It took me about 5 weeks to build and I started off thinking it was just going to be a simple box. Many, many doors later, I completed the project and will be (hopefully) getting chickens (Silver Sebrights) this weekend!
It measures 4X6 and is almost 8 feet tall once on the concrete blocks. The interior is divided into 4 parts: Laying, roosting, loft and living. I have a perch on the lower level that runs the entire 6 feet with a 4 foot roost in the loft by the large window. The window is a piece of glass from the old style home stereos surrounded by routed 2x4s.
The loft is accessed by the "mini-stairs" and the stairs are accessed by a short perch (lots of hopping around for exercise).
There will be sand in the living area which can be removed via a drain in the floor.
It was designed around ease of cleaning with plywood slide trays under each roost and access doors.
I decided to avoid the type of nesting box that protrudes out the side of the coop and kept them inside and off the floor. I lined the nesting area with vinyl squares, also for ease of cleaning. The bottom nesting box can be accessed from the living area, via a short perch, and the top nesting box can be accessed from the loft.
The back access door is for the loft slide tray. There is a main enter/exit door, ventilation/stairs access door, main roost clean tray door, loft access door (which will also be used as an exit door with a ramp to some high-cut tree trunks), nesting box door and the main sliding doors in the front.
Once set on the blocks, there will be a small run under the coop.
I will be using the space under a large trampoline as a starter run and will free range when they are familiar with "coop procedures".
Your feedback is much appreciated
The main sliding doors.
Added the flower boxes as an after thought.
Doors, doors and more doors!
Loft clean tray access
The view from the main entrance.
The stairs and main roost.
Nice view through the tinted stereo window.
Egg access.
It measures 4X6 and is almost 8 feet tall once on the concrete blocks. The interior is divided into 4 parts: Laying, roosting, loft and living. I have a perch on the lower level that runs the entire 6 feet with a 4 foot roost in the loft by the large window. The window is a piece of glass from the old style home stereos surrounded by routed 2x4s.
The loft is accessed by the "mini-stairs" and the stairs are accessed by a short perch (lots of hopping around for exercise).
There will be sand in the living area which can be removed via a drain in the floor.
It was designed around ease of cleaning with plywood slide trays under each roost and access doors.
I decided to avoid the type of nesting box that protrudes out the side of the coop and kept them inside and off the floor. I lined the nesting area with vinyl squares, also for ease of cleaning. The bottom nesting box can be accessed from the living area, via a short perch, and the top nesting box can be accessed from the loft.
The back access door is for the loft slide tray. There is a main enter/exit door, ventilation/stairs access door, main roost clean tray door, loft access door (which will also be used as an exit door with a ramp to some high-cut tree trunks), nesting box door and the main sliding doors in the front.
Once set on the blocks, there will be a small run under the coop.
I will be using the space under a large trampoline as a starter run and will free range when they are familiar with "coop procedures".
Your feedback is much appreciated
The main sliding doors.
Added the flower boxes as an after thought.
Doors, doors and more doors!
Loft clean tray access
The view from the main entrance.
The stairs and main roost.
Nice view through the tinted stereo window.
Egg access.
