New to the site, but browsed coop designs extensively when looking at getting chicks this spring. Took me 2 years to pull the trigger on chickens, and now we have 3 blue laced golden Wyandotte chicks and 3 Guinea keets feathering out waiting for their new home.
Started about 10 weeks ago, with a couple weeks of no activity in the middle - and just finished today! Will probably be adding some extra hardware cloth to the bottom of the run - but otherwise ready for chicks! Went with a 6’x10’ run with an enclosed 4’x6’ section.
We cleared our spot at the top of a hill in our backyard (in the woods), so digging a full foundation wasn’t ideal due to tree roots and the like. Instead, we used 6 piling anchors, 4x4s, and concrete with anchors. It took a few tries to get them relatively square, but worked okay.
Next, started framing out run walls and coop walls. Did that all in our garage, then hauled them out to the build site and started installing from the highest corner.
With the lean-to style roof, got the risers on the front to give us an extra foot. Front is 6’ to the top, back is 5’. Used a sawzall to cut off the tops of the 4x4s, then added top plates. Embarrassingly more geometry later, we had a template for our rafters and a dry fit of the first one.
Rafters and roofing were next. Hubby wanted 18” spacing, so that’s what it is. Which doesn’t line up with ANYTHING and caused issues later, but they worked fine for us climbing up to roof.
Then started on putting hardware cloth under the coop and in the windows that I built into the frames before putting the floor in.
We did the nesting boxes/storage space freehand, pretty much. Got that framed out (it’s ugly but stable) and then started putting siding on.
Next was the coop door. Framed out again in the basement, then fitted in and siding put on it. We used 2x4s that we split down the center to keep it lighter. Used some sturdy gate hinges for the whole deal.
Then started filling in all the open spaces on the side of the coops using the same siding. Some pretty specific shapes to fit the openings we had. I ended up putting hardware cloth in all the corners at the top rather than trying to make even more bizarre shapes. Added lids to the nesting boxes and storage box (smaller one).
Cut out a hole for the pop-door, then put on some 2x4s as guides, and a boat line with a couple hooks to guide it to the outside. Two loops in the rope and a screw to hold the line in the right spot on the front by the coop door.
We put chicken wire on the main run - but after watching my German shepherd try to get in today, that’s going to get some backup down low from hardware cloth.
Built Dutch doors for the run so I can refill water or feed without having to let anyone out.
Inside, I put cheap stick-on tile on the floor to help with clean out and prevent rot if I do deep-litter method in the future. Also kept a slot in the front for a 2x6 to keep the litter from falling out.
Then used some of our extra plywood and some 2x4s to frame out the nesting boxes and close up the storage space. Because we live in the woods, we’ve got lots of branches available to us. Grabbed a few and cut them to the right length. Used 2x4s and some plywood scraps to secure the roosting bars in place (but allow for removal for cleaning or replacement).
Final product (we’ll paint another day!)
Brought the flock out for a visit in the warm weather and seems to have gotten 12 wings up! Let me know what you think!
Started about 10 weeks ago, with a couple weeks of no activity in the middle - and just finished today! Will probably be adding some extra hardware cloth to the bottom of the run - but otherwise ready for chicks! Went with a 6’x10’ run with an enclosed 4’x6’ section.
We cleared our spot at the top of a hill in our backyard (in the woods), so digging a full foundation wasn’t ideal due to tree roots and the like. Instead, we used 6 piling anchors, 4x4s, and concrete with anchors. It took a few tries to get them relatively square, but worked okay.
Next, started framing out run walls and coop walls. Did that all in our garage, then hauled them out to the build site and started installing from the highest corner.
With the lean-to style roof, got the risers on the front to give us an extra foot. Front is 6’ to the top, back is 5’. Used a sawzall to cut off the tops of the 4x4s, then added top plates. Embarrassingly more geometry later, we had a template for our rafters and a dry fit of the first one.
Rafters and roofing were next. Hubby wanted 18” spacing, so that’s what it is. Which doesn’t line up with ANYTHING and caused issues later, but they worked fine for us climbing up to roof.
Then started on putting hardware cloth under the coop and in the windows that I built into the frames before putting the floor in.
We did the nesting boxes/storage space freehand, pretty much. Got that framed out (it’s ugly but stable) and then started putting siding on.
Next was the coop door. Framed out again in the basement, then fitted in and siding put on it. We used 2x4s that we split down the center to keep it lighter. Used some sturdy gate hinges for the whole deal.
Then started filling in all the open spaces on the side of the coops using the same siding. Some pretty specific shapes to fit the openings we had. I ended up putting hardware cloth in all the corners at the top rather than trying to make even more bizarre shapes. Added lids to the nesting boxes and storage box (smaller one).
Cut out a hole for the pop-door, then put on some 2x4s as guides, and a boat line with a couple hooks to guide it to the outside. Two loops in the rope and a screw to hold the line in the right spot on the front by the coop door.
We put chicken wire on the main run - but after watching my German shepherd try to get in today, that’s going to get some backup down low from hardware cloth.
Built Dutch doors for the run so I can refill water or feed without having to let anyone out.
Inside, I put cheap stick-on tile on the floor to help with clean out and prevent rot if I do deep-litter method in the future. Also kept a slot in the front for a 2x6 to keep the litter from falling out.
Then used some of our extra plywood and some 2x4s to frame out the nesting boxes and close up the storage space. Because we live in the woods, we’ve got lots of branches available to us. Grabbed a few and cut them to the right length. Used 2x4s and some plywood scraps to secure the roosting bars in place (but allow for removal for cleaning or replacement).
Final product (we’ll paint another day!)
Brought the flock out for a visit in the warm weather and seems to have gotten 12 wings up! Let me know what you think!
Last edited:
