My New Coop

[tedennis]

Hi everyone,

I am new to chicken ownership. I bought 10 mixed breed pullets from tractor supply in April and am working on the coop. I wanted to get everyones opinion and hopefully get a few questions answered. Thanks for reading.

I started with a precut 8x8 shed form menards. I was planning on building from scratch but when material was figured, it wasnt worth the trouble to cut everything myself. The time saved was definately worth the price difference.

It was designed with floor joist at 24 inches on center. I bought 4 extra 2x4s and made it 12 inch on center. Definately worth it in the long run.

I picked up the deck foundation blocks from the side of the road one day. Those are freebies. One mans trash is another mans treasure. Figured it was an easy way to get coop off the ground. Good thing too because a week after we built shed, it downpoured and I realized I set coop in a low spot in the yard. We may have to make some adjustments later.

Standard 1/2 OSB for the floor. No big deal here.

I had a lot of help from a friend who had both coop building experience and tools. He brought his portable air compressor as well as air nailers and staplers. Let me tell you, It would have taken me days without the air tools and by myself.

The kit came with the drip edge, tar paper and 20 year shingles. Another selling point for me. oh, and the roofing nails. Cant forget those.

I went another 8 feet off of side and buried 3 treated 4x4s. Then ran 2x4s across to keep it together. The top tier is another 4x4. I used 4x4s mainly becasue I got those free also (in-laws old playset) and becasue they are treated. Worked out great.

I used some split rail type fenceing around the bottom 3 feet. Was also free, left over from a neighbor. They are 2x3 inch openings. I used chicken wire over the top and stapled it to the framing. Chicken wire was also free from my brothers. Anyone noticing a patten here? I spent some money up front for the kit but saved quite a bit down the road.

I framed in a door for access to the run. I am hoping to not have to go in very often but wont be a problem now when I do.

This is the chicken door into the coop. Designed it to slide up and down. I am going to hook it up to a cable so I can open and close it from outside the run area. It was nice and dry when I made it and now since all the rain we have gotten, the wood has swelled and is hard to slide. I am going to trim it down a little to fix this. Other wise looks great and will function great soon.

I built a ladder type roost that should work good. I used 5 1 inch dowels.

I used the 4x4 on one side only because I was out of 2x4s. O well. Here it is in the coop:

Should work out very well.

Here are my ladies, ready to move up to the big house.

All I have left is to make a window, and I want to frame in a screen door to the coop so I can leave it open for ventilation on hot days. I also need to caulk and paint but htat can wait.

So what do you all think? Any comments and criticisms are welcome.

How can I improve it?

I still need to make nesting box but I am planning on hanging it outside on right side wall. I was told hanging it outside may be too cold for them in the winter. They wont go in it. What do you guys think? I would much rather put it outside for the sake of room inside. Either way I want outside access to nesting boxes.

But anyway, Thanks for reading and let me know what you think.

 

[allieloveschickens]

I think it looks great! Good job finding so much free stuff! I love your run too. The only thing I would suggest would be changing your roost from dowels to 2x4's laid flat, they are easier for chickens to roost on, and allows them to sit on their feet in cold weather to keep warm- with little dowels their toes have to wrap around and they can't keep them toasty.
Oh also do you have ventilation? very important! Chickens produce a lot of moisture, so if you don't have any I would definitely add some vents.

 

[tedennis]

As for ventilation, what is sufficient? I was planning on putting a small window ( probalby 12x12) on the opposite side of the chicken door. Would this make enough of a cross breeze?

Maybe a second window? Or do you mean the little vents that would be in the side of you attic? just the grate thing.

I will leave the main door open during warm months but wont be able to in winter. And can I leave screened window open in winter or no?

Sorry for all the questions. Just dont want to screw this up. Thanks.

 

[PoppiesChicks]

We used this same building for our coop. We hung the nesting boxes inside and there seems to be plenty of room. I put a wider poop board across the top of the nesting boxes and the roost the length of the wall over that. I put a 22" x 48 window I found in the scratch and dent section of menards. I also cut vents up high on the opposite wall of the window. My husband is cutting vents in the door that will open and close. We added a run of 8 x 20. How many chickens are you going to keep in your coop? I can't decided how many?
Looks good!!!

 

[tedennis]

More progress today.

I got 2 windows made. The first is 16" x 16". I put hinges on bottom so window would just lay down.

The second window is on the back. It measures 16" x 40". Hinges down also.

I also made the ramp to chicken door and made small steps with trim pieces. Probable unnessecary but I saw it in a picture and thought it looked good.

I moved them out into the coop today. I could not find any wood chips by me but will get some after work tmro. I will have a little mess to clean up but couldnt wait any longer to move them. The garage was 100* with door wide open.

They didnt know what to do. I had one fly up and hit the chicken wire and that was it. I had to pick them all up except one to put them in for the night. Hopefully this will change as they adjust to their new home.

I still need to finish the trim work and then caulk and paint everything. This will happen over the next couple weeks as the weather straightens out.

The father in law also scored me a roughly 4' x 8' sheet of stainless steel off an old wooden playset slide. I plan on fitting this under the roost and nesting boxes to ease clean up and protect the floor in the long run.

I am also planning on 1 more window, probably in the main door, and a couple higher vents.

As for the question, so far only 10 chickens. I built this with the idea of possibly more in the future though. And maybe ducks or something else.

I will continue to post as I get things done. Thanks for reading.

 

[hcppam]

love the run gait door you made nice job!

 

[BlueBetween]

your run design is really nice - I like your door to it!

 

[tedennis]

Thanks. The run was definately flying by the seat of my pants. I had no idea how it would actually turn out. I am pretty happy with it in the end. It still needs a few finishing touches, but so does the rest of the coop.

It will get done eventually.