onarres
Chirping
Hello all,
I joined back in July and was just a lurker digging through the TONS !!! of helpful info to help get me started in building my coop and becoming a responsible chicken keeper. I had chickens around as a child, and always wanted to have them around after I settled down in my older years. Now that I'm at that point, I've started my coop build.
I originally planned to buy a pre-fabricated coop, but after some research I found those coops to be made in China, cheaply made, too small for the advertised amount of chickens they said it would hold.
While browsing the Internet, my path led me here where I found all the information I needed to say the Heck with those crap coops, I'll build my own.
The Coop tab got my motivation going after seeing all the different shapes and sizes and creativity of coops, I picked out a favorite based on what I wanted in a coop.
A closed coop with a enclosed run that I could stand in, and one I could move into when the wife was mad at me
Just kidding 
Anyway I decided to borrow a design from "Wichita-cabin-coop" at this link https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/wichita-cabin-coop.
This seems to be a favorite design. I've seen several variations of this coop, all of them modified but just as good.
The maker of this coop will send you the files with the building material list and blueprint for a small donation. I was able to look over the blueprint and modify it to my own liking and the advice I found in the learning center tab.
Here are a few of my favorite links that has helped me with my build version of the coop
How much room do chickens need https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-much-room-do-chickens-need
Patandchickens' Big Ol' VENTILATION Page https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...-go-out-there-and-cut-more-holes-in-your-coop
Coop Hygiene https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/some-thoughts-on-general-coop-hygiene-and-ventilation
My coop size is 4 x 8 with enclose run making it 8 x 10. At 4 sq ft per large breed that gave me room for 8 . I had planned for 5 hens, but after seeing and reading about Heritage Rhode Island Reds at this link https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/407294/the-heritage-rhode-island-red-site I fell in love with this breed.
It's like the coop I'm building now. I am taking the time to do it right and taking great care to include the best benefits and features that will provide a great home for my future birds.
Not that different from the breeders that have spent generations loving and caring for a breed to try to reach a standard of perfection. Not saying that hatchery chickens are bad, or made in china coops are worthless. it's just not what I'm looking for.
These are some of the pictures I have from the build so far. I hope to be done soon, weather permitting. I cant wait to get some heritage RIR into
"Huevo Rancho"
It's what I'm calling it
.
Ground breaking in Georgia clay with a healthy dose of rocks. Added some 4 x 4 x 16 cement blocks to make it more predator proof
Added some good top soil as fill to level Now putting down blocks for the frame. These are glued in place with concrete bond
Frame base going down, last chance to make sure all is level. Done and ready for framing
Used treated lumber for all the framing
Done with framing, installed coop floor. DoH !! I found out, cant paint treated lumber until it has had time to dry out. 3-6 months.
Started roof building to keep lumber drying
Nesting box building
Hardware cloth put in
Nesting box, windows and doors are pine lumber to they get painted before outside exposure
Nesting box installed
Built wood frame window, cut glass and glazed with help from You-Tube Window installed
Front door build
Built a small window for door
Now needs some paint on all the trim,
Well that's all for now, I'll post more as progress continues.
Thanks for listening
I joined back in July and was just a lurker digging through the TONS !!! of helpful info to help get me started in building my coop and becoming a responsible chicken keeper. I had chickens around as a child, and always wanted to have them around after I settled down in my older years. Now that I'm at that point, I've started my coop build.
I originally planned to buy a pre-fabricated coop, but after some research I found those coops to be made in China, cheaply made, too small for the advertised amount of chickens they said it would hold.
While browsing the Internet, my path led me here where I found all the information I needed to say the Heck with those crap coops, I'll build my own.
The Coop tab got my motivation going after seeing all the different shapes and sizes and creativity of coops, I picked out a favorite based on what I wanted in a coop.
A closed coop with a enclosed run that I could stand in, and one I could move into when the wife was mad at me
Just kidding Anyway I decided to borrow a design from "Wichita-cabin-coop" at this link https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/wichita-cabin-coop.
This seems to be a favorite design. I've seen several variations of this coop, all of them modified but just as good.
The maker of this coop will send you the files with the building material list and blueprint for a small donation. I was able to look over the blueprint and modify it to my own liking and the advice I found in the learning center tab.
Here are a few of my favorite links that has helped me with my build version of the coop
How much room do chickens need https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-much-room-do-chickens-need
Patandchickens' Big Ol' VENTILATION Page https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...-go-out-there-and-cut-more-holes-in-your-coop
Coop Hygiene https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/some-thoughts-on-general-coop-hygiene-and-ventilation
My coop size is 4 x 8 with enclose run making it 8 x 10. At 4 sq ft per large breed that gave me room for 8 . I had planned for 5 hens, but after seeing and reading about Heritage Rhode Island Reds at this link https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/407294/the-heritage-rhode-island-red-site I fell in love with this breed.
It's like the coop I'm building now. I am taking the time to do it right and taking great care to include the best benefits and features that will provide a great home for my future birds.
Not that different from the breeders that have spent generations loving and caring for a breed to try to reach a standard of perfection. Not saying that hatchery chickens are bad, or made in china coops are worthless. it's just not what I'm looking for.
These are some of the pictures I have from the build so far. I hope to be done soon, weather permitting. I cant wait to get some heritage RIR into
It's what I'm calling it
Ground breaking in Georgia clay with a healthy dose of rocks. Added some 4 x 4 x 16 cement blocks to make it more predator proof
Added some good top soil as fill to level Now putting down blocks for the frame. These are glued in place with concrete bond
Frame base going down, last chance to make sure all is level. Done and ready for framing
Used treated lumber for all the framing
Done with framing, installed coop floor. DoH !! I found out, cant paint treated lumber until it has had time to dry out. 3-6 months.
Started roof building to keep lumber drying
Nesting box building
Hardware cloth put in
Nesting box, windows and doors are pine lumber to they get painted before outside exposure
Nesting box installed
Built wood frame window, cut glass and glazed with help from You-Tube Window installed
Front door build
Built a small window for door
Now needs some paint on all the trim,
Well that's all for now, I'll post more as progress continues.
Thanks for listening
) Wow! Nice coop and great job chronicling the building of it. Thanks for all the photos. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Cheers.
