My new 10x12 coop build unveiled!!

[aart]

Your coop looks great - I would add a few more big windows so the chickens have a lot of light in there. In fact, removable glass for the summer.

Yes, top hinged windows for light in winter and ventilation in summer.

I plan to add some solar shed lights before winter hits, but they won't be on all the time.

I'd be careful with solar lights,.
The kind that charge up during the day and come on at dusk until they run out of juice?

 

[jspeese]

I have been working on this shed for a couple months and finally finished it last week! So this past week I have been doing the fun part, designing the inside. This is what I came up with.


Inside view from human door

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Exterior: I went with a gambrel roof barn style shed with an 80 sq ft storage loft. This is to house my laying flock of 9 hens, 20 pullets yet to lay, and 2 roosters.
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I left the two gables open for ventilation up high, and added one window to the door.
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For bedding i used about 2/3 pine shavings, 1/3 pine straw and leaves and stuff I gathered from around my property. Hopefully this makes the litter a bit more ready to compost in the spring. For my main roost I sourced two large branches from my woods. They are 12 inches apart at their closest and 12 inches from the back wall. They are about 3 1/2 ft off the ground. I added a 2x4 flat side up a little lower for a step up, and an option for my larger birds.

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You can also see the nest box in that picture. It is the HenGear medium rollaway reversible nest box. I only have 10 girls laying right now so I wanted to see if they like ti before I dropped the dough on another one. I will add another one if they like it before spring. The bottom of the box is 18in off the ground so as not to take up floor space.

For feed I went with two 17.5 lb capacity hangers. Filled up that is about 3-4 days of food. I made some nipple waterers out of buckets that my birds are currently acclimating to.
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The ladder will be removed once the door is added.
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All that is left to do is cut in the door, and add the birds! This has been a huge undertaking for me and I am proud and excited with the outcome. Hope the birds will be too!

Tips and observations welcome. Thanks for looking!

Looks fantastic. With this damn pandemic, I had time on my hands and we had to redo our deck...a miserable job, believe me (and I don't enjoy that kind of work!) but a contractor wanted the (in my opinion, exorbitant and unreasonable) price of $11,000 for it. A lot of the lumber was reusable so I used it to build a 4 x 8 brooder house (that was a fun project, maybe because I wanted to do it but didn't HAVE to do it). I have a nice 8x 8 coop but until now, I really no place to start a new flock and the hens I have are getting up in years. What no one tells you about reusing/repurposing old lumber is all of the darn nails and stuff like that to deal with!! I'm no expert carpenter, but I think it turned out decent. The only thing I had to buy was 2 x 4's for rafters and studs, as the old deck didn't contain very many of them, and sheet metal for the roof. And some lumber for the attached 8 x 8 pen, which is a pen within a larger run so I only had to make it "chicken proof" until any new chicks I get remain physically separated but visible so they can get acquainted with the older hens. I took an idea from someone else in the group and used wide mesh wire around the bottom so the chicks, when they are old enough, can get through but the older hens can't, allowing them to mix and establish a new pecking order but enabling them to get away if things get rough. I'll cover it with chicken wire when they are real little, old enough to go outside but still too little to mix with big hens. Can't wait to try out some new chicks in it, maybe this fall yet but definitely next spring.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

I have a solar light in my coop, however it has a switch to turn it on and off.

 

[Tre3hugger]

The kind that charge up during the day and come on at dusk until they run out of juice?

More like these. https://www.amazon.com/Otdair-Penda...5677&sprefix=solar+shed+light,aps,415&sr=8-14

 

[Foxinthehenhouse]

Beautiful job, lucky chickens! I have used tree trunks ,from small trees about the size of an apple, for roosting bars for years. I had a 2x4 and a tree trunk and none of my chickens would roost on the 2x4. They just all crowded on the trunk. I removed the 2x4 and replaced it with a trunk. In cold weather they can easily cover their feet to keep warm.
I use the Little Giant plastic nest boxes. They are inexpensive and easy to take off the wall to wash. Amazon has them. My hens love them!
Good Luck!

 

[Tre3hugger]

I have a solar light in my coop, however it has a switch to turn it on and off.

That is what I'm talkin about. It would be mostly a light just for me if I need it, not so much for the birds.

 

[Tre3hugger]

Beautiful job, lucky chickens! I have used tree trunks ,from small trees about the size of an apple, for roosting bars for years. I had a 2x4 and a tree trunk and none of my chickens would roost on the 2x4. They just all crowded on the trunk. I removed the 2x4 and replaced it with a trunk. In cold weather they can easily cover their feet to keep warm.
I use the Little Giant plastic nest boxes. They are inexpensive and easy to take off the wall to wash. Amazon has them. My hens love them!
Good Luck!

Thank you! Everyone is loving the roosts so far

 

[Padfoot22]

Maybe I missed it somewhere in the descriptions but did you bury your fencing for the run a few inches down in the ground so predators can’t dig under easily? I can’t tell you how many times this has helped me!

 

[Tre3hugger]

Maybe I missed it somewhere in the descriptions but did you bury your fencing for the run a few inches down in the ground so predators can’t dig under easily? I can’t tell you how many times this has helped me!

I use electric netting

 

[aart]

It would be mostly a light just for me if I need it, not so much for the birds.

I have a head light for when it's dark and I don't want the overhead light on....LOVE IT!
I use supplemental lighting comes on very early and shuts off at about 2pm, because even tho I have tons of windows it still pretty dim in there especially during the long dreary dark season when it's often cloudy.