Help with finding coop plans

[salunra]

I was wondering if anyone could recommend a good set of coop plans for coop large enough for about 12+ hens.

My husband is a carpenter, so he can build about anything, but as this is not his idea I thought I would make it easy for him.
I would like something that has a materials list, cut list, and a good set of blue prints or diagrams.

I do not mind paying for them.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

 

[WoodlandWoman]

For that many chickens, I'd just use plans for a garden shed that's a suitable size. That's what I did. All you need to do is add a pop hole door, roosts, nest boxes and ventilation. If you go to the top of the page you can click on "Coop Designs" and look at how other people have set theirs up.

 

[dbarbre]

There's lots out there online if you want to look. Also your local agricultural extension service (phone book) or ag college nearby are very helpful with usually free plans. I agree with the shed idea and since your husband is a carpenter, keep a look out for recycled windows from remodels, home depot or other hardware stores where they sell cheap windows that people have ordered and then refused. My coop has my double paned old kitchen windows after we remodeled our house. The coop door is our old front door put on backwards so it opens out and the deadbolt is on the outside. We have 6 happy laying hens (no need for rooster) We built a 6' x 6' hen house on cement floor and attached a 6'x 12' outdoor space all fenced including bottom so critters can't dig under. The structure of the outdoor pen was an 8 piece panel set for a dog kennel from Lowe's. Then we covered the chain link dog kennel panels with 1/2 hardware wire mesh. (Not even a mouse can get into this thing now!) We hauled lots of dirt into the outside enclosure so they feel like they are outside. They run free on 2 acres during the day and are locked in at night. Most of the materials we used to build the hen house were leftovers from a his and hers shops my husband built (not a carpenter, by the way) Consider having electricity in your chicken coop. This all may sound like overkill but we live next to the forest and we have coons to cougars and I like sleeping well at night. Enjoy!

 

[Nonny]

I'm using the Garden Coop plans... they're only good for up to 8 chooks, but if he's already handy it'll be easy to alter to suit more. I'm a total building novice and am building it almost entirely by myself so I can definitely vouch for the plans being very easy to follow!

I've put progress pics here if you want to have a look.