New build... forgive the pace

[Ghosty]

Weve got a nice size yard and intend to free range all day, the girls will only be up at night and toying with the idea of building another house, this was our very first attempt and have already learned a LOT for how to make the next one even better this one has 5 nest boxes planned out and three perches that go end to end for sleeping.

I free range too. I have 25 bockers. Some of my game hens roost in the trees. Hoping all goes well!

 

[daviechik]

A little more progress and all the pieces for the roof is cut! Cannot wait to start putting siding on this thing and see it come together. Its getting to a point of being super heavy too, going to take at least two of us to get it off the patio

 

[aart]

all the pieces for the roof is cut!

Will it have good big roof overhangs?
I suggest the nest has a good roof overhang too and access door be put in back wall instead of on top.

 

[daviechik]

We have 3 of the 4 sides completed (didnt get a pic before it got dark) still under the patio... the babies turn 2 wks and 1 wk old tomorrow. Looking forward to painting the house and seeing it come together even more. Id love to be able to mount the heat lamp inside the house and move the babies in sooner for more floor space than the brooder in the garage.

Ill have to see how far the overhang goes, im not sure if it goes over the nest box however that wouldve made more sense.

 

[aart]

Ill have to see how far the overhang goes, im not sure if it goes over the nest box however that wouldve made more sense.

You can still put a large 'roof' overhang on the nests and have the access in the side/back instead of on top. This avoids having a hinge on top where leak can happen.

Coop overhang looks good at eaves, would be even better if you go with fly rafters to extend roof over gable ends of coop as well.

 

[DobieLover]

You can still put a large 'roof' overhang on the nests and have the access in the side/back instead of on top. This avoids having a hinge on top where leak can happen.

Coop overhang looks good at eaves, would be even better if you go with fly rafters to extend roof over gable ends of coop as well.

Fly rafters are the way to go!
I would also bend and slide a piece of aluminum flashing under the siding and over the roof underlayment of the roof deck of the nest box and then put on the roofing. I used a hinged bottom door with that set up on my first coop and never had any problems with water getting in the nest box.

 

[hispoptart]

It's looking really good so far. But it does look like it's going to take more then 2 people to get that off the porch. I personally would get it down before adding anymore weight to it.

 

[daviechik]

Weve talked about moving it, trying to wait as long as possible as it needs to be protected from south Florida's unpredictable weather.. my 15yo son comes back from his dads today so he'll be able to help my husband and i move it youre absolutely right though, its very heavy even just to shift it around. Ill have to reference the plans again for what it advises for nest box roof. I know it says were supposed to shingle the roof.

 

[Birdsong 82]

I wasnt sure if you were being sarcastic or not lol... if we don't lose a single one (and were not holding our breath, historically weve always lost a few, dogs, predators, etc) we will have 20 in total.

Most of what we ordered are smaller in size (not huge hens are full maturity) the house is 5x6 but we intend to build an additional house should it prove to be too small. The 5 nest boxes was how it was planned out, we hadnt designed it at all. Were excited to watch them grow and see how it works. Loving doing this build, its been fun so far!
I apologize if my post came out wrong. You can't have too many nest boxes. Even though it seems a lot of people have the same complaint I do of their chickens using exclusively one or two for Brody hens and things like that. And if you're getting up to 20 and five is a good number. What did they say the golden rule on that is one box per every 3 I think.
Either way it's looking great !

 

[daviechik]

we'll get this thing finished eventually lol... its COLD right now, paint ordered for exterior, more hardware cloth and led light for inside