post your chicken coop pictures here!

[dreiman9]

Used slightly modified plans from Ana-White website. 4x8 coop with a 8*12 run. Run has hardware cloth over the top right now with the plan to make a solid roof in the future. Run also has a 24" welded wire skirt around the bottom of it.

 

[DaddyMcChicken]

DMc, I like your coop. What size is it?  How many chickens?  Is that recycled pallet wood?...if so, that's a great repurposing of it!...and if not, still a great job!  

Personally, and this is *me* speaking and not intended as a negative critique, I would make those two windows larger...even to the point of joining them together...studs being visible would be fine and would give somewhere to fasten the hardware cloth to.  Being over in southern LA you have much similar heat and humidity as we do here in south Alabama.

Also, the roof in a raised coop is closer to the chickens than the roof of a walk-in coop.  The sun can heat that metal roof up pretty hot.  You might consider attaching some pieces of 1/4" plywood between the roof joists to block the radiant heat from the metal roof...leaving a small gap between the roof and the plywood would give a nice channel for the heated air to escape.  Some scrap pieces of 2x wood could be attached to the sides of the joists to create a shelf to rest the plywood heat shields on...just slide them in.  Just a thought...

Thanks for posting your coop.  I've been all over the place trying to figure out what I want to build and how big.  I've been all over the place from a 4x8 to an 8x12...more food for thought.

Ed

Thanks Swamp man, the coop is 4'×6' and is constructed with all recycled pallet wood. I have 8 chickens. I like all of your ideas and suggestions. Its crazy that you mentioned the plywood up top because I just had the same thought about placing plywood uptop to help with any radiant heat from the roof.Like they say "Great minds think alike!"

I can make those front windows larger but I cant join them together because thats my doors. The entire front of my coop opens up and its french style doors without a stud in the center but thats not a problem, I can make the windows larger. I need to do everything I can to let some of the heat out of the coop though. Its getting way to hot in there and if for some reason my family and I arent here to let them out I would lose my flock. Crazy hot here! Thanks again bud for the compliments and suggestions.
Brad

 

[sharon1955]

Since I live alone my easiest option was to buy a prefab and put it together. I love it. Chickens free range

 

[junebuggena]

Since I live alone my easiest option was to buy a prefab and put it together. I love it. Chickens free range

Just be very careful not to overcrowd it. That little thing is only suitable for 2 or 3 adults at most, even with free ranging. Overcrowding stress needs to be taken seriously.

 

[sharon1955]

It easily roosts 6 to 8 chickens, they will only be in to roost

 

[junebuggena]

It easily roosts 6 to 8 chickens, they will only be in to roost

That coop is not large enough to accommodate 8 adult, dual-purpose birds. There is hardly room for 2 to maneuver. The square footage guidelines are for maneuverability. The birds need enough room to jump, spread their wings and flap. A single adult takes up at least on sq ft, just standing still. And you need at least 1 sq ft of linear roosting space per bird.

 

[bruceha2000]

It easily roosts 6 to 8 chickens, they will only be in to roost

Um is that according to measurements you've made of the roost or the manufacturer?

If my eye is any good that coop is 3'x3' and is NO WAY big enough for 6-8 large fowl adults. You need a MINIMUM of 1 linear foot of roost per bird. They should be 1' from a parallel wall and 18" from other parallel roosts at the same level. As my daughter might say: "it doesn't math". You have room for one 3' roost and 3 birds max.

 

[Latestarter]

Since I live alone my easiest option was to buy a prefab and put it together. I love it. Chickens free range

You gotta do what you can and sometimes that's going prefab! It looks good but I'd consider adding some more ventilation (can't see) up top under the run cover. Nice use of pavers to prevent diggers. I must agree with the others on the number of birds... Even free ranging them all day and just using it for them to roost at night, there's no way that's large enough for 6-8 birds. I MIGHT say 4 max if they aren't exceptionally large birds.

 

[mossyroo]

Used slightly modified plans from Ana-White website. 4x8 coop with a 8*12 run. Run has hardware cloth over the top right now with the plan to make a solid roof in the future. Run also has a 24" welded wire skirt around the bottom of it.

Just my preference because I am old and don't bend good, I would never have a space I couldn't stand up in unless I could reach the whole thing from outside.

 

[Intheswamp]

Used slightly modified plans from Ana-White website. 4x8 coop with a 8*12 run. Run has hardware cloth over the top right now with the plan to make a solid roof in the future. Run also has a 24" welded wire skirt around the bottom of it.

Nice job on your setup. I'm curious about your location...climate-wise. Is there a window on the wall opposite the next boxes? Do you have a floor plan for how you've got the inside set up? It seems that most people use 1/2" wire for their aprons but if dogs can tear through it as the main fence then why can't they dig through it?...I think 2x4 is better. But, I guess 2x4 mesh won't stop rats from tunneling in. Depends on which varmit you're trying to defend against. Again, nice job.

Ed