LDI Chicks Small Coop Design

[hlhutchinson]

Super nice love your coop

 

[Brian Grant]

As requested, I am happy to share pictures and descriptions of the small coop which I designed and my husband mostly built. It combines a lot of features I've seen in coops online. It currently has a temporary run and outer perimeter electric fence while it awaits a permanent run.
I wanted the coop to:
-house four chickens.
-be predator proof (from hawk, raccoon, fox, weasel, coyote).
-allow chickens a safe space to go in and out of coop if we go away for the night.
-be easy for someone to take care of if we go away for a few days.

Some specs:
Support legs: 2' x 4" x 4"
Concrete deck post bases buried in ground
Floor: 4' x 4' 1/2" CDX plywood
Roof: distance above floor 4'8" at high end and 3'4" at lower end. Overhang is 9"
Lower level run: a bit less than 4' x 4'
Nesting boxes: two in a 15" x 24" space use removable dishpans
Window: 12" x 30" awning window
Ventilation: 6 vents between rafters at upper and lower ends of roof.with doors about 3 1/2" x 14" each
Pop Door: 10" x 12" sliding door can be raised or lowered by pulley
Trapdoor: 12" x 12" with ramp that can be raised or lowered by pulley
Person door: 2'w x 4'h
Upper Coop Clean out door: about 6"h x 41" w
Clean out drawer is a sheet of 1/4" plywood with plastic dog kennel tray on top of ply.
Lower level clean out door: about 2' x 4' hinged at bottom edge
Lower level floor outer frame about 4'x 2"x2"
Lower level hen gate: about 12"x12"
Hardware cloth: 1/2" covers window, ventilation windows, lower level floor and walls.
Security: A variety of hasps, hooks, spring hooks, carabiners and opening chain links.

Yes, there are a lot of doors, but it all seems to work and the chicks are happy!
And a special big mahalo to Martha for her ideas and inspiration!

View attachment 1124933
Note lower level clean out door, cleat and rope for sliding pop door.
View attachment 1124944

View attachment 1124931

View attachment 1124932

View attachment 1124948

View attachment 1124946
Nest boxes. Note cleat and rope for ramp.
View attachment 1124949
(Trying a poop sheet tonite)

View attachment 1124951
Trapdoor and ramp
View attachment 1124959
The girls at nine weeks

 

[Brian Grant]

that is fabulous, your birds look very happy and why not? they have a castle!
Thank you for the info. I hope they will thrive.