New coop build

[SebashtionH]

Well since the fire of 2014 took out my almost finished coop, I figured to change the coop up a bit...
a friend of mine posted a link to a coop. I went to the site and this coop was awesome!!!!! I contacted the site and they only build the coops not sell plans. Now being a builder I didn't want to buy a pre fab coop, especially a $3,000 some coop plus shipping.
so I sat down and designed a coop inspired from that one....
Will start the build here beginning of February

 

[SebashtionH]

I was looking at the cleaning for the other coop and with a 5ftx6ft hen box I would have to climb in to clean it on my knees, and that just didn't seem like a lot of fun.....don't get me wrong I was happy with the other coop but being that I had to start over there are always tweaks you want to do to finished projects and this time I could.
This coop the Nesting Boxes are down the one side and the coops are down the other side. I would be able to walk right down the middle and reach everything coop dims are 8ftx12ft and like 71/2ft high at the highest point.

 

[tracecom]

I was looking at the cleaning for the other coop and with a 5ftx6ft hen box I would have to climb in to clean it on my knees, and that just didn't seem like a lot of fun.....don't get me wrong I was happy with the other coop but being that I had to start over there are always tweaks you want to do to finished projects and this time I could.
This coop the Nesting Boxes are down the one side and the coops are down the other side. I would be able to walk right down the middle and reach everything coop dims are 8ftx12ft and like 71/2ft high at the highest point.

I don't understand the layout. Are there individual "coops" down one side, or is it one big coop. Where do the chickens roost?

 

[Finnie]

Hm, I suppose being in Florida (I think that's what you said in your other thread), you could get away with having the nest boxes separated, since you won't be dealing with sub freezing temperatures. We've had below zero all week here, and my hens have all been wanting to squeeze together into the same box for warmth, so I'm glad they can do that. They won't budge outside the coop right now.

Will you HAVE to walk through the middle of the run to access the nests, or will you also have access from outside?

I agree with you about the hands and knees thing. Since elevated coops aren't walk-ins, it makes sense to keep them narrow enough to reach the middle. When I built mine, I also made sure to paint as many of the pieces as possible before assembling them, because I did not want to have to be on my hands and knees, contorting myself to paint the interior.

Looking forward to following your new build.

 

[SebashtionH]

Sorry that was suppose to read "The Coop is down the other side" they will roost in the coop

 

[SebashtionH]

Hm, I suppose being in Florida (I think that's what you said in your other thread), you could get away with having the nest boxes separated, since you won't be dealing with sub freezing temperatures. We've had below zero all week here, and my hens have all been wanting to squeeze together into the same box for warmth, so I'm glad they can do that. They won't budge outside the coop right now.

Will you HAVE to walk through the middle of the run to access the nests, or will you also have access from outside?

I agree with you about the hands and knees thing. Since elevated coops aren't walk-ins, it makes sense to keep them narrow enough to reach the middle. When I built mine, I also made sure to paint as many of the pieces as possible before assembling them, because I did not want to have to be on my hands and knees, contorting myself to paint the interior.

Looking forward to following your new build.

Yes in Florida so no snow or subzero temps......... yes walk right down the middle of the coop and have access to but the coop and the nesting boxes. I was going to have access to the nesting boxes from the out side but thought that was just a waste of hardware in this design being the nest boxes have fold down faces inside the coop.

 

[SebashtionH]

So here we go..... got most of the parts cut and dadoed the ends for lap joints. Have to rabbit the pieces for the solid inserts today....

 

[aart]

Wow..very organized, I like it!

 

[SebashtionH]

Got all the frames together today!!!! Sanding paint and assembly, then roofs.....
I build it so if one day something gets damaged I just pull that panel and replace it buy pulling 8 screws, or if i want to move it it packs flat minus the main roof...

 

[roseyred]

Hm, I suppose being in Florida (I think that's what you said in your other thread), you could get away with having the nest boxes separated, since you won't be dealing with sub freezing temperatures. We've had below zero all week here, and my hens have all been wanting to squeeze together into the same box for warmth, so I'm glad they can do that.  They won't budge outside the coop right now.

Will you HAVE to walk through the middle of the run to access the nests, or will you also have access from outside?

I agree with you about the hands and knees thing.  Since elevated coops aren't walk-ins, it makes sense to keep them narrow enough to reach the middle.  When I built mine, I also made sure to paint as many of the pieces as possible before assembling them, because I did not want to have to be on my hands and knees, contorting myself to paint the interior.

Looking forward to following your new build.

#1 I wanna see your build!
#2 it's been freezing here in md and my chickens are doing the same thing lol I even found the rooster in a nest box with his favorite hen. I built them a "upstairs" sleep area with a roost and plexiglass slanted roof and its actualy quite warm during the day because of the roof. Ofcourse they'd all rather go outside but be directly under the coop lol so I pick them up one by one and put them back when the wind gets bad. One day I letth free range in this harsh cold and after an hour I had lost them...we'll half were in te hay barn layig eggs and the other half were hiding with the goat in his run under lol.