My first chicken coop :)

[kuntrygirl]

Good job!

 

[LisaCammie]

That's a really nice looking coop. Your birds are going to want to spend all their time in it. Lucky birds!

 

[goldies99]

nice coop....you dont really need a heat lamp....only good ventilation....they can stay warm on their own..they are wearing down coats!!!

 

[Hawkeye95]

The coop looks great! I wouldn't worry about trying to keep the coop warm. If you want to run the heat lamp, that's fine. But I sure wouldn't try to keep it at 50 degrees in the winter. I think that would be way too warm for them. Anyway, love how solid the wire looks under the coop! You all did a very nice job on the build and the roof.

Post more pics when you get the siding on! Oh- and for ventiliation, I used floor vents that can direct the flow of air or be closed off.

 

[jerryb]

I think it looks great and the larger run will be a great addition come spring.

I used a self storing storm window in my coop and that is working out fine. You can buy them in a few basic sizes at Menards or Home Depot. mine is 24x36 and cost about $30, which is cheap enough I could not get excited about making a window to save money.

In regards to keeping the coop at 50 degrees, think of how cold it feels out side when you are acclimated to the indoors and then go out. I think this is what your chickens will experience in winter too when you try to keep it heated. I wonder if they will choose to stay inside? just thinking out loud here. I am letting my chickens rough it for the winter, but we do not get that many below zero days down here (2 or 3 each winter).

Jerry

 

[cravenchx]

we incorporated the ventilation during the building.
I don't know how to go about it now. I'm sure you can.
But, my DH is the same. Do it right the first time. When I
told him I wanted chickens, I was thinking chicken wire with
a tarp.

But check out my page and see what DH did! I love it!

 

[Katydid2011]

Very nicely done! As others have said, I wouldn't worry about keeping the temperature at 50 degrees inside the coop. You want your girls to be able to go outside without experiencing the shock of a massive drop in temperature. They will acclimate to the cold. Just add ventilation that will allow air to circulate without exposing them to a draft and they'll do great.

 

[Tallulah Chicklet]

Just beautiful! I love the way the walls and roosts feel very natural and I bet the chickens do, too! I agree that the chickens may not need the supplemental heat, and I would put the ventilation higher up, since if you put it lower, you might get cold drafts on their toes and in the nest boxes. And if you know which direction the harshest winds in your areas come from, you can vent on the opposite side.

You are so lucky to be building with your father...mine wouldn't show me how to do anything because I was a girl. I've relied on Building Chicken Coops for Dummies to teach myself to choose and use tools so I can work on my chicken apparatus.

Are you planning to free range them, too?

 

[JoshDeere]

that is realy fancy. what did you use on the roof?

 

[<3 N.C Chicken Chick <3]

Verry cozy