My new COOP!

[davisfamily]

So the elder laying RIR that I had was half eaten by a once a blue moon predator. That was my only chicken at the time, and I didn't think my DW would let me get any more. A few days go by and she suggests to go by TSC and check out the chicks, something that our four boys would enjoy. Well, long story short, we end up the same day with 8 week old chicks in a rabbit cage brooder in my barn. Chicken math, right???

Two each: RIR, Barred Rock, White Leghorn, and Buff Orps, all sexed females.

Well, as you all know, those week old chickens grow about 1/2" per day, so they soon outgrew the 30x36" rabbit cage. I had to replace the 2x3' roosting box that would only hold about 2-3 full size chickens.

Out came the drawing books. I went through about 15 plans in my head and on paper, swaying between designs. Well, last Friday came around, I had a trailer ready to pick up my lumber, and I still hadn't chosen a plan! I bought with a pretty good idea of what I wanted, adding a few pieces of lumber for back up.

Yesterday rolls around, and my two smallest helpers are at their Granny's house, so I could actually get some building done. I was moving like a man possessed trying to build this new chicken coop in a weekend. By now, the little chicks were trying to fly in the cage, stretch their new feathers, etc. The BRs were poking around the cage door, just ready to hop out and peck around on my barn floor!

Went out and started framing, then sheeting, then finishing. Paint will come next weekend, as will another human door on the left side of the long wall. My DW had the brilliant idea to put a pop door in the floor and the wire the space under the coop for them while they are still young, and that turned out really great!

Finished coop size is 4x8' with 2' legs. The food and water will be moved underneath the coop when they get older, and nest boxes will be built on the front short side. The old dog run it sits in is 22x11'. That's the barn in the background. We live on about 3.5 acres in rural east central Georgia.

Pics:

 

[Silkie Chick]

Very nice coop, it looks like your little chickens are very happy

 

[teach1rusl]

Looks good!

Looks like your area would be host to alot more than just "once in a blue moon" predators, so I'd make sure they are well secured inside each evening.
Before summertime heat hits, you may want to add some more ventilation for those hot summer nights.

 

[Fleabuskitty]

That looks awesome! Are you going to paint it? I agree that you may want to add more ventilation. Maybe make a window and cover it in chicken wire? One of my coops is a metal shed and is open all around the top about 3" and also has an unnecessarily large pop door, and I still worry that I may need to add a window.
Oh yeah,

 

[davisfamily]

Had time to add some finishing touches to the coop. All I have to do now is paint it, but I am also building an above-ground pool, laying tile in my sons' bedroom, rebuilding and reinstalling the engine in my Datsun 510, working, etc. etc. etc.

I wanted the board 'n batten look on the coop to match the barn it sits next to, so I scrounged up some old lattice boards (1/4" x 2") and tacked them on with a nail gun. Finished the other 3x3' person door on the long side, so we can access the chickens and pine shavings. I also built and installed the nest boxes, added two more vents opposite the large open window, and added a carpet-covered pop door ladder.

I'm painting it a rustic red color.







Here's the idea my wife had about the under-coop fenced chicken run. They love it down there, it's been in the 80's for about a week here.