post your chicken coop pictures here!

[sacchick]

First you need location, location, location, I actually planned to build in a different more level spot but neighbor relations ruled the day and I moved to here because of my neighbor was not a fan.
I plan to change that by being a good chicken neighbor.

Wife and general foreman had two request about the chicken coop.
1. it can't be an eyesore
2. please try to match the style of the barn

I'll do my best...


First I set cement tubes for foundation then built and leveled 2x6 PT lumber It really is level and plumb


I notched 6x6 posts and rested the frame in the notch


I set the joist on a board on the far side clamped on the frame to assist as I was building alone


Once all the Joists were set I began adding the 3/4 plywood



upside down but I also used Joist hangers



I went back and forth on standard stick walls or past and beam, in the end I built standard walls with nailers for the shiplap siding

With help from a friend we built two Rafters and put them up... It looked good so i used those as a template and my kids built the rest of the rafters with a jig they made on the flor of the coop. They did that on their own, good thinking!


Rachel and Jon Rafters R Us





Thanks to Rob I got the rafters up. I tried alone but this really is not a solo job.

We built a post and beam barn three years ago and used the leftover lumber for the roof saved some money and made a nicer roof than just plywood.




Roof matched the pitch of the barn which was 12/12 so roof jacks required




Roof board run wild until ready to shingle

nice look of ceiling and barn in background



I keep hearing ventilation is important so I installed a whirlybird vent by Lomanco on the back side of the coop.


Next I had to get the kids to stain the shiplap siding. While I waited I ran electricity from the barn. 20 Amps on 10/2 about 140 ft just for lights and automatic chicken door.

I used conduit and direct burial wire.


Cheapest single hung window I could find. $98 each at home depot.

4 foot Hardware cloth buried down and flared out all around the coop.




Finally the shiplap is ready to put up and it looks great.




My Shiplap Stainers... Sikkens SRD Natural.


Renee the General Foreman Touching up some end cuts.



Wild roof boards trimmed ready for roof and trim.


Slate colored architectural shingles from HDepot.



Slightly blurry picture in the coop after the roof is on and the lights are installed.



Automatic Chicken door, Once the run is built it will allow me to sleep in some... And thats important...



Built a door between the man area and the chicken's area cover it with chicken wire.



Inside the coop I used white fiber glass bathroom panels which are super tough and easy to clean and disinfect when necessary. I am planning on using the deep litter method so I put some on the walls as well.
Two Roost levels both above nesting box height... First night the smallest chicken was the only roost dweller.


I slanted the Nesting boxes slightly so the eggs roll back out of the way. If the box traffic is heavy hopefully we spare some eggs breaking. The tilt is adjustable as needed. the board on top is simply to discourage roosting. Large dowel perch in front to make it easier to go in.




The workers getting ready to spread the inaugural litter of wood shavings.


The chicken Fountain installed to run manually. later when the run is built I will hook it up outside with a continuos feed of fresh water.


First look and the birds are happy. All ten of them. Lol I know they are spoiled.







The final size of the coop is 10x12 with 10x4 area for me and the food etc. and 10x 7+ for the chickens.
Louver Vents on both end as well as the whirlybird vent.
I was going to build step but in the end found a large rock that was a perfect step up.



I just need to build the run out the back but I have time because the spaciousness of the coop. I am looking forward to the deep litter composting and the of course the eggs.
Not a cheap coop but well under what I would pay to have it built by someone or even ordering one much smaller online.
great project, I had a ball. Not a builder so it took me a lot of head scratching to get it right. REMEMBER. lol

MEASURE TWICE... CUT ONCE! with the 45 Angles this is very important lol




Thanks for this site and all the ideas which made my coop a reality.

WOW that is a good looking and well thought out Coop! I love it! Lucky wife!!!

 

[sacchick]

Here's my spring project. It's been done for a month or two but I needed to take a break from thinking about it for awhile! So finally posting some pics...

I Love this coop, did you design or have plans? Looks like you have an auto door, which one did you go with? LOVE it!

 

[Sylvester017]

Had to laugh at your post! My friends and family all think I'm insane with the money I've spent so far on my little flock. But I just smile at them.....and say....."yeah, but they'll be the yummiest $1,000 eggs I'll ever eat!!"

You know what's really funny but sad is that I wasn't joking LOL !!! One Silkie alone costs us over $3.00 per egg from vet bills alone - and that is not adding the housing, feed, supplements, care products, etc. She's a little active pistol and gets into more situations requiring vet visits - bacterial digestive infection, bleeding toes/ripped toenails from OCD excessive nestbox splintered scratching, and bruising from being knocked off the nestbox ledge by our sweet but klutzy Ameraucana (my avatar). As added expense we had to build a wider ramp to the nestboxes so if the Silkie gets knocked off again she can just roll down the ramp instead of fall directly to the dirt floor, we lined all the wood nestboxes with plexiglass bottoms so she doesn't get splinters from OCD scratching, and we feed her organic Greek yogurt for her digestive issues (she's our chowhound). And the eggs she gives us are bantam and not even regular sized eggs for that $36/dozen !!! We must be chumps!

