Mid Minnesota scratch n dent coop

[Lowstorm]

Hi everyone!

So, I've been a lurker here for 2 years. As long as I've owned chickens! And I just happen to be building a coop now. Decided to post a build thread.

Background. I have a 4x4 ish coop that's half buried in the ground for insulation purposes. Year 1 I had 2 red stars and 2 buff orphs. An owl went INTO the coop to take 3 of them. It was not a pleasant week before I could secure the coop better.

Year 2 I purchased 3 more pullets. A barred rock and 2 other somethings. Hard winter. Lost the other 2 due to, honestly, not having a properly set up coop. Cold in a not great way. Leaving me with Rocky (who was fine) and Red (lost a few toe tips)

Learning from my mistakes is a thing.

So, I'm allowed to buy things from work at cost or less than because we can't use them for whatever reason. 2x3s for 50 cents, 20 ft aluminum siding at about 20 a sheet. Free pallets. Stopped using a type of roofing, I asked and was told to just take the stuff. Everything has scratches, dents, holes or whatever.

So this is my base! 4 ftx8 ft pallet. We put down scrap plywood for the floor. Off to the right is the chicken run. The pop door will be in the corner going into there. There's another chicken doorway coming out into the main run.

Framing was done Friday evening as a storm was rolling in. You can see the old coop to the left. It's messy, sorry!

 

[Lowstorm]

The wall in that last picture is the south side. 4 windows will be running down the whole wall, but they are permanent unopenable types from broken doors (very cheap! 10 each!) The roosts will be on that side.

Saturday was completely insane. I didn't have much time to snap pics. The short wall is 75 ish inches tall east side. The tall is over 7 ft tall, solid but for the eaves. There's 2 inches of mesh there.

North side and east side both have windows that will be routered in this week. 24x18 windows (dented and scratched! $20) and we will be putting vents on both the north an south sides.

 

[Lowstorm]

As you can see.... Coop needed. My SO picked out the roo. Keeps him invested in being the manpower.

 

[Lowstorm]

As of today roof is on.

The rubber roof needs to be trimmed. We worked in the moonlight to finish.

Door on east side. Window to the left.

the framework for now. The cross won't be there. Don't actually need it now but I'm too lazy to take it down. The roosts will be in front of that window wall, but under the left window. Another window behind me. I figured y'all have enough to see. The vents will be in the triangle areas. Yes, this will have insulation and actual walls. We're still 'debating' about the ceiling and such. We've compromised with doing strips with some insulation so that if needed I can pull down insulation if theres not enough ventilation. I hope not to use heat lamps. I have until now and struggle with it.

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC.

Here's a useful article on coops for cold climates: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/cold-weather-poultry-housing-and-care.72010/

 

[Lowstorm]

I promise, I've read them all. I wanted a woods coop, but budgeting and getting help to build it is hard

 

[aart]

I promise, I've read them all.

Except anything about ventilation?

 

[Lor]

A good deal being able to get those scratch and dents!

 

[Eagle343]

I guess I miss read your post as I thought it was half buried in the ground?

 

[Lowstorm]

The original one is. The new one is not buried.