New Hen House build

[G-Man]

Wow, This is the first I've seen this thread and I am just

. You have some wicked skills. Absolutely beautiful, and so functional.

This is just the most wonderfull hen house I've ever seen!!! Really you've impressed me very much. If I would live in your country I would ask you to make one for me!

And look at those gorgeous happy chickenfaces, they are so lucky!

Excellent coop. Wish I had the skills to build something like that.

Thank you all for the extremely generous compliments.

 

[sierraoscar]

That is one of the nicest looking coops I have seen. It's going to be a shame to see it with poop all over it.

I agree! Love how your have complimented your actual human house nearby - looks so fabulous - it's a credit to you. Really wish I had the carpentry skills you have - if there was a calendar of 'great chicken houses' yours would be the front cover.

 

[chicki-vicki]

Holy Moly - now thats labor of love - I'm a newbie too - and I'm still in the planing stage - my hubby keeps telling me I'm going overboard -
1 look at your beautiful work and he's quited down about my humble plans.You have spured me on, just as soon as we get the garden planted - I fully intend on hearding hubby right over to the chicken spot. I share your excitment if I ddn't wont my gaden so badly, I'd get started in the morning.Oh well, I'll get it all, planting time waits for no man. Just wish I hadn't caught the chicken fever so bad. Your work is beautiful. Enjoy!!

 

[G-Man]

I agree! Love how your have complimented your actual human house nearby - looks so fabulous - it's a credit to you. Really wish I had the carpentry skills you have - if there was a calendar of 'great chicken houses' yours would be the front cover.

Thank you, I appreciate your compliments. I've been threatening to create a "coop page" like so many here have done but I'm still not finished with the landscape or the cabinets yet. Never enough time in the day.

 

[G-Man]

Holy Moly - now thats labor of love - I'm a newbie too - and I'm still in the planing stage - my hubby keeps telling me I'm going overboard -
1 look at your beautiful work and he's quited down about my humble plans.You have spured me on, just as soon as we get the garden planted - I fully intend on hearding hubby right over to the chicken spot. I share your excitment if I ddn't wont my gaden so badly, I'd get started in the morning.Oh well, I'll get it all, planting time waits for no man. Just wish I hadn't caught the chicken fever so bad. Your work is beautiful. Enjoy!!

Thank you for your awesome comments.. Love your handle "Chicki-Vicki" made me smile.

I enjoy planting a garden too, usually just a summer garden though starting around May. I'll be planting plenty of extras for my birds this year.
Best of luck with your coop and garden projects, be sure to post your progress.

 

[Time-Out]

Thanks for your explanation, it's great. I can understand exactly how you did it. I'm surprised it's all hanging off a 1" x 2" strip of wood. I'd love an update in a few months to hear whether it is still level, or if you notice some sagging after having had some large ladies jumping on and off.

I used some cheapo shelf brackets for our poop tray (it's an old run-down stable-block on an allotment - I wasn't going all expenses out for a temporary home) and I've noticed some sagging in one corner on the bantam side. There are only sebrights and bantam barnevelders in there, so hardly heavy birds. They must practise their trampoline skills while the humans are out.

You're certainly very skilled with wood. Are you a carpenter by trade? You've made me want to retire - very - early to have a go myself!

 

[G-Man]

Thanks for your explanation, it's great. I can understand exactly how you did it. I'm surprised it's all hanging off a 1" x 2" strip of wood. I'd love an update in a few months to hear whether it is still level, or if you notice some sagging after having had some large ladies jumping on and off.

I used some cheapo shelf brackets for our poop tray (it's an old run-down stable-block on an allotment - I wasn't going all expenses out for a temporary home) and I've noticed some sagging in one corner on the bantam side. There are only sebrights and bantam barnevelders in there, so hardly heavy birds. They must practise their trampoline skills while the humans are out.

You're certainly very skilled with wood. Are you a carpenter by trade? You've made me want to retire - very - early to have a go myself!

You're welcome.

I used a lot of yellow glue at each connection, that coupled with the screws and sandwich type construction just made it rock solid.
I used this type of construction on the shelves in our pantry. They were only 12" deep and I used 3/4" cabinet plywood top and bottom, but the cleat idea was the same.

The only corner that would be vulnerable to sagging is the one outside corner. The cleat runs across the front and the 2' side of the boards.

Sometimes they just fly up to the edge and step up to the roosting bar and other times they will walk up the ladder, stroll across to larger L shaped board then jump across the void to the 5' section. My oldest birds are 11 months old now and that's where they've all been sleeping since they could get up there... and it can still support my weight (bridged across the two droppings boards).

No I'm not a carpenter.. I was a machinist for 10 years.. I've always liked to build things. My wife and I have had rental properties for almost 15 years. I was always building or remodeling something.
Thank you for the nice compliments.


Here are a couple pics of the boards that were taken at the end of January.
After a healthy coop cleaning.. of course.

You can see the ladder they climb and the gap they jump across to go to sleep at night.


And here they are all situated for the night.


In the summer months I leave both windows open.
When the cooler temps come in I close one of the windows.

 

[Farrah]

Any suggestions on plants to put in my girls run that they will not eat...my sweet girls have pretty much wiped out everything..i really want it to have something green in there?!?

 

[aart]

...

 

[7 Biddies]

Time-Out,

You're avatar is beautiful. What is it?

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