My coop

plecostrum

Songster
9 Years
May 6, 2010
235
4
111
ENGLAND UK
Well i decided that my husband is wrong and i can keep chickens if i want too so this week while he works away i have been busy lolol hmmm i thought i would start of with one of those rabbit hutch ideas with a run underneath for just 2 bantams but my ideas and scraps of wood have grown lol

I had some 3x3 fence post i made a frame, 3 old shelves that were in the garden which havent rotten in the last 3 yrs they are pine. they are now the base, i then dismantled my vegetable patch surround which was 4x4 post with decking boards to make some extra wood
then after a dig around in shed i found some old 3x2 not treated i used in the kitchen.

the only thing i need now is some exterior ply to make the outside, i have asked on my local freecycle for some old fence panels so have 3 to collect not sure these will be draft proof enough so going to ply the inner and outer with the thin fence board slats. I may even add some foam into the gaps to make it really snug.

I have killed 5 drill bits and wasted most of my screws chewing up the heads, i havent used a spirit level once lol as the wood was all warped lol so its all guestimated lol, and my tape measure is a a dress making one i could find any others lolol

Im a woman and im having a go lol i aint a carpenter lol so be kind lol its going to be a wonky house but they will like it lolol


my main room base is 3ft x 2ft

the nest box i will attach to the side there will be 2 together both measuring 12" deep 12" high slight slant and 10" wide each.

I am just a bit lost now what to do next?

do i just frame the bottom out with wire and have a base hole for exit? just that the ramp is going to be real steep.
or do a front door with slope making the run come out another 4Ft the size will upset my husband somewhat?

I was supposed to be making a low key small hutch type inconspicious that my husband might not notice but with my roof its stand 5ft high lololol what was i thinking....

here are my pics hope you like my efforts more to follow (i really want it too look like that little yellow and white cottage but mine will be more like a dillapidated drunkards shack)

http://s165.photobucket.com/albums/u43/plecostrum/chicken coop/

i had to use hinges as i could get it to screw together at one point so i added hinges then when it was tight i screwed thru perfectly lol i needed a holding helper!!

If i have 2 nest boxes and 3ft x 2ft room space and the run underneath being 3x2ft how many bantams can i have and could i house the bigger hens in it?
how many larger fowl?
how many bantams?
i am presuming you cant mix them both one or the other, but can i mix variations.
 
I don't keep bantams, but I wouldn't keep more than 2 in a 2x3 coop - and 2x3 run area is pretty tight - any way you can extend it to give them more room?

The oft repeated *minimum* space requirement for standard breeds is 4 sq. ft. per hen in the coop and 10 sq. ft. per hen in the run.

Good luck!
 
Just wanted to say you are doing a great job! Doesn't look wonky, LOL!!
big_smile.png
 
great job and like I tell my husband almost every day
YOUR NOT THE BOSS OF ME
I have a dad and you are not HIM!!
LOL
he says the quickest way to get me to do somthing is
to say I forbid it LOL I must come from the dun horse line as I have
that stuborn streek down my back LOL
 
lmao lolol yup we are bad girls well my hubby works away mon-fri and he hasnt even notice a 5ft frame in the garden what he dont know wont hurt him lol

how i will explain the car full of fence parts tomorrow is a bit difficult maybe he will be out when i get back lolol heres hoping


by next weekend it will be complete with chickens lol

found a cracking deal on a roof tile style roof out of plastic for £8 bargain


I wanted it all to be reclaimed but heyho i want some quality


i brought some £9.98 for 8 pieces of 2x1/2" and the screws i have 30 at 50p each for 10 the rest was free

oh i brought a plastic vent £2.25 and a right angle of plastic for the roof thought i was having some free felt but think its old fashioned and not good in the long run mites and all
 
Good for you doing this on your own! It may not be perfect, but it shows that you CAN do it! I would advise going for bantams, since the coop is quite small. Bantams would ideally have at least 2 sq. feet of coop space and 5 sq. ft. of run space each, so if you CAN extend your run out at least 4 feet, then your coop could probably house 3 bantam chickens.
 

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