New "used" playhouse chicken coop

[B-Goock]

It started with just a small 5' x 5' x 8' timber framed play house which was free! Concreted the posts in the ground, some extra lumber I had laying around from when I have built other things, extra OSB and siding from my house, and some extras from Home Depot. Heck I didn't even buy the shingles they were extra from my house too.

My biggest expense was to buy the fencing, hardware, and the chicken feeder and waterer. Oh and the chickens.

I have 6 RIR's and 2 black sex links. When I got them they were about two months old so the little lean-too off the side is 4 nesting boxes that I can access from outside the coop. Yay! No poop on your feet to get eggs.

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

 

[iheartnh]

Nicely done! Welcome to BYC!

 

[B-Goock]

I guess this is my new hobby considering how much time I have spent lately on it.



This is a pic of the access door under the nest boxes for the feed and water and to clean out poop. the door to the left is for access to the run. The four nest boxes just have expanded metal on them for right now since it's summer but in winter I'm going to make another door to go over top of them.




This door to the run is for putting in compost stuff for the girls to peck at. The small walls have become a fav hangout for them to perch on when I toss stuff in there.

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings from Kansas, B-Goock, and

! Great to have you with us! Great looking coop - you should go into business! Best wishes!

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! Glad you joined us!

 

[drumstick diva]

the openings in the wire and big enough to allow predators access, raccoons especially love to reach in and eat off any chicken part they can snag. Best to use 1/2" hardware cloth around the perimeter
of the coop/ run from ground up about 18" inches high also keeps young chicks from escaping.

 

[B-Goock]

the openings in the wire and big enough to allow predators access, raccoons especially love to reach in and eat off any chicken part they can snag. Best to use 1/2" hardware cloth around the perimeter
of the coop/ run from ground up about 18" inches high also keeps young chicks from escaping.

Yeah that is the next thing I need to work on. Thanks for the critique. Always welcome. First night the coons came and were pulling handfuls of grass clippings out of the coop. I'm not too worried because the girls always stay in the top of the coop at night. Right now the wire is buried about 16" down and then turns 90 degrees out for about 12-18" so they can't dig under it easily. I'm also planning on putting a perimeter of gravel around the outside with some fine chat mixed in so it will hard pack.

 

[TheCrazyClucker]

Welcome to BYC from Kansas
Love the coop!

 

[B-Goock]

Well my girls have been laying for about 3 months now. I got my first eggs on my birthday! Two presents. I was so happy I was getting eggs. Paying me back. lol

Currently I get around 6-8 eggs a day so everyone gets plenty of eggs. I also started a trend at work. A couple guys asked about why I wanted chickens so I told them the benefits. Poo for the garden, they like to eat bugs, give eggs, eat most of the kitchen scraps, are entertaining, and once started don't require alot of money to feed or take care of them. Two guys have built coops and a couple others are thinking about it.

Additions to the coop have been electric run underground to the coop, GFCI outlet, a light on a timer, and a "patio block" water heater.