New open air coop build

[Msalm]

So this late summer the wife surprised me with buying some chicks for egg layers. She’s wanted chickens for awhile and building a coop just wasn’t high on our busy lives priority list. This was 2 1/2 months ago, and we FINALLY moved the chickens out of the garage and into their new coop! It started with materials I had laying around, it is over built, but I should never have to build another one. On 6x6 treated posts, started out as 8x12’, but I added 3 more sheets of 3/4” treated plywood and made it 12x16 after she expressed a desire for a storage area to keep feed and such, and a brood pen where the chickens couldn’t poop on everything. So I’ll post a few pictures of the progress, inside is pretty much complete, outside is wrapped with tarpaper and vertical board and batten siding will happen later this fall or next spring along with adding a run.

MANY thanks to this forum as I got most of my ideas from here and the Woods book which I learned about here. It seemed like the best option from what I read.

I should add that side windows are storm windows that are temporary, I still have lots to do next spring. Pics with plastic covering front were just to bump up the temperature so the BlackJack #57 would cure better…and the wife wanted fully covered interior walls, but I compromised with a 4’ wall section. Some notes, it is BRIGHT, when people say they still lay eggs in the winter, I can see why. I live in SW Wisconsin and we do get bitterly cold weather, but our plans are to use it as designed and leave the front lower windows with just the hardware cloth tear round. Next spring I will build some tip up windows for the side openings that will hinge swing up to the inside and latch to a roof truss.

 

[Acre4Me]

WOW! Amazing coop! Great job on it!

 

[Banana01]

Materials just laying around lol. Impressive build, nicer than the house i live in.

Any plan to use the space under the house? Do you let them out sometimes?

 

[Msalm]

Plans are for the base to be wired with hardware cloth and be part of the run for shade. I did frame in an entry door but did not cut it out, that will wait until the run is erected this spring. I figured there would be plenty of room for them this winter with just the coop. Priority items this fall yet are as follows:
1- build/install stairs
2- dig trench and run electrical from my shop (two lights with switch and a couple outlets for heat lamp (brood pen in side room) and one for heated waterer.
3- ….might be it for this winter, have a lot of other things on the plate!

as for materials, I had to buy 3 sheets of treated plywood for the expansion, had the posts and some 2x8 SYP for the platform. I DID have to buy 2x4’s, OSB, tarpaper, 2x6’s, and buckets of screws it seemed. Local Amish provided the steel roofing and trim at a reasonable price. The materials were from a lean-to I was ‘supposed’ to build for a horse and heifer, wife bought them to try and get me going on it….I found a run-in-shed for sale and dodged that bullet last fall….seems to be a trend….she starts a project that forces me to jump hoops to get it done!

 

[Folly's place]

Love your build!!!
We don't have a Woods coop, and have always wanted one. Put up an ad, and build for other folks, bet you could have a nice side business doing this.
Mary

 

[Folly's place]

Plant some shrubs and at least one tree to shade it in summer, and as a wind break in winter.
Mary

 

[saysfaa]

Beautiful!!!

I agree it is the best design!

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC. That's a wonderful coop build!

 

[Msalm]

Thanks all, it really is due to the information I gleaned from various threads on this site. I ran across this site in doing research on the build and thought I’d share with the place that provided more information than I found anywhere else.

I’ll try and update as it gets tweaked. As stated, next up is power, stairs, and nesting boxes…and I’m sure a few things I’m forgetting that the wife will undoubtedly remind me of!

 

[BYC Project Manager]

Thanks all, it really is due to the information I gleaned from various threads on this site. I ran across this site in doing research on the build and thought I’d share with the place that provided more information than I found anywhere else.

I’ll try and update as it gets tweaked. As stated, next up is power, stairs, and nesting boxes…and I’m sure a few things I’m forgetting that the wife will undoubtedly remind me of!

Looking good - why not enter it in our coop page contest for a chance to win awesome prizes HERE?