Well I have now officially finished making up my plans, after having drawn them up in several different formats. I started to scale on plain old A4, then I had a play on Google sketchup (after finding it on another thread) and then my other half decided he wanted me to draw it up on graph paper. All done, and materials list completed as a result.
For construction we will be using *free* timber for framing - recycled freight crate wood (used to contain hay from the states I believe). This also comes with a layer of foam insulation attached - which I will be peeling off and using for interior insulation of the coop. I have previously used a load of this to create my raised vegetable garden. My uncle will be splitting the timber so that it is more of a 2x4 dimension suitable for framing.
Here is a picture of the wood in my vegetable garden - I left the insulation on this in an attempt to keep the earth warmer overnight.
For the siding of the coop, I will be using deconstructed pallets at 99p per pallet. Maybe about 10 pallets to allow for split boards should be enough to do the four walls.
Internally I will be using chipboard for the walls - with a cavity for the aforementioned insulation.
For all run-sides, ventilation gaps and windows I will be using weld-mesh - my biggest cost. Yet to source this. The windows and vents will also have plexi glass covers to maintain natural light inside the coop.
I will have a removable floor for easy cleaning (note the hinged flap under the window in the picture below), and a hinged roof for deeper cleans. I have (at this point) been talked out of using corrugated clear plastic for the roof, by both my OH and carpenter uncle, and will instead be felting it for waterproofing.
There will be a small attached run to the coop for early in the morning/later in the day for my chooks. I will later be building a separate and larger run for their use whilst I am at work. I am intending to further chicken-proof my garden and let them free-range while I/my OH are at home.
Here is my sketchup - external decor to be decided!
Not sure how to get the pictures bigger, sorry!
We're both in work over the next couple of days but as I have now had confirmation of more freebie materials arriving soon and have finished all of the plans I was too excited not to share my progress, even in this early stage
I'll keep you all posted!
For construction we will be using *free* timber for framing - recycled freight crate wood (used to contain hay from the states I believe). This also comes with a layer of foam insulation attached - which I will be peeling off and using for interior insulation of the coop. I have previously used a load of this to create my raised vegetable garden. My uncle will be splitting the timber so that it is more of a 2x4 dimension suitable for framing.
Here is a picture of the wood in my vegetable garden - I left the insulation on this in an attempt to keep the earth warmer overnight.
For the siding of the coop, I will be using deconstructed pallets at 99p per pallet. Maybe about 10 pallets to allow for split boards should be enough to do the four walls.
Internally I will be using chipboard for the walls - with a cavity for the aforementioned insulation.
For all run-sides, ventilation gaps and windows I will be using weld-mesh - my biggest cost. Yet to source this. The windows and vents will also have plexi glass covers to maintain natural light inside the coop.
I will have a removable floor for easy cleaning (note the hinged flap under the window in the picture below), and a hinged roof for deeper cleans. I have (at this point) been talked out of using corrugated clear plastic for the roof, by both my OH and carpenter uncle, and will instead be felting it for waterproofing.
There will be a small attached run to the coop for early in the morning/later in the day for my chooks. I will later be building a separate and larger run for their use whilst I am at work. I am intending to further chicken-proof my garden and let them free-range while I/my OH are at home.
Here is my sketchup - external decor to be decided!
Not sure how to get the pictures bigger, sorry!
We're both in work over the next couple of days but as I have now had confirmation of more freebie materials arriving soon and have finished all of the plans I was too excited not to share my progress, even in this early stage
I'll keep you all posted!