 

[chickengirl987]

Hi all,

Just joined this forum ! Thrilled with the amount of info here !

I've started to grow chickens this year and this is a coop I made them

That is such a cool coop how did you make it?,what kind of chickens do you have! Also

 

[Latestarter]

Here's my spring project. It's been done for a month or two but I needed to take a break from thinking about it for awhile! So finally posting some pics...

Really nicely done! Am I correct that that is a "pullet shut automatic chicken door?" How do you like it so far? Did you get the solar charger and light sensor as well? That is my next in line purchase...

It must be pretty strong to withstand the weight of birds roosting on the open door

Good looking birds too!

 

[sunnysideup2]

Fu

You know what's really funny but sad is that I wasn't joking LOL !!!  One Silkie alone costs us over $3.00 per egg from vet bills alone - and that is not adding the housing, feed, supplements, care products, etc.  She's a little active pistol and gets into more situations requiring vet visits - bacterial digestive infection, bleeding toes/ripped toenails from OCD excessive nestbox splintered scratching, and bruising from being knocked off the nestbox ledge by our sweet but klutzy Ameraucana (my avatar). As added expense we had to build a wider ramp to the nestboxes so if the Silkie gets knocked off again she can just roll down the ramp instead of fall directly to the dirt floor, we lined all the wood nestboxes with plexiglass bottoms so she doesn't get splinters from OCD scratching, and we feed her organic Greek yogurt for her digestive issues (she's our chowhound).  And the eggs she gives us are bantam and not even regular sized eggs for that $36/dozen !!!  We must be chumps!

Good to know I'm not alone. I have $6.25 invested in the hens, and once the coop got to $1000 I thought I'd better stop counting.
It's still cheaper than maintaining a boat or horses for that matter.

 

[hulaskirt87]

Here is our new coop! I will post a pic of the run on the back side tomorrow!

 

[iwiw60]

Here is our new coop! I will post a pic of the run on the back side tomorrow!

Love that color!!

 

[ozys5000]

That is beautiful , incredible, it's not a coop, it's ART!!

I love love love it. Please please please post some directions, or at a minimum, materials list. That's awesome, and by that I really mean "awe- inspiring"!

What part of the world are you in? that coop is awesome. love it, what kind of chickens?

Oh my heck, please tell us how you did that! I LOVE it!

Beautiful! Is that grapevine or willow thatch? On a practical side, how do you clean that out?

That is such a cool coop how did you make it?,what kind of chickens do you have! Also

Thanks a lot for all the comments ! You are definitely an active community !

To answer your questions - I'm located in Lithuania (guess you'll have to google that) in a rural area - so most of the materials I needed to build the coop were around me. The main part is made from willows. Not much to explain here - you just take some willows and weave them I used the ones which were left from cleaning a ditch - not really the best choise, but did the job. A predator proof hardware cloth is stapled underneath as well as breathable/watertight film, something like tyvek. Base/Floor is made from a couple of plywood panels I found in a dumpster, from very large crates or something.
I have to say, I'm won't be keeping them during the winter here (it gets pretty harsh sometimes), they will go to my neighbor (I'm not living here all year round)

As for cleaning - there's a hatch in the floor - you open that and sweep everything. There's also an opening on
the other side to access the nesting boxes.

I have 3 japanese bantams, 4 dominant cz and 3 of I'm still not sure what I guess they are Cream Legbars as they lay green eggs and have head crests. I'll post a picture later

 

[Sylvester017]

I started on page 1 of this thread and could only make it to page 100 before I just got too depressed with my current setup, that I just finished building. These are amazing coops! Keep posting, one day I'll make it through every page and maybe be brave enough to post my baby coop!

Don't feel bad. This is what I started with 3 years ago and still have today. We didn't have any say in the design as it was custom pre-built when we saw it at the feed store and they actually delivered it for us. It's a nifty design but made out of cheap materials so we tarp it from the weather and cover it at night when the chickens roost. We have the base set on paver stones with dirt left in the center. We've since raised the coop on planks leftover from our house remodeling so the base doesn't sit in water on rainy days - there's no pressure treated wood on this coop. It's as cheaply made as a doll house but thank goodness the hens don't complain. I've been through 8 chickens in 3 years and now left with 4 hens - and they only use it to lay eggs and roost at nite - the rest of the day they free-range the yard where we have lots of lean-to's, doghouse, and canopy for them to hide/snooze under. The coop's got to last at least another couple years before we can replace with something better quality.