Newbie chick shed and WIR build

[seraphine]

Thanks guys!

And the username is an accurate description - I’ve already fallen in the mud several times. There will be injuries so I’ll keep you updated on those too

I used to raise parrots and had lots of large macaw size cages out in storage. My girls stopped liking their huge coop. So I lined all the cages in a cool/warm weather protected corner.

I weather wrapped each for a wet and/or cold southern California winter (Y’all know how rough our winters are) but with one side open for ventilation. Threw straw in and everyone loves their new roosts. And I just lock the doors at sundown. They stay nice an dark In there. In the morning I can sleep past 7 should I wish to.

 

[Onyxflock]

Thanks everyone! I think for the overhangs it will be easier to see just how much I need once the things actually built and in front of me. I just need to make sure I don’t build it too close to the fence...

This article is right up your alley. Ground to ceiling build. A lot of good ideas here. But other side of the coin, is a shed kit, really simple to assemble, 2 people and $500 gets you similar size to your sketch. We modified this 1, Australian made Keter shed. It's attached to a chain link dog run

Check this man's build
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-patriot-chicken-coop-build.1414927/

 

[countryladyNH]

Welcome to BYC, Hannah! We love this thread and will be following your progress! BTW, we live in New Hampshire USA, but we're anglophiles and would dearly love to move to the UK!! LOL, if we ever win the lottery, we are out of here and off to find our dream---a little ancient, medieval looking, as old as possible cottage in England!
We would highly recommend you build a coop. Budget was always a concern for us and everyone here is absolutely right about those pre-fab coops. Ultimately, a waste of money. We have chickens but decided to get 2 ducks and a goose a couple years ago. We have NEVER built a building of any kind whatsoever, but we sure could not afford a shed or builder, or the size coop we wanted for the 3 new additions. We literally designed a lean to style building with 2 windows and a door, about 5 by 4 feet, and tall. We drew this on a scrap of envelope! We had no plans, no help, and no experience. We built a wonderful coop for them! We watched a lot of Youtube videos, and sometimes even had the computer outside with us, watching and re-watching a segment! We got a remnant of sheet vinyl for the floor, and ran electric to it for a light (no experience with that either). We put on nice period style hardware to go with our 240 year old house, and a cedar shingle roof. The whole thing was about $500. in materials. If we bought something like it, it would have cost a few thousands. We're really proud of our creation!! (Visit us and see our old house that we DIY restored for 22 years, and out coops and flock here: www.thecountryladyantiques.com )

OUR 'LITTLE GOOSE COOP'!

Mayflower, the pet Pilgrim goose

 

[Haphazard_Hannah]

Welcome to BYC, Hannah! We love this thread and will be following your progress! BTW, we live in New Hampshire USA, but we're anglophiles and would dearly love to move to the UK!! LOL, if we ever win the lottery, we are out of here and off to find our dream---a little ancient, medieval looking, as old as possible cottage in England!
We would highly recommend you build a coop. Budget was always a concern for us and everyone here is absolutely right about those pre-fab coops. Ultimately, a waste of money. We have chickens but decided to get 2 ducks and a goose a couple years ago. We have NEVER built a building of any kind whatsoever, but we sure could not afford a shed or builder, or the size coop we wanted for the 3 new additions. We literally designed a lean to style building with 2 windows and a door, about 5 by 4 feet, and tall. We drew this on a scrap of envelope! We had no plans, no help, and no experience. We built a wonderful coop for them! We watched a lot of Youtube videos, and sometimes even had the computer outside with us, watching and re-watching a segment! We got a remnant of sheet vinyl for the floor, and ran electric to it for a light (no experience with that either). We put on nice period style hardware to go with our 240 year old house, and a cedar shingle roof. The whole thing was about $500. in materials. If we bought something like it, it would have cost a few thousands. We're really proud of our creation!! (Visit us and see our old house that we DIY restored for 22 years, and out coops and flock here: www.thecountryladyantiques.com )

OUR 'LITTLE GOOSE COOP'

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Oh it’s lovely! Thank you for sharing that with me

I video called my dad about my plans yesterday because the structure itself priced up nice and cheap but the cladding was ridiculous! Certainly a budget breaker. I was pretty down about it and he was trying to help me find an alternative including driving for hours to try and pick up some pallets for me. I figure that some things are a challenge, and some things are so awkward to make work that there’s something wrong and you need to take a step back.

So, while my dad tried to find me a pre-fab (and trust me, there’s not a prefab on the internet ive not already looked atand written off for being too small etc) I had a look at some shed-like coops that weren’t walk in. And it clicked. The 6-8 chickens we were looking at don’t need the shed to be tall enough for me to be inside it - that was me. There’s no reason why I can’t build a coop on the same floor plan but half height.

And actually this works better for me because the run will be under cover at that end anyway so I can still clean it in a sheltered place. So I’m thinking the roof in two halves (with an overlap just to be on the safe side weather wise)hinged so I can lift them open. I’ll still put the ventilation in the pitch (thank you Aart) and won’t need to worry trying to build (and pay for) windows and a human sized door! Job done.

Working on the plans for it now but costing the materials so far has been much more pleasant!

 

[countryladyNH]

Oh it’s lovely! Thank you for sharing that with me

I video called my dad about my plans yesterday because the structure itself priced up nice and cheap but the cladding was ridiculous! Certainly a budget breaker. I was pretty down about it and he was trying to help me find an alternative including driving for hours to try and pick up some pallets for me. I figure that some things are a challenge, and some things are so awkward to make work that there’s something wrong and you need to take a step back.

So, while my dad tried to find me a pre-fab (and trust me, there’s not a prefab on the internet ive not already looked atand written off for being too small etc) I had a look at some shed-like coops that weren’t walk in. And it clicked. The 6-8 chickens we were looking at don’t need the shed to be tall enough for me to be inside it - that was me. There’s no reason why I can’t build a coop on the same floor plan but half height.

And actually this works better for me because the run will be under cover at that end anyway so I can still clean it in a sheltered place. So I’m thinking the roof in two halves (with an overlap just to be on the safe side weather wise)hinged so I can lift them open. I’ll still put the ventilation in the pitch (thank you Aart) and won’t need to worry trying to build (and pay for) windows and a human sized door! Job done.

Working on the plans for it now but costing the materials so far has been much more pleasant!

Sounds grand! We bought our coop windows on Ebay new for $24. each (combo screen/glass) You could not beat the price! We built our own door from scratch. Easy and economical! Door is board and batten. We built all the doors inside and outside of our house. Now I can build a door in a couple hours, lol! For siding our goose/duck coop we used T-111. We're so excited for you!

 

[countryladyNH]

Oh it’s lovely! Thank you for sharing that with me

I video called my dad about my plans yesterday because the structure itself priced up nice and cheap but the cladding was ridiculous! Certainly a budget breaker. I was pretty down about it and he was trying to help me find an alternative including driving for hours to try and pick up some pallets for me. I figure that some things are a challenge, and some things are so awkward to make work that there’s something wrong and you need to take a step back.

So, while my dad tried to find me a pre-fab (and trust me, there’s not a prefab on the internet ive not already looked atand written off for being too small etc) I had a look at some shed-like coops that weren’t walk in. And it clicked. The 6-8 chickens we were looking at don’t need the shed to be tall enough for me to be inside it - that was me. There’s no reason why I can’t build a coop on the same floor plan but half height.

And actually this works better for me because the run will be under cover at that end anyway so I can still clean it in a sheltered place. So I’m thinking the roof in two halves (with an overlap just to be on the safe side weather wise)hinged so I can lift them open. I’ll still put the ventilation in the pitch (thank you Aart) and won’t need to worry trying to build (and pay for) windows and a human sized door! Job done.

Working on the plans for it now but costing the materials so far has been much more pleasant!

PS Honestly, we would highly recommend you go full walk in height in the coop. Our chicken coop is up off the ground but not tall and it's difficult to clean. MUCH easier to clean a coop you can walk into. We painted both coops inside with a very good satin paint---multiple coats. This made it much easier to clean. If you leave the inside bare ply you will discover that poop, etc. is almost impossible to get off. Here is inside chicken coop:

 

[3KillerBs]

I can't think of any reason to have glass in the chicken coop windows.

Hardware cloth secured over the frame allows both light and air and you can use a top-hinged shutter to keep out the rain and to, if necessary, close it.

 

[countryladyNH]

I can't think of any reason to have glass in the chicken coop windows.

Hardware cloth secured over the frame allows both light and air and you can use a top-hinged shutter to keep out the rain and to, if necessary, close it.

Unless you are in the tropics that is not a good idea. We have actual windows/screens PLUS a custom hardware cloth screen in a frame that we made for seasons when window is open. We're in NH where it is bloody cold and snowy. Windows are an absolute necessity, and I think they would be for at least half the country.

 

[countryladyNH]

oh is it? Good to know, I thought a pitched roof was where two slips met in the middle at a point - doh!

so the flashing was an idea back when the shed was only going to be half the width of the run l and the run roof that would go past the side of the shed roof would pour the water into guttering that went into a water butt for the garden. but it’s now nearly the whole depth of the run so I may as well have gutting on the front and back of the shed - to catch the rain from the shed roof at the back and the catch the rain from the run roof where it meets the shed so it doesn’t poor down theback of my neck when I step through the door!

so it’ll be a pent roof, flat with no pitch, but the back wall is 25cm lower than the front and the entire strip below the roof on front and back will be hardware cloth. I’ve not done the sides because when we get strong winds, that’s the direction they come into my garden from. The window will open with hardware cloth behind it, and the big door will be open during the day anyway as the whole thing will sit inside a secure and covered run.

Hi Hannah, Here a pitched roof comes in many forms. It just means angled somehow. What we have and what you are showing is sometimes called a shed roof or a lean to roof. Where the roof is pitched to a point in the center forming a triangle is called a gable.

 

[aart]

I can't think of any reason to have glass in the chicken coop windows.

Keeps the snow out.......or cold wind, while letting the sun(or at least light) shine in.