Hi everyone, I'll introduce myself by starting a thread on my coop construction.

[9Catsz]

I'm still decided how best to make the roosting area without making it difficult to clean or walk inside.

I've been perusing the Coop & Run design threads for awhile now and I read a nifty idea on how to build the roosts so you can clean under them easily. They made the roost a ladder-type roost at an angle to the wall and put hinges on it where it touches the side wall so you can lift it up and out of your way. There's a hook on the ceiling to hold it up so you can clean under it with ease. I'm planning on using that design in my next coop. I tried to find that thread, but I couldn't.

Oh and great coop, BTW. I envy how quickly you can build one. Can't wait to see it completed.

 

[rickyarthur]

I had some more time to work on the coop today, The chicks growing like crazy cause me to start about 5 different projects at once.

First I saw some of the PVC feeders on here and made a double tube feeder. As soon as I put it in they hopped in it and i could see I needed something to keep them from pooping in the feeder. I slapped together a little sloped shelf that can be raised as they grow to discourage them standing in their food.



Then I decided about half way through the siding job that I needed a run to let them out into. I have some wire cloth that will be delivered on friday, so this is only temporary, assembled with screws to be taken apart and expanded.


While I was working on the temporary run I gave my son the project of building a ramp. He did good, with very little help. This pic is the chicks first look at the ramp and they all came down within a few minutes, My son is watching them in the pic. I imagine getting them back up will be more interesting.



Then the siding job has turned into a much bigger pain in the butt than I thought. I picked up a load of slabs from a lumber mill when I was in the area and planned on siding the coop to look like a log cabin...well it looks like crap to me but too late to turn back. Alot of the slabs are twisted making each board a pain to fit. Oh well it's just a chicken coop. Also I ran wiring for indoor and out door lights and a switch, and an inside outlet for heaters. I may do a little more work this evening but figured I would post the progress so far.





Thanks for all the suggestions and kind words.

Ricky

 

[Sgtfirstwife]

That is a really nice coop. I really like the logs on the front. Hopefully my husband will get started on ours this weekend. We live on 3 1/2 acres so we decided to do this really nice chicken tractor. It will hold 12 chickens, so we have 12 waiting, including Rhode Island Reds, Delewares and a Silkie. I also asked mine for Mothers Day. He doesn't know it yet, but I am asking for goats for my birthday. Hee Hee

 

[bj taylor]

i don't know where you live, but since you're putting in electricity, you might want to add some fan system for the heat of the summer. here in Texas, we think of summer rather than winter as our big obsticle.
the split logs look rough now, but i bet by the time you get it finished out, it will look great.

 

[SCParrothead]

The log siding looks really good. And looks like it would be a real pain. Keep the pics coming.

 

[Renegade Rescue]

Very nice coop.

 

[Tigertrea]

I like the logs! I have been looking for inexpensive ways to side my coop. For now we are just using a solid cover stain for the OSB but, I want to side it at some point. I think I may start dragging logs out of our small wood lot. I'll have to find somebody with a band saw! Thanks for the idea!!

 

[SunnyAlberta]

My wife came to me out of the Blue this month and said "I want chickens and a coop for my Birthday this year", so On her Birthday (april 24th) we went to the local IFA and brought home 19 chicks

.

Ricky, you are an awesome hubby. Way to go. My hubby rocks, too. I think you both know that when Momma's happy, everyone's happy.

 

[Teena Marie]

Nice coop. You did good!

 

[AlabamaSweetpea]

I think the logs look authentic ... in the end it will look like you converted an old log cabin into a chicken coop