Our West Michigan Coop

[j-me]

My hubby wanted to make sure we were critter-free and it looked nice. Being an engineer it is the BEST coop! And the chickens love it. We had a tough 2 weeks of them not going in at night but thanks to this site....we put them in lock down for 2 days and the problem was solved!

img]https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/34599_chicken_coop_done_14.jpg[/img]

img]https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/34599_p1120014.jpg[/img]

 

[jsanders]

great looking coop! I just got my floor framed and in and start the walls tomorrow.

 

[briana1975]

Looks good. Are you gonna paint or is it treated?

 

[miss_jayne]

j-me, great coop and welcome to BYC!

join us over on the Michigan thread!

 

[j-me]

we painted the bottom of the boards that would be in contact with the ground but are choosing not to paint it. We may seal it but we were just going to let it go natural. It is 1 inch thick rough pine and we are going to finish off with strips on the seams. Sorta like the natural look. the posts of the coop are treated.
We used what we had around the wood pile and only needed to spend $112 to complete it.

 

[redoak]

Very nice coop and design

 

[CityChook]

from MN!

That is a nice looking coop. It looks very solid. I have a special place in my heart for the playhouse style coops - love them!

Can't tell from the single photo, but you might need some more ventilation. Especially important in the wintertime. And make sure that the seam where the walls meet the roof are sealed up, at least with wire, to avoid any pred attempts to get into the coop.

I use linseed oil on my coop, all the patio furniture and the big (ie: expensive) cedar arbor. Protects the wood, moisturizes/waterproofs it and still looks very natural. It soaks into the wood rather than making a barrier. Mix it 50/50 with mineral spirits and paint it on with a cheap brush. Very old fashioned, but inexpensive and it works like a charm. PM me if you want more info.

 

[Pye and Papa]

Very nice and well "engineered". My husband is in the process of building my coop which is about 6x8 and it to will be built by an engineer.
We are Michiganders too and my question is, is it necessary to insulate for the winter? After last years winter I thought it couldn't hurt. If so will we need more than the two vents we purchased plus the window which measures about 1'x2'?Our concern is the amount of proper ventilation.
Any comments would be greatly appreciated since we are very new to this and as engineers go they are ones for details.