My New Coop...step by step

[tracecom]

My run is finally ready for wire, which I plan to install today. Once the wire is on, the coop and run should be functional, but there is lots of trim work left to do.

The run is 8 feet, 5 inches by 12 feet, 5 inches, or thereabout. As you can see, it's on a slope of about 2 inches per foot, so I built a retaining wall in order to level it. It took about 3/4 of a truckload of dirt fill, and then I added about 4 inches of coarse mulch on top. I plan to gravel the area between the cross-ties and the run.

Those of you with an eye for detail will notice that I raised the coop by 3 1/2 inches; it is now sitting on 4 x 4's instead of directly on the concrete blocks. The "sky bridge" goes from the pop door to the run, and will be covered with wire to form a tunnel. Inside the run, the chicks will be provided with either an inclined ramp or some other means of getting from the sky bridge to the ground. I haven't quite decided.



Below are a couple of photos of the pop door. It slides vertically in a channel between two studs. The actual opening is 13" wide.



For now, the pop door is opened and closed manually with a pull cord, but will eventually be motorized and computer controlled.

 

[ColoradoChicky]

Nice job on the pop door and run posts. Can't wait to see what you do next!

 

[tracecom]

Nice job on the pop door and run posts. Can't wait to see what you do next!

Thanks.

Yesterday, after wasting all morning and most of the afternoon trying to reuse some old wire, I gave up and bought all new wire. We got about half of it put on, and hope to finish the rest today.

My estimate is that if my hens live to be 38 years old and lay five eggs each per day, I will recover most of my coop costs.

 

[So Cal Chic]

My estimate is that if my hens live to be 38 years old and lay five eggs each per day, I will recover most of my coop costs.

Yep. Nobody tells you about THAT chicken math.

With the contractor now just a couple days from completing our coop, which he refers to as the Coastal Chicken Compound, I tallied the costs yesterday. When my daughter was grumbling about not taking a family vacation this summer, I took her out to it and with my best Carol Merrrill flourish said, "Here's your vacation!"

 

[Jens8chicks]

It has turned out very nice! I love the design and like how hen house and coop are separated. Can't wait to see how the bridge turns out.

 

[tracecom]

Yep. Nobody tells you about THAT chicken math.

With the contractor now just a couple days from completing our coop, which he refers to as the Coastal Chicken Compound, I tallied the costs yesterday. When my daughter was grumbling about not taking a family vacation this summer, I took her out to it and with my best Carol Merrrill flourish said, "Here's your vacation!"

My wife and I are leaving tomorrow on a relatively inexpensive trip to Montreal. Good thing it was prepaid back in May!

 

[tracecom]

It has turned out very nice! I love the design and like how hen house and coop are separated. Can't wait to see how the bridge turns out.

Thanks. We got the wire on yesterday, and I am finishing the bridge today. I will post pictures tonight.

 

[jennychick45]

Very nice I wish I could do that!

 

[tracecom]

Very nice I wish I could do that!

Thank you. I bet you could if you tried, although it has taken me quite a while to get it to this stage.

 

[tracecom]

Here are the pictures with the wire in place. I still have lots to do, but it is functional now. I plan to attach light weight wire to the top of the run.





Notice that in the photo below, I have not yet attached the wire to the coop. As of now, it's simply a tight fit...good enough to keep the chicks in, but not secure against predators. With the pop door closed, the chicks are safe in the coop.



In this photo, you can see the wire on the bridge is connected to the hole in the run wire with zip ties.