I made a scale model of my Hobbit-Themed Chicken Coop

[Aunt Angus]

Ugh I missed the 6, kept staring at the photos as I scrolled up and down to make the comments. Good catch. It should be suitable for up to 6, especially if the run can be wind protected a bit in the winter.

Hard not to focus on those pics! Holy cow! What a great project! I am not that creative. Not by a long shot!

 

[LadiesAndJane]

I love it!
All the way down to the cardboard cutouts of what I assume is you and your husband. Your creativity is amazing.
Agree needs more ventilation, but this is easy to add. Can’t wait to see the finished project.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Hard not to focus on those pics! Holy cow! What a great project! I am not that creative. Not by a long shot!

Yeah, makes the "model" coop I made for hubby look... well, basic hahaha. Though I just did this as a joke for his birthday, it's not to scale or anything.

 

[Windrider]

Hard not to focus on those pics! Holy cow! What a great project! I am not that creative. Not by a long shot!

I know! I want to ask the OP if she is a model maker. I once did dioramas for our Natural History Museum, so I recognize the excellent use of foam-core and the creative use of found objects like beads to represent eggs. However, to do this for a back yard chicken coop is above and beyond!

I am also a LoTR fan from long ago when it was geeky to be one, before it was a popular movie, so I am very appreciative of the aesthetic here.

 

[BleuSaphir]

This is going to turn out so adorable with practically and functionality.

I think OP should submit her coop on the coop page!

 

[KatieSwindler]

The most ideal location for ventilation (since I can't see that wall on the model) is the inside coop wall facing into the run, so even though you have cold winters, because of hotter summers you definitely want to maximize protected ventilation up high in the coop.

Because of the pergola style roof with open eaves at front and back (covered with hardware cloth of course) there should be something like 10sq ft of venting at the roof line. Do you think that will be enough? I’ve heard the rule is 1foot per bird?

 

[KatieSwindler]

Ugh I missed the 6, kept staring at the photos as I scrolled up and down to make the comments. Good catch. It should be suitable for up to 6, especially if the run can be wind protected a bit in the winter.

Yeah 6 is an absolute max for us. We just don’t have more space to give. Surprisingly Chicago doesn’t regulate flock size, just no roosters. So we’ll have to exercise some self restraint!! LOL

 

[KatieSwindler]

I take it the run will go all the way back to the privacy fence?

Thank you for your kind words, and yes, it will go back to the fence.

 

[KatieSwindler]

I want to ask the OP if she is a model maker.

Thank you! I was a theater major once upon a time and learned the basics of modeling for a set design class. I always loved it and was happy for the excuse to break out the foam core and exacto knives again!!

This exercise was as much about figuring out my construction methods as much as making something aesthetically pleasing - this is going to be a woodworking project that really stretches me and my husband. I found the model to be extremely helpful to work through construction details from framing to how the heck to hinge that hidden egg door in a round frame.

 

[3KillerBs]

The model is gorgeous and the design is very clever. Making that scrap wood mock-up is even more clever! There's nothing like actually laying out a plan in the space intended to be 100% sure it will work. When we remodeled the kitchen in our previous house we laid out the counters, sink, and appliances in blue painter's tape on the floor and I pretended to cook meals so I'd know that my design actually functioned.

If you do have 10 square feet in those eves then that should be enough ventilation.