12 inches away from the wall? One of the ideas was to build off the wall but if that's not feasible we'll go ladder style.

To keep the walls clean. You don't want them dropping a nugget and bouncing it off the wall. And the times when it's not a nugget..... well, you get the idea.

 

[Quadzilla32]

Assuming you have standard size birds, you want roosts around 2" (or more) wide. Roosts should be 12" away from the wall and 14-16" apart from one another.

I use branches. As you mentioned, they're free, and I have a lot of trees so I can be picky and choose sturdy, straight branches.

Thanks for this info, I'm in the process of making my coop and didn't know this. I'm planning to have 6/7 chickens and my coop is 4x8, would a 4' roosting bar be wide enough or would I need to double that up? for example, do a double roosting bar one little but higher than the other.

 

[Tretinker]

To keep the walls clean. You don't want them dropping a nugget and bouncing it off the wall. And the times when it's not a nugget..... well, you get the idea.

Brilliant thank you for this tip!

So if I do a ladder style away from the walls would be best?

 

[mowin]

Brilliant thank you for this tip!

So if I do a ladder style away from the walls would be best?

Lots of people use the ladder type. I prefer enough roost space on the same level.

 

[Tretinker]

I think we may go two step ladder style so we have a lower level for the bantams and a higher level for the larger ladies