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

[justbeli]

I just bought everthing new from a large chain and it totaled to about $280. that included some "OOPS" paint i found cheep.

 

[chfite]

Mine ran about $150 for materials from the big box store. For ventilation, I made a door in the back with an opening about 18 x 18 screened with hardware cloth. I left part of the top edge of the walls open down about 4 inches on the south and west sides of the coop and screened it with hardware cloth. I don't have any windows, just screened openings.

I have my own shop and am prone to make all manner of things myself. There might be a piece of scrap wood or two lying around as well. So you may have to buy something that I would have made.

Hope this helps.

Chris

 

[jykmoy]

I just read your site here and wondered if you ever followed through in building this coop? What was your experience? What difficulties did you encounter, etc., etc., etc.

 

[thistledewchick]

Thanks for sharing!

 

[nikka77]

I am working on this now and I am using pallets that I we have broken apart for some of the wood.

 

[monkahi]

the coop actually has 16 square feet of floor space so can easily fit 4 hens

 

[nazredhens]

I built this a while back. I did not put the clear panel on top as I was concerned about the hail we get here sometimes. I put the nest box on the front and centered it. I moved the door to the side. I also put tin on the top of the nest box lid. I also put tin on the chicken door to avoid the dogs or racoons from chewing in. I thought about dropping the back down as some have done, but thought that it might be messy or get in the way for cleaning out the inside. It might not. I was concerned about ventilation as it is very hot here in the summer and fall, so I built a frame and covered it with hardware cloth and mounted it to the inside under the back with hinges so that when I raise the lid the chicks cannot jump out. The frame opens up to the right. I did not put a latch on it, but took a log narrow piece of metal with holes in it and screwed it to the hardware cloth frame and bent it where it goes around the corner and drilled a hole in the 2by. I took a thick round piece of metal and bent it into an l shape. I then insert the pin into the hole to keep anything from opening the frame. I put a 6 inch board across the back inside and screwed it in behind the hardware cloth frame to keep the shavings from falling out. I put an eye screw in the middle of the back of the roof frame and and eye bolt down near the bottom of the back and ran a cord from the eye screw through the eye bolt and put a hook on the end. I can then hook it up high on the fence to get it out of the way to clean or hook it lower on the fence to allow for ventilation and let it have a slope if it rains while up. For a poop pan. I took the side off an old free standing range. Just a couple of screws on each side to remove. It has a lip on it. I turned it with the lip up and then put two pieces of 2x4's on their side and joined them together. I then drilled holes in the range side and screwed it to the 2 bys. I put a piece of wood across the front and back of the 2bys to keep the shavings out from under it. It fits perfectly under the roost and is coated like enamel ware so it should not rust as easy and be easy to clean as well.

Do you have an pictures of the ventilation frame you made? Summers get very hot here in central Arizona as well and I was thinking of replacing one of my side doors with a hardware cloth door for lots of airflow for summer. I did plant grape vines on the west side of the coop fence so they will get a little more shade than last summer but I'm not sure if it will be enough.

 

[nazredhens]

I built this a while back. I did not put the clear panel on top as I was concerned about the hail we get here sometimes. I put the nest box on the front and centered it. I moved the door to the side. I also put tin on the top of the nest box lid. I also put tin on the chicken door to avoid the dogs or racoons from chewing in. I thought about dropping the back down as some have done, but thought that it might be messy or get in the way for cleaning out the inside. It might not. I was concerned about ventilation as it is very hot here in the summer and fall, so I built a frame and covered it with hardware cloth and mounted it to the inside under the back with hinges so that when I raise the lid the chicks cannot jump out. The frame opens up to the right. I did not put a latch on it, but took a log narrow piece of metal with holes in it and screwed it to the hardware cloth frame and bent it where it goes around the corner and drilled a hole in the 2by. I took a thick round piece of metal and bent it into an l shape. I then insert the pin into the hole to keep anything from opening the frame. I put a 6 inch board across the back inside and screwed it in behind the hardware cloth frame to keep the shavings from falling out. I put an eye screw in the middle of the back of the roof frame and and eye bolt down near the bottom of the back and ran a cord from the eye screw through the eye bolt and put a hook on the end. I can then hook it up high on the fence to get it out of the way to clean or hook it lower on the fence to allow for ventilation and let it have a slope if it rains while up. For a poop pan. I took the side off an old free standing range. Just a couple of screws on each side to remove. It has a lip on it. I turned it with the lip up and then put two pieces of 2x4's on their side and joined them together. I then drilled holes in the range side and screwed it to the 2 bys. I put a piece of wood across the front and back of the 2bys to keep the shavings out from under it. It fits perfectly under the roost and is coated like enamel ware so it should not rust as easy and be easy to clean as well.

Do you have an pictures of the ventilation frame you made? Summers get very hot here in central Arizona as well and I was thinking of replacing one of my side doors with a hardware cloth door for lots of airflow for summer. I did plant grape vines on the west side of the coop fence so they will get a little more shade than last summer but I'm not sure if it will be enough.

 

[7acres]

Do you have an pictures of the ventilation frame you made? Summers get very hot here in central Arizona as well and I was thinking of replacing one of my side doors with a hardware cloth door for lots of airflow for summer. I did plant grape vines on the west side of the coop fence so they will get a little more shade than last summer but I'm not sure if it will be enough.

I will try to get you some pictures. I am not well versed on some to todays technology, but my wife or kids might help me. I was thinking today that it would be helpful as a long narrative is sometimes hard to picture. I appreciate the pictures as well. It seems to make more sense to some of us when you have a picture. I will try to get something on this week. I am new at this myself and some of the things I have done have been trial and error. While my coop is nice, it certainly not as esquisite or elaborate as some of the other people on here. I have put mine under the trees on the east side of my house and the shadows from the house and shade from the trees tend to help a little.

 

[RonC]

I installed the nest boxes as shown on the plans. After bumping my head every morning and evening this week opening and closing the door it's going to be moved to the back or side. The hole in the front will be turned into an opening window for more ventilation.