post your chicken coop pictures here!

[callgood]

New member, longtime lurker. There are some great coops on here and this is where I got most of my ideas from when I built mine. I have had chickens for the last 13 years that started when my little girl said " Dad, look at the pretty pink chics mom got me". Ha ha. Well I had to build something in a hurry and I built a pretty bad coop and run. I had trees fall on it over the years and predator problems. My wife told me I just needed to rip the whole thing down and build another one. I told her if I was going to do that it was going to be done right and would be kind of expensive. It took me lots of research on this site and I took my time. Below are some of the pictures of the build. The coop is 8x12 but with the porch it is 8x8 for the chickens. The run is 16x24 plus the have under the coop as well. I also added a growout pen that is 8 x 16. We continue to improve and make it easier to maintain and look better. We now have 4 RIR's (1 roo and 3 hens) 3 leghorn hens, 8 young Black Copper Marans (3 roos and 5 hens), 3 Welsummers (all roos I believe) and this morning I received 9 pullets from my pet chicken, (5 EE's, 2 Welsummers and 2
blue Polish) I know I will need to give away some of the roos. Thank you to many of you that gave me ideas.



Starting to come together.

Inside with poop board above nests with cheap linoleum. BYC ideas, thanks

Back opening I can prop open. Covered with chicken wire.

I have since removed the shavings on board and use PDZ. Thanks BYC.

Run is completed and a few decorations added.

The back. Use an old freezer for food storage. Thanks BYC. Going to add water nipples soon.

This is the finished product that my wife and youngest daughter decorated on Mothers day. They have it looking very nice. You will notice the small hutch/brooder to the left with a separate 8x16 run. I hope to have breed some olive eggers in there next spring.

Critiques welcome and thanks for looking.

 

[heartsizedfarm]

New member, longtime lurker. There are some great coops on here and this is where I got most of my ideas from when I built mine. I have had chickens for the last 13 years that started when my little girl said " Dad, look at the pretty pink chics mom got me". Ha ha. Well I had to build something in a hurry and I built a pretty bad coop and run. I had trees fall on it over the years and predator problems. My wife told me I just needed to rip the whole thing down and build another one. I told her if I was going to do that it was going to be done right and would be kind of expensive. It took me lots of research on this site and I took my time. Below are some of the pictures of the build. The coop is 8x12 but with the porch it is 8x8 for the chickens. The run is 16x24 plus the have under the coop as well. I also added a growout pen that is 8 x 16. We continue to improve and make it easier to maintain and look better. We now have 4 RIR's (1 roo and 3 hens) 3 leghorn hens, 8 young Black Copper Marans (3 roos and 5 hens), 3 Welsummers (all roos I believe) and this morning I received 9 pullets from my pet chicken, (5 EE's, 2 Welsummers and 2 blue Polish) I know I will need to give away some of the roos. Thank you to many of you that gave me ideas. Starting to come together. Inside with poop board above nests with cheap linoleum. BYC ideas, thanks Back opening I can prop open. Covered with chicken wire. I have since removed the shavings on board and use PDZ. Thanks BYC. Run is completed and a few decorations added. The back. Use an old freezer for food storage. Thanks BYC. Going to add water nipples soon. This is the finished product that my wife and youngest daughter decorated on Mothers day. They have it looking very nice. You will notice the small hutch/brooder to the left with a separate 8x16 run. I hope to have breed some olive eggers in there next spring. Critiques welcome and thanks for looking.

You put a lot of thought and a lot of work into this! I love the front porch because it really is nice to hang out at the coop. What is the size of the openings in your run enclosure material? Maybe because the camera is so close it looks big, big enough for weasel?

 

[callgood]

Heartsizedfarm- yes it is big enough for a weasel. It is 2x4 welded wire, so yes it is big enough for a weasel. I don't think we have them here though. Our main preds are possum, coon, coyotes and hawks. My main run does not have a cover but I only keep adult chickens in it. Knock on wood I have not had a problem with hawks.

 

[iwiw60]

OH...MY....GAWD!!! That is simply GORgeous!!! I'm insanely jealous!!

I noticed something in this pic:

You might want to re-think the positioning of your roost bar so that your 2 x 4 lays 'flat' . This gives your birds better footing at night, and during the winter months they can then 'lay' on their feet/legs to keep warmer...just a thot! Glad to hear you've ditched the shavings and have gone to PDZ...da bomb!!! I congratulate you on your hard efforts...it sure paid off!!

 

[callgood]

iwiwi60- Thanks. I did change flip the 2x4's about a month ago.

 

[iwiw60]

iwiwi60- Thanks. I did change flip the 2x4's about a month ago.

Ah-HA!!! Caught you with an old pic!!!

 

[smitty750]

Here's mine

 

[callgood]

Yes you did. The inside doesn't look quite as clean now LOL

 

[callgood]

Here's mine

Very nice and I see the kids approve.

 

[bruceha2000]

not done yet but extending my coup, for more chickens, my rooster is so badass and big, hawks don't circle, they just keep flying

That is SOME extension!

• bruceha2000, What do you recommend for the size of a roost pole? These are 2" diameter dowels. I have a full grown Buff Orpington who has been sleeping on them every night for a month. Will it hurt her feet?

I would think is could be a bit uncomfortable but definitely better than the edge of a 2x4 which is 1 1/2 wide and hard edged. I have both a 3" round fence rail and a 2x4 on the flat. They use both.

Sylvester, thank you. The dog house floor is actually 4" up on pressure treated 2x4's. I like the idea of putting it on legs for chickens to hide under. I initially thought after the meat birds are in the freezer, I could retrofit this dog house somehow. It is a bit tight, and I want 10 chickens or maybe 12 or 15.... {shrug}

We're working on coop designs now. I'd love to do a hoop coop with the cattle panels and the hardware cloth and all that. Where we are, the hawks may be troublesome, but I'm planning my coop/run combo to be covered. The more I look and lurk and consider, the more I think that to start, I want the coop itself to be at my level for ease of cleaning, etc. if not actually tall enough to stand in. The runs I'm thinking can be lower, like 3-4' high.

So much to consider, and I really want my birdies NOW!!!!!

Seriously: If you are going to have 12 - 15 birds, build it big enough for YOU to walk in and take care of the chores. You are going to need MINIMUM 12 to 15' of roost; 1' per bird is MINIMUM!!!!! And NOT OK in hot weather. If you want to clean a tray 12' to 15' long and the floor shavings for a MINIMUM!!! 48 sq ft coop (12 birds) from the outside, OK but I bet it gets old REAL fast.

Heartsizedfarm- yes it is big enough for a weasel. It is 2x4 welded wire, so yes it is big enough for a weasel. I don't think we have them here though. Our main preds are possum, coon, coyotes and hawks. My main run does not have a cover but I only keep adult chickens in it. Knock on wood I have not had a problem with hawks.

Weasels exist EVERYWHERE in the USA.

You got some FUNNY lookin' chickens there. They look like what MY chickens see when I go to the barn! Well, similar, but a LOT younger.

Bruce