pole barn type chicken coop

[giggleboxfarm]

We introduced our chickens to the new coop Sunday night. Well introduced is the wrong word

Prior to that they had free run of the place but pretty much chose to ignore it. Come night, even though it was raining, we set about collecting all the chickens and depositing them. The majority were in the too small coop, so they were easy collection. Moved the nesting boxes, took the little ones from the dog crate they had been sleeping in. My husband then tried to get the ones who were snooty and roosted in the trees. He got 4. He managed to catch the others Monday morning and they were locked up till this morning when they were very ansty so I set them free.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=89348

 

[Lollipop]

Looks good, but it`s gonna be too drafty in the winter. Now`s a good time to fix it..........Pop

 

[Omran]

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Looks very good, where you guys at in KY, I live in Bagdad KY 15 miles from frankfort.

 

[perchie.girl]

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Looks good I like the spaces between the boards. I live in the desert where Air circulation is vital. Even when its cold... Yep we get snow. All I do is drop some canvas down on the sides that the prevailing wind hits. My coop is Chain-link with a Tarp roof. Nothing so elegant as what you have built.... Oh and I love your roosts. No squabbling over who gets the highest and no pooping on each other. The only change I would do is make the roosts on a lift out frame so it would be easy to get in there and Do stuff in that area if you needed to.

 

[andalusn]

Looks good. I understand Pop's concern regarding the space between boards but I am not sure it will really cause you an issue not knowing what your winters are really like and how long intense cold lasts there. Here in the PNW we get below freezing for at least a week and I have to plug in water heaters to keep the water at a drinking temp and not freeze solid. If your coops will have electricity you can do the same and even suspend a heat lamp to offer a warming area if the chickens choose to use it. I have two very open style coops that are only framed in and covered with wire. One has a wooden coop but they only use it to lay eggs and the rest of the time they roost on the outside roost to sleep. The coops themselves are under the roof of my barn in a loafing shed arrangement and the birds seem to do fine all winter and during very windy, rainy days. I have not had frost bite issues with this style of set up here and I still have 5 hens that refuse to sleep with the rest and they roost in the top rafters of the barn at night.
Here is an example:

 

[Mattemma]

What a nice basic coop! I am going to build something like this.

 

[giggleboxfarm]

The spacing is due to shrinkage from putting up freshly cut green wood cut by our local amish mill. My husband's plan A was to put 1x2s up to cover them, but here there aren't a whole lot of days where the temperatures are actually under freezing. We may still do that since I'm not happy with the amount of venting there is. I want some at the bottom and top to get the air moving. I'd wanted a window on the right side as well that is opposite the one currently with a fan.
The roosts are 10 feet long, but wouldn't you know that Bob Sr and his harem of 8 all pile into a small area next the big window. The teen cochins have been roosting up the ladder. The ladder hooks on the roost so I can move that, and then the the 2x4s rest in between spacers so I can take them out 1 by 1. They are heavy lol.

 

[perchie.girl]

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Aaah. Green wood shrinkagae. Are they going to shrink more over the next year? I like your removable roost idea. Are those boards green wood too. If they are they will get lighter as they shrink. Do they have to be turned over occasionally to keep them from warping? I never worked with green wood before. Cheap wood that warped but not green.

 

[stubbornhill]

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Board and batten (like what you are speaking of) has a really nice look, IMO, as that is what our barn is.

That shrinking is a natural occurance in rough sawn lumber and such, that's why you use the batten. It looks like a great coop! I am sure all of your ladies will like their new space. Great job!

 

[Horizon Structures]

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Yup, that is what I was thinking. If you like it, leave it, or you can always rip some battens for board and batten siding, which would look perfect with that type of lumber!