Im not to sure how to....Update..its finished! pics on post 15

[duck&chickencrazy]

Ok so i built my little chicken coop and this is what i have so far....its not perfect or pretty but it will work for them just to sleep in at night...

(i had my sister stand in on the picture so that you could kinda get an idea how big it is...it is 8 ft long, 4 ft wide, and 2 ft tall...

here is another pic of it, ignore the mess in the back, its our burn pile

I just need some kind of idea on how to make a roof for it, i had an idea for it but i dont think it would so i need some new ideas!! And it needs to have the top open up to i can collect eggs and clean it out...

You can see in the background where Katie is trying to build a kind of toy horse barn lol...she wants me to make her a little barn for her toy horses to lol...

 

[cletus the rooster]

flat roof hinged on 1 side.that is how mine are

 

[duck&chickencrazy]

Quote:
what kind of hinges would i need?

 

[wormy270]

You probaly need to design a way to get you some wire partially on the coop so the chickens can get light and air. I would probaly just frame it up higher with maybe some 2X4s in each corner and one on each side in the center. Then you could put you some welded wire around maybe half the coop. I would probaly make it high enough to get a small roost in your coop. Once you have it framed up you can frame the roof with some 2X4s and put some tin on top. Just put a couple hinges on it to open it up. Wouldnt be hard to do, just need a little construction savy. Wish I were there to help. I love to build stuff. Good luck, youve got a great start.

 

[cletus the rooster]

i use recycled door hinges that i get from a Habitat For Humanity recycle store (it is called Restore).when they tear down an old house they recycle what they can. $2 and up for brass or stainless steel.

 

[maggiemooscluckers]

Quote:
I agree with the idea of extending the sides to make it taller but I wouldn't hinge the top. If you are like me, I would get tired of lifting a heavy lid everyday to check for eggs. An 8ft. lid could become very heavy! Maybe you could add 2x4s at the corners and in the middle to raise the height by 3 ft., enclose the back and sides either with hardware cloth or scrap lumber. Frame in the top to support tin or other roofing. You could even use wire on the top and cover it with a good tarp. On the front 8ft. side make a rectangular frame of 2x3s the length an height of the opening. Cover it with hardware cloth and hinge it at the bottom and connect it to the bottom box. This way you can open it and let the entire side down which will allow you to reach into the coop for egg gathering and cleaning. It will also allow for lots of ventilation. During the day you could also leave it open for the hens to enter at their leisure to lay eggs. Roost could also be added by running a 2x4 across the end opposite the nest. I hope all this makes sense. Good luck with your coop and your little chick-a-dees!

I looked at your first pic again and now I see what I think is your pop door. Good idea for the chickens to get in and out.

 

[annie3001]

yeah, i would build it taller. looks like it may not be tall enough. just my thoughts. as for the roof, i would go with a triangle/slant on one side style.
good luck.

 

[Tdub4chiks]

I would put a 2 x 4 in the middle. Attach plywood to both sides with hinges. That way, you can lift either side as needed, but not the whole roof system.

 

[duck&chickencrazy]

Quote:
i am going to connect this coop to my old dog kennel and so the chickens will only be in it at night (so i didnt really want alot of ventilation going throught it) becuase i will let them out before i go to work (7am) and then at 8 30 i would put them away. I am probably going to add another foot to the height of it. Also i have pallets that i will just set it on instead of adding legs to it. I am trying to make it so that it is not an a shaped roof. I would prefer a flat roof. And i still have to seal up the holes and such so that its not breezy in it

 

[KenLamWV]

I would suggest making sure you have some sort of pitch to it. That way rain and snow will melt off and not just sit on top of the coop. I can't think of anything right now which would work for you. Good luck though.