Our Colorado Coop is finished! [New Pics on Pg 3]

[ColoradoMike]

Here is a link to the page I just created with lots of pics of our coop. It's pretty much finished. I still may enlarge one window and add a loft inside the coop. I'll also add some foam-board insulation and seal up the cracks later this year before the snow begins to fall.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=34118

 

[Poopie]

Nice Job...the girls do look happy!!

 

[doxpeople]

Nice coop Mike, is that a beer I see sitting on the ground?? My DW describes all my projects by the number of beers and trips to the hardware store required.

 

[Gonzo]

LOVE IT!!! thats just what we need to keep my daughters banties in! I'm showin' your pic's to my husband! He's gonna have to build me one!

 

[Dragonfly Ranch]

Great job!

Really cute!

 

[ColoradoMike]

Quote:
Indeed - a chilly Fat Tire to enjoy as the day was winding down.

I can't begin to count my trips to Ace hardware - though I did manage to use a lot of odds and end-type hardware I already had in the garage, not to mention a fair amount of free wood.

 

[Auntbeast]

How many seconds after you said "It is done!" did you think about expansion?

We should make up an acronym for that thought.

 

[Bram]

Nice set up! What are the dimensions of the coop and run?

 

[ColoradoMike]

The coop is 4'x4', though the nest box takes up 1'x4', so the current effective coop floor space is 3'x4'. I had initially heard/read that 2-3 sq ft per bird was enough and that I could count the nest boxes as part of the space requirements. Now, I'm afraid I don't have enough room for 5 birds. What I think I'll end up doing when I finish out the nest boxes is to make two boxes that are pretty well secluded and just leave the other 2 square feet of area as a part of the coop. I'm also planning on putting in a decent sized 'loft' to create more floor space.

The run measures 4'x11' and they have access to it all day when we're not home. When we are home, we'll let them 'free range' in our former dog run (the dog never really liked it) that area is about 20'x20'.

When I was in the early stages of designing and building, I thought the size was just right, but I have since realized it's too small! If worst comes to worst, we'll give one or two hens away.

 

[Wifezilla]

You need to find and old pick and a sluicing pan to hang on the side