My 1st Coop Build

[BGinVA]

Finally got back to the coop build today after Girl Scout camp, we worked primarily on the inside today in order to allow us a nice breeze and light before closing up all the outside walls. We built 4 nests and a storage box on the left (thanks to a BYC member suggestion). Yeah, one of the nest posts got crooked when we tried to toe-nail it but figured the chooks wouldn't mind so we let it be. Hoping to move the flock in by tomorrow evening, but still have shingles, facerboard, trimboard, paint, boxing in the storage compartment, roosting poles and the run to go, but I don't think they'll mind if we keep working on it after they move in. Still have only spent about $210, the rest has been repurposed/recycled material.

 

[BGinVA]

Finally got the doors on, all the windows and vents are secure with hardware cloth, but still have to put on the two fold down window covers, trim out under the roof line, shingles, and then add some decorative touches to the outside. I finished painting the siding just before it got dark and you can hardly even see the front doors, but they are there a 12x18 chicken door, and a 36x36 people door that will get some trim board soon. I'll also be repainting the frame, cross braces, that and all the trim will be a slightly different color green than what I initially used (had it laying around so tried it but didn't like it, lol) to match the trim on our shed.



The inside is complete, we will eventually hang the food and water bowls but ran out of daylight tonight.

Here's 3 of the chicks checking it out for the first time


We spent another $94 at Home Depot yesterday ($80 of which was paint that we will also touch up our shed with) so that puts our total costs to date at $304.

 

[Framac]

Nice Work!

 

[MonsterClucker]

Niceeee! I'm glad to see things looking really good over there! It looks like one of those ready made chicken coops! Really nice work. Patience=quality!

 

[BGinVA]

Thanks again for looking, got the trim boards painted tonight, hopefully before the end of the weekend I'll I have an update pic, then it is on to the run.

 

[BGinVA]

Got the corner and top trim on today, hopefully we will get the doors and windows trimmed tomorrow and then on to the shingles. There is a couple of spots in the front siding that I need to touch up the paint, it got dark on me while painting and as you can see I missed a few places. We spent another $138 at Home Depot yesterday for trim boards and shingles, total cost at this point $442, and we still have the run to go.

 

[BGinVA]

Finally got the front trimmed out today. What was supposed to be about a 2 week project has already exceeded 4 working just a couple of hours a day. Had to buy a couple of more boards and nails today and bought some chain and S hooks to hang the food and waterer. Between that and $28 I forgot that hubby went back to the store and spent on a piece of siding, that's another $55, that brings us up to $497 (with using recycled materials for the framing). Still have two flap type windows to put on and frame, shingles and then on to the chicken ramp & run.

 

[peckaboo]

Lookin' good!

 

[BGinVA]

Got the shingles on today, just have 2 windows to dress out and then its on to the run.

 

[BGinVA]

My coop is done!!! On to the run and chicken walk. $497 and a recycled playhouse were the final cost. I'm expecting somewhere around $300 more for the run (that's a very rough estimate we'll see where it goes).


We're just using an old yard stick to prop the window for now, but we'll probaly eventually make a painted window prop or a hook up top.


It started raining pretty hard before I could get pics of the back, but basically the back paneling folds down into three doors. Two of the doors contain nests where I can collect eggs, and I have access to pooper scoop the poop board below the roost. The third opening is the same width as the other two doors (the size of 2 nest boxes) but about 6 inches taller and I use it for storage. Right now it holds a bag of DE, a bag of Sweet PDZ, a 50lb bag of food, a bag of grit, scoops, cups, gloves, and the baskets that will eventually go in my nest boxes when my chicks get older, so its decent sized (although it is full at this point).