I got the plan and built this coop - the larger version.
In general the plans were very well done and nicely laid out. I'm not a 'professional' but was able to follow them and end up with something that looks like the pic.. LOL...
I haven't moved my girls into the new coop yet - will wait a bit until they outgrow their chickNBarn, and I don't want them roosting in the nesting boxes until they are ready to lay, so it's just easier to wait a few more weeks to move them into the larger coop.
I do think it has too many nest boxes for the size of the coop, and if your chickens didn't have a large run it would be too small to house them in. I have an 80' x 20' area fenced off that they will have free reign of, so they will only use the coop at night and for nest boxes. He says the larger size is for 12 chickens - I think it will handle more than that IF they are only in there at night for sleeping and for laying eggs. Personally, I wouldn't use this coop if your chickens are going to spend most of their time in there.
As far as the rain dripping into the nest boxes... I used shingles on mine and left enough overhang of the shingles to keep the rain from dripping right down the crack. Honestly, it's so tightly built, it' really have to be a gully washer for any water to get in at all.
The feeder hopper is huge - I think it will hold around 50lbs of feed. I built mine without the auto waterer - I'm going to hang my waterer closer to the front - i didn't like the design of the waterer as I wanted something easier to take out and clean.
My biggest complaint so far about the coop (not having my chickens IN there yet..) is that there is not a human sized door to get in there. I may go back and change the screened areas on the front so that I can remove the panels to get better access in there for cleaning. I did replace the chicken wire in the front panels with hardware cloth. I also made a vent opening in the back above the feeder rather than leaving that area closed off with solid wood to encourage a cross breeze. I'll use panels in the winter to cover the wire and make it more snug.
I'll post pics momentarily of my completed coop...
Susan
In general the plans were very well done and nicely laid out. I'm not a 'professional' but was able to follow them and end up with something that looks like the pic.. LOL...
I haven't moved my girls into the new coop yet - will wait a bit until they outgrow their chickNBarn, and I don't want them roosting in the nesting boxes until they are ready to lay, so it's just easier to wait a few more weeks to move them into the larger coop.
I do think it has too many nest boxes for the size of the coop, and if your chickens didn't have a large run it would be too small to house them in. I have an 80' x 20' area fenced off that they will have free reign of, so they will only use the coop at night and for nest boxes. He says the larger size is for 12 chickens - I think it will handle more than that IF they are only in there at night for sleeping and for laying eggs. Personally, I wouldn't use this coop if your chickens are going to spend most of their time in there.
As far as the rain dripping into the nest boxes... I used shingles on mine and left enough overhang of the shingles to keep the rain from dripping right down the crack. Honestly, it's so tightly built, it' really have to be a gully washer for any water to get in at all.
The feeder hopper is huge - I think it will hold around 50lbs of feed. I built mine without the auto waterer - I'm going to hang my waterer closer to the front - i didn't like the design of the waterer as I wanted something easier to take out and clean.
My biggest complaint so far about the coop (not having my chickens IN there yet..) is that there is not a human sized door to get in there. I may go back and change the screened areas on the front so that I can remove the panels to get better access in there for cleaning. I did replace the chicken wire in the front panels with hardware cloth. I also made a vent opening in the back above the feeder rather than leaving that area closed off with solid wood to encourage a cross breeze. I'll use panels in the winter to cover the wire and make it more snug.
I'll post pics momentarily of my completed coop...
Susan
