New hen house build, old trailer frame

[CanbyDan]

Fellow at work asked if I'd like an old camp trailer frame to use as a utility trailer, being the packrat that I am..... That was last spring, placed the flatbed trailer in the chicken run (it's about 8k sqft), the 30ish birds loved it for shade from summer sun. Our existing coop (was a kids 5 x 7' play house from Craigslist for $200) was too small and winter on the way, we decided to use trailer frame for new coop.

Second day of construction, all 2x4 and 16" on center construction. Way overbuilt. Measures about 8 x12' by 8' walls.

Found one corner of frame bent down, I'll just cut a filler piece to take up gap.

Front wall, 30" door and two 2x4" slider windows (from craigslist)

Roof construction, took me a couple designs before I settled on this style.

Roofed with corrugated, galvanized roof panels. Little spendy but last longer than I will.

Pictures little out of sequence. This is start of building nesting boxes. It's a Bourdon Pipe from a 100 year old theater organ, measures about 6' tall and 12x12" outside diameter. Will be cutting down to 16" deep.

This is the pile of organ pipes I saved from landfill. Buddy of mine (fellow theater organ kook like me) was clearing out his warehouse, about 10 yards were going to dump, this is what I saved.

Beginning of nest boxes

Layout I came up with, they will be about 24" off coop floor.

Some of the smaller organ pipes, thinking of making a display like this to go top of nest boxes. Will look neat and keep hens off the top.

Still need to seal backs with plywood and make a perch in front. Will also have curtains made from feed bags.

Here's mostly finished exterior, need to build a door and trim out. When done, I'll tow to back yard where the yard birds live. Will post more as I make progress.

Dan & Vicki,
Canby OR

 

[Hope Hughes]

Hello
Amazing job on the coop!!!!
Love the reuse of the organ pipes!!!!!
Wish i could be that creative!!
​

 

[aart]

Too cool!

Don't think it's overbuilt for a coop....but wonders about weight limit of tires.

Nests might be a bit small, they like height to stand when the egg actually drops, but great idea.

Great roof overhangs, did you leave the soffits open for ventilation?

 

[Ridgerunner]

The only overbuild I see is that you have twice as many nests as you need for thirty hens. How much vertical clear room do you have inside those nests? I'm guessing ten inches. When you are putting the lip on to hold the bedding in it may help to know I've had full-sized hens use a nest with a 6" high opening into the nest.

I don't think that inside height will keep them from laying in there, I've seen hens make nests in some really tight places. But to get more height and since you seem to like decorations, how about rotating those nests 45 degrees so they stand on a point. That would give you a lot more internal height and width. Just a thought.

For 30 chickens that 8x12 is not overbuild at all. And I like that height. Not only can you comfortably work in there you can put your ventilation well over their heads. With that overhang on the roof you can have plenty of rain-free ventilation.

It's great that you can incorporate your passion, those organ pipes, into the build. I'm not sure that decoration will keep them from sleeping over the nests though, if that is higher than the roosts they'll probably sleep on them. I've seen chickens sleep on some pretty thin roosts. I use the top of my nests as a droppings board for the juvenile roost, but with that decoration there it would be a problem to scrape. When you install that decoration you might do it in a way that will be easy to take down if it doesn't work out.

All in all a great job. And I love the reuse of materials.

 

[CanbyDan]

Too cool!

Don't think it's overbuilt for a coop....but wonders about weight limit of tires.

Nests might be a bit small, they like height to stand when the egg actually drops, but great idea.

Great roof overhangs, did you leave the soffits open for ventilation?

No worries about the tires, it's only traveling couple hundred feet to the Chicken ranch. I'll set on cement blocks and remove axle, will be open underside for rain/sun protection. I too wondered if the nest boxes are too short, they're about 10" high inside. If it turns out too short, I'll build better. Soffits are all open, will be plenty of ventilation. I will be screening bottom of trusses to keep birds from roosting up there, not enough room for them to land safely.

 

[CanbyDan]

The only overbuild I see is that you have twice as many nests as you need for thirty hens. How much vertical clear room do you have inside those nests? I'm guessing ten inches. When you are putting the lip on to hold the bedding in it may help to know I've had full-sized hens use a nest with a 6" high opening into the nest.

I don't think that inside height will keep them from laying in there, I've seen hens make nests in some really tight places. But to get more height and since you seem to like decorations, how about rotating those nests 45 degrees so they stand on a point. That would give you a lot more internal height and width. Just a thought.

For 30 chickens that 8x12 is not overbuild at all. And I like that height. Not only can you comfortably work in there you can put your ventilation well over their heads. With that overhang on the roof you can have plenty of rain-free ventilation.

It's great that you can incorporate your passion, those organ pipes, into the build. I'm not sure that decoration will keep them from sleeping over the nests though, if that is higher than the roosts they'll probably sleep on them. I've seen chickens sleep on some pretty thin roosts. I use the top of my nests as a droppings board for the juvenile roost, but with that decoration there it would be a problem to scrape. When you install that decoration you might do it in a way that will be easy to take down if it doesn't work out.

All in all a great job. And I love the reuse of materials.

You may be right about nest quantity, we'll see what the girls think about it, easy to remove extra and toss in burn pile. Will be about a 3" lip to keep bedding/eggs inside as well as a perch in front so girls can see whats empty.

Like your idea about setting nests at an angle, maybe I'll set some at an angle and see what nests are preferred.

The decorative pipes will be easy to remove if the yard birds are trying to roost on pipe edges. it is purely decoration. Thinking of taking one of the large pipes (6' tall, 12x12" square) and making another feeder for inside. We normally feed outside from a picnic cooler that holds 50# sack and keeps feed dry. Have a zillion other "different" coop ad-on ideas but if I post all now you'll all know how few marbles left in my head ;-)

 

[aart]

it is purely decoration

Oooohhhh..... 'things to dust'.
Sorry, old family joke.

 

[Mr Pink]

Looks awesome but I have to ask ... what's the purpose of having the coop on the trailer ? You plan on free ranging in different areas ???

 

[CanbyDan]

Looks awesome but I have to ask ... what's the purpose of having the coop on the trailer ? You plan on free ranging in different areas ???

All three of our [past] coops have been raised above ground, we like that they can be under and out of the weather. With it above ground, we have less to worry about digging predators getting in coop. The steel frame turned out to be the size we needed, besides I'm the king of using what's on hand!

 

[CanbyDan]

Here's some updates on our new hen house build. Still getting in an hour or so a day designing, building and painting.

Mostly finished nest boxes made from pipe organ pipes. Still needs some paint on perches and sew up some privacy curtains from old feed bags.

Shot of new paint on floor. Floor color was originally for outside color (classic barn red) but changed mind to cream white. Was not my first choice for floor but now that it's down, I like it.

More of that soon to be covered in wheat straw floor.

Hope the girls go for the new roost. About 6' wide, roosts 16" apart, still needs paint. Have an idea for a poop blanket to hang under, still pondering how to setup. Roost is only fastened by one screw each side, top of side rails. This will let me tip it up out of the way for cleaning, thinking a simple rope & pulley setup to lift and hold up.

That's all for tonight, this weekend should get rest of it done.

Dan