My new and first Coop Build..

[CO-OP_COOP]

Hello everyone I started to build this coop lat week on my days off. i have worked on it a few hours every night after work as well. tomorrow and Friday are my next days off so I need to do as much work to completion as possible. But I find myself adding on and on as I build.. How Can I stop this? ..LOL I really love what i do and I want it to be the best for me. and last long so I don't feel as if i am waisting money..
I have done some research on this site and I love it! I got many answers just by reading the posts here. One thing I haven't found yet is about nesting boxes..How wide should they be? And I also read that many build the roost over the boxes.. How far up and how far out off the nest boxes? Is there a theory behind this?
Also I wanted to build the nest boxes on the inside of the covered run (porch of the coop) So it would be accessable even on rainy days. Is this a good idea? see Pics and Please give advise..

The left side where the roof is extended is where I wanted to have the nest boxes.. Basically when done there will be a door to enter this area that will have a roof over it and fencing on the sides. the coop is 3" off the gound as you can see in the pics.

 

[Chickencoop1996]

looks great!

 

[TigerLilly]

I think 12" x 12" nest boxes is the norm for standard LF. I use 5 gallon buckets & there are regularly 2 hens in the same bucket to lay.
Cant wait to see the finished product.

 

[CO-OP_COOP]

Quote:
Thanks for the info..

Still working hard today.. I want to get as much done as possible..

 

[CO-OP_COOP]

I layed shingles on the roof and built out the nest boxes.. Also framed out the walls and windows..
No luck at the habitat for HUMANITY for used doors or windows so we have decided to build them ourselves out of the scrap wood we have.. we also used a bifold door for the shutters.(free)

Oh did I mention all the roof shingles where free also? will post pics later on this evening.

 

[tnchickenut]

Oh I remember the days when I worried about nest box height...... lol


They will lay wherever it is darker and quieter. Generally speaking, people put them about 18 inches up... you can have it on the ground, or higher (with perch in front) and they will lay where it is darker and quieter.

 

[DickGJ]

Keep us updated with pics...looks great so far!

 

[CO-OP_COOP]

Allrighty, today we framed out the walls. We had no luck finding windows or doors so we are going to make them ourselves. We did find a bifold door that we are going to use for shutters on the east side of the coop. We completed two out of the three roofs with free shingles

We built our nest boxes

[/img] Traci got an idea from the shutters on the window. she wants to do a key west theme. Since we have no more shingles for the north roof I came up with a plan to help her idea along. We will lay bamboo from our property for our roof. Mother Nature always provides us with gifts. Got to love it! Bamboo roof and key west theme, cant wait to see what we come up with as far as paint theme. Hopefully we will be able to find some oops paint from one of the local stores to help us along with the change in our pocket.
This is another picture of the roof that Traci and I did today...not to bad for first timers, huh??

these are our nesting boxes. We have 7 boxes and we are hoping that the ducks and chickens will both use them. Will they have a problem cohabitating together or should we make separate areas for each.????? We asked earlier in posts for suggestions on what breed of chickens would be best for good egg layers. We want 2 leghorns because they are Italian and so is Domenic. Also we found the Dominique chickens. Definitely want two of those as well. Do they lay brown eggs??? Will these chickens do well together and what other couple should we get?? Will they do well with our ducks?? We are looking for a chicken that would lay blue eggs. Please give us some input. Golden eggs would be great. This way we can afford to build an addition to our coop.

 

[CowgirlPenny]

Quote:
For blue eggs, get Ameracuana chicks. Some good brown layers are Production Reds, Australorps, Sex links and Barred Plymouth Rocks (notice I have all those,lol) Like you, we wanted good brown and blue egg layers. My d'Uccles will lay very small cream colored eggs, so they are just for show.

 

[DickGJ]

Quote:
For blue eggs, get Ameracuana chicks. Some good brown layers are Production Reds, Australorps, Sex links and Barred Plymouth Rocks (notice I have all those,lol) Like you, we wanted good brown and blue egg layers. My d'Uccles will lay very small cream colored eggs, so they are just for show.