FREE chicken coop plan (nice one too) on the Purina Mills Website

[NevadaRon]

That would be a really good modification! Currently my original coop based on this design is occupied by two BBB turkeys, but the long term plan is to use it as a breeding and grow-out coop. I used the drop door on the back but since I had doubled the size I only made the drop door on half of the coop. I'm thinking maybe I should get the saw out and redo it like CarolynF suggests...

 

[hondo58]

Quote:
I designed ours to open UP thus providing overhead protection during bad weather in the winter. I also went from 4' to 6' on the coop design so it is now a 3' x 6' door. I was also able to secure it to the run frame with eye bolts, chain and "S" hooks to keep it open. I thought if it opened down it would be in the way as it is taller (3') than it is high (about 17" from the ground) so it would always be at an angle when opened. This works perfectly since the entire back of the coop opens up giving total access to the inside for cleaning etc.

 

[sbtgal]

Here's a link to our partially finished soon to be modified Purina coop!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=106072-our-coop

 

[audioguy]

Very nice.

We made a zillion changes to the original plans, like adding a roost with a tray to catch to poop, lowered the next box to the floor level, made the side with the nest box hinged so the entire door will open. Add lighting to allow for a heat lamp in the winter.
Its a nice basic design, but it needs to be modified a lot.

 

[GardenGal]

We used this plan as well, and so far so good for our six chickens. They're only in it for sleeping, so there haven't been any squabbles about space.

We attached two nesting boxes, one on each door, and used a long bar across the back instead of the ladder. Also we used a skylight in the roof. My dad gave us scrap lumber, and we used that for the frame, and pallet boards worked for siding. The skylight was from a garage sale, the paint was leftover...so we only had to pay for nails! (Good thing too, 'cause fencing costs a lot!! ETA, we also have 16 gauge metal fencing over the chicken since these pictures were taken)

 

[jimla]

I am in the process of building this coop but with a solid shingle roog and no skylight and two nest boxes on the back (short) side. Does anyone use the deep litter method with this coop? If so, how deep? Would yourecommend it? Also, I was planning to add two windows for ventilation and light but read here that too much light may not give them enough privacy for laying. Each window is 14x21 inches. One would go on the tallest side (south facing) opposite the nests. The other would face either west or east, adjacent to the nests. The inside is painted white. Is this too much light?

 

[Impress]

Oh thank you for this, EXACTLY what I was looking for to make a coop for my bantams!

 

[hondo58]

Quote:
We use the deep litter pine shavings. We put them at least 4" thick. The chickens will compact them enough where you can scrape off the top layer to clean it and have plenty of clean shavings below. We have found that the skylight is plenty of light. Whatever light is available during the day is what will be inside the coop. I made our skylight 30" X 30" as the coop is 4' X 6'. With the nest boxes on the short side all of the rain/snow runoff from the roof will spill onto the nest box roof. Also you may not have the clearance to open the nest box cover completely on the short side. With the nest boxes on the high side they are protected by the roof overhang which runs off any rain/snow to the short side and the cover opens all the way and can be secured against the high side wall.

 

[GardenGal]

We have about 6 inches of shavings in the coop, and it works really well. The only place they seem to go is when they're on their perch, so it's easy clean up.

 

[quillary]

Just realized I never posted a picture of our finished coop!

The ladies have been living out there for about six or seven months now and seem to like it just fine!