Official Coop Thread

[FranciscoR]

Final update for the day (perhaps...lol). I finished the front of the coop with some weathered fence panels. I made a waterer with a old pesticide bottle, and random pvc piping. I finally installed 1 of 3 windows too.

 

[aart]

I made a waterer with a old pesticide bottle, and random pvc piping.

That doesn't sound like a good idea...I would worry about lingering toxicity.

How does that work anyway and how do you fill it?

 

[Spartan22]

That doesn't sound like a good idea...I would worry about lingering toxicity.

How does that work anyway and how do you fill it?

Agreed with pesticide bottle toxicity issues, can you use Old vinegar bottle instead?

 

[FranciscoR]

Agreed with pesticide bottle toxicity issues, can you use Old vinegar bottle instead?

Absolutely. I've got tons of bottles I can use. I just tossed together what I had.

 

[FranciscoR]

Can some people give me some advice as to how to finish the coop (more specifically, the run)? It would be on this side of the coop. First issue is how to make the door to the run. I am interested in a ramp from coop that runs underneath it, with access to main run. That or a simple door right there in bottom left corner. My main question is how to build the coop (roof or not?). I have no intentions to make it as tall from front to back as the coop. I am thinking of making it 6ft tall (I am 5'8"). This would work well when used w/ a 2ft bottom of hardware cloth (1ft going outwards, and 1ft up wall), coupled with a 5ft top section of welded wire.

Any thoughts?

 

[TalkALittle]

Guillotine doors are pretty easy to make. Mine runs up and down in tracks I made from some lattice cap moulding that I had laying around.

I recommend roofing at least a portion of your run. It's nice to give the birds some cover from rain and shade to escape the sun. During the long winter months they will appreciate a snow-free area. One of the best decisions I made was to cover my run.

The next best decision was to increase the height so I could stand up in it.

 

[FranciscoR]

So, today I started to make my door (s). It will be two-halved of course...duh! The bottom half will be held shut by the latch I built with scrap pieces of wood. The top half will be locked. Cool thing is this half was the gate to old garden with some pie boards screwed onto the back. It saved a lot of time and materials. The window, well, it's a window, what do you want?...lol

 

[FranciscoR]

So, the coop (minus trim, run, and chicken door) is done! I finished the top half of door (unhinged) from 610am to about 725am. I think this coop has turned out great! Even wuth the top not being hinged, it's still more thn big enough to get in and out of comfortably.

 

[aart]

Oh those latches scare me.....don't lock yourself in!

 

[enola]

Am I just missing seeing any ventilation?