Pictures of Coop Construction. The first real build is DONE!

[lesgo54]

very nice coop. u did a good job

 

[DuginMT]

Nice job! Built like a tank and should last a lifetime!

 

[Nevaschickens]

LOOOVVVEE THIS!!!

 

[silkiechicken]

Thanks everyone!

thanks so much for posting this! is it still holding up good? We are using your plans (hope you dont mind!) and building our own starting tomorrow. already build the wood for the floor and i believe two sides.. can't wait to see what our finish product looks like! we have 8 chickens right now, how many do you think the coop will hold?

It's still holding up great! I only have 7 total in there now (3 leghorn hens, 2 jersey giant hens, 2 jersey giant roos) but could probably put in a dozen average sized birds without problems. The JG's are HUGE and each JG girl is about 2x the size of the leghorns. Of course being well used now, the paint has chicken "paint" splattered all over the walls and somehow the ceiling. LOL. Talk about flinging poo! But structurally it's just as it was the day it was finished. To start, I'd say a dozen birds of average size, and you can add more if they get along. Mine are let out sun up to sun down to range.

 

[silkiechicken]

looks like the only thing you missed was small mesh wire around your foundation and eave openings. Rats will find the grain if you dont block their access. Other than that this looks better than perfect!

I've always intended to do this, but still have not gotten around to it... a year and a half later? Just waiting for a hole to show up through the floor. So far the feral cat colony has seemed to keep any rats or mice in check. I can surely say, making a 300 mile each way commute, to work sun up to sun down, 3 days in a row each time is grueling. LOL. Perhaps thats why I ran out of steam and never got around to meshing the gaps... I even have the 1/4 inch hardware cloth roll sitting in the garage! But that is very good advice, rats can be a battle.

 

[silkiechicken]

Very nice job. I'll bet the girls are enjoying it thoroughly.

I'm nearby, in Cottage Grove, Oregon. First-time chicken raising for me, although the wife had them as a kid. Started my coop last week, rebuilding a factory-made unit that the wife bought--it's an absolute piece of junk (made in China, of course) that is very low quality and far too small for our 9 babies. So I"m improving it as I go, have it up to 7' long now, raised on 2' stilts to provide a reasonably secure run underneath. Still trying to figure out a practical way to open a ramp/hatchway from outside the run, as we plan to lock the girls up every night to keep them safe from cats, coons, etc. The thing is turning into a beast, meaning I'll have to put it on (temporary) wheels just to get it out of the shop when it's finished.

It's funny how things keep growing when you get started! Most factory coops are way too small and must go by the commercial 1 sq foot per bird idea, vs the 4 sq ft inside and 10 sq feet outside each. Else it can be pretty high maintenance. Good luck with your project!

 

[kada6305]

Thanks everyone!

It's still holding up great! I only have 7 total in there now (3 leghorn hens, 2 jersey giant hens, 2 jersey giant roos) but could probably put in a dozen average sized birds without problems. The JG's are HUGE and each JG girl is about 2x the size of the leghorns. Of course being well used now, the paint has chicken "paint" splattered all over the walls and somehow the ceiling. LOL. Talk about flinging poo! But structurally it's just as it was the day it was finished. To start, I'd say a dozen birds of average size, and you can add more if they get along. Mine are let out sun up to sun down to range.

okay great ! we have 8 now, we have 3 red stare, 2 leghorns , 2 Speckled Sussex. and we have one who might be a leghorn or something else,not sure yet. but we would want 6 more next summer just wasnt sure if it would be big enough for a dozen, we have the floor and backside done we are working on the front today )

 

[3-little-chooks]

wow! I love the nesting boxes how did you make them???

 

[silkiechicken]

Thanks!

I made the boxes (and feeder) last minute with scraps so it was on the fly. Think I cut out a 14x14 bottom pieces of ply wood, then cut the two sides and the top piece to make the front opening 10 inches tall? I just nailed them together with 2x4 front and back lips and hoped for the best. The back and front are open, but the back is against the wall so it seems closed in. I then saw it was a bit low sitting on the ground, so nailed together a platform. LOL

Sorry I don't have detailed instructions on how it was really done.

 

[3-little-chooks]

That's fine, now I just have a rough idea of how you did it.