'playhouse' coop -- modification help

[mac_chooks]

I saw plans for this on eBay and like all of it except for the nesting box being inside and under the roost. It looked like a lot of excess cleaning would be needed. I want to build nesting boxes (two) out to one side.

Anyone build from these plans? Did you modify? Do you like it?

I'm planning to get 3-4 chicks next spring. Yeah, I plan ahead

-- mostly it's that I have a 3 month old baby and so she's getting my attention right now!

 

[arlee453]

can you post the link to the ebay auction? I'd like to see the plans you are talking about - I'm already deciding my coop is too small..... especially for those new chicks I just might have to get in a few months...

 

[mac_chooks]

Sure it's http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280142954966

To clarify my situation a little -- I live in the city and need a coop that looks nice and has a good sized run. I hope to let the chooks out whenever I can but both DH and I work so that's just not gonna be often.

I also have three kids and that full time job so I wanted something easy to clean. I love the look of the playhouse coop but I did not like that it looked hard to clean. It seemed like you had to unscrew a panel to clean under the roost AND that this was where the nesting box was.

I'm hoping it is possible to pop two nesting boxes out the side of the house and then I can have an easier time cleaning under the roosting bar.

I'm totally tempted by the Eglu for simplicity! The Eglus are actually a lot larger than people realize but I think something the size of the playhouse one is better for the backyard chicken person with very little yard space.

 

[suburbanhomesteader]

AgilityScots got the plans of which you speak and was not happy at ALL:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=9204

 

[barg]

I made my coop with no plans at all.
I did take inspiration from the playhouse coop(as well as others) but i've never seen plans for it.
My coop could easily be modified to have an outside egg box, but I didnt build it that way.
I'd suggest looking at alot of coops, figureing out how they were built, then, pick and choose the features you want; that's what I did.
FYI: I also built in a few features I didn't see anywhere else.

GL

The link to my coop is below, if your interested. Sorry there are no plans nor have there ever been any for my coop.

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

mac_chooks, welcome to the forum neighbor. I'm in the East Bay. Gotta ask: How did you find out about BYC?

 

[mac_chooks]

I found the BYC site through obsessive googling of all things chicken. Very nice site.

I just don't have a lot of time to play with the design which is why I was going to buy the plans and made a small change. I did read the thread about the plans so I understand there is some work to making sense of them.

Then, checking over BYC some more I found this coop:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=10592

And THAT is the one I want. For the backyard chicken person in a city, that coop has it all. Good size (I'm aiming for 3 choocks), side clean out door for the coop (absolutely critical as a major plus of the Eglu is the droppings tray) and nice run with a roof.

The only issue I might have is adding ventilation. I may end up having to build it myself from photos. I would set back the time when I could get the chicks though as the only time I could possibly build it is next summer.

 

[RebelsHope]

That Playhouse is going to hold 5 standard chickens? Really?

I don't know. . . but if you have a Tractor Supply Company near you they have books on building chicken coops. Mine is actually an old playhouse that happened to be on the property when we go it. I will have to take pics of it soon.

 

[BeckyLa]

Next summer? Naw, that won't do. Check out this coop, it's cute, a nice size, and all you do is put it together and get your chooks! What could be better???

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=11642