Progress of my desk coop....

[thndrdancr]

I know I have had a few requests for pics....I am not finished...I decided to extend it..thus the panels of plywood, to make it bigger, in case I get another hen or two, and am gonna put plywood on the whole thing to cover, as that desk veneer just doesnt hold up too well.

This is how it looked after I slaughtered it somewhat...(I was TRYING to make an egg door and a feeding/screen window for them)...of course it looks like it will be winter before I am finished...so probably wont need a screen door...lol

Pic with weird desk thingie in background behind pen, girls are sure curious about it...

A lil more progress...I procrastinate too much...

Gettin closer....

Oh and I made the bottom screen since we get those 105 degree days in August, so they get breeze. Am gonna have some straw/rug pieces/or deep litter so it doesnt hurt their feets, but wanted good air flow. I am making it so I can put in plywood floor in the cooler weather. Its bigger than it looks, ended up being almost 4 x 4.

 

[mudhen]

Wow! A desk-coop! Ingenious!

 

[Sharona]

I have a desk just like this one and have been trying to GIVE it away. This is an ingenious idea! I'm going to keep an eye on your progress!

 

[TreyClark281]

its lookin good!
is the roost removable?
i dont think i will hurt there feet if you put some straw down but i guess you could just add the peice of ply just to ensure that they are ok.

 

[speckledhen]

Excellent idea! I'm a firm believer in using what you have and trying to find unusual uses for things not designed for those particular uses.

 

[barg]

Woot pics, it must be christmas

Keep up the good work

I have some paint that might be good on that called Killz; I think that’s how it's spelled.
It's supposed to cover anything I think.
I was gonna go out to the shed and read the label but I smell a skunk out there, so it'll have to wait haha.
I'm also not sure if its pet safe, I'll get more info tomorrow.

 

[thndrdancr]

I am familiar with Killz but never thought of it. Do you mean on the exterior or interior? Hmmmm,its used for waterproofing an stain coverup, right?

Oh and thanks SpeckledHen, I saw it free in a driveway and since I have no building skills, I thought I could at least use it for a "base".

Its been kind of fun, I have done almost the whole thing, albeit hubby had to do all the sawing and some of the pounding.

And Trey, yes I made the roost removeable, gonna make the roof removeable too, as I know I will need to be able to get "in there" as far as scrubbin and to add a few things maybe.

At this point, all I have to do is add the front and put on the roof and attach it to the run, been waitin for it to be under 95 degrees so I could get out there. We are gettin a wee bit of rain this mornin...weeee! Bout time, its been so dry the ground is crackin and the roads are bucklin. So close to all those floods and no rain whatsoever here, too bad they cant shunt some this way. Sis thinks I need one nest box for each chicken, but they go everywhere together, so I am just makin it super big, dimensions are about 18 by 18.

Red has been makin Fussy crazy, I really need to get another chicken or two. Since she has started laying, she paces and cries and my neurotic Fussy has turned into a crazed lil thing, her normally calm friend has went bananas! Cyn, are Suede and Miranda pretty calm or are they flighty?

Jill

 

[speckledhen]

Suede is a doll. He comes when I call him and will follow me anywhere. He doesn't want to be picked up; that isn't dignified in front of his women, LOL, but when I have him, he's sweet. Naturally, Miranda follows Suede, but lately, with our Japanese Beetles, Miranda has been coming when I call her because I've introduced her to the joys of that snack. I'd say my Buff Brahma is much more skittish than Miranda ever was. All the blue Orps were a little skittish as chicks, but I handled all of them quite a bit and Suede is my buddy now. Miranda will usually squat for me, but I have to trick Caroline to pick her up.

 

[mosier]

Great idea, and thanks for posting pix!

 

[horsewishr]

how funny. I've been combing Craigslist, and looking for a desk for exactly such a project. And I don't even "need" another coop. I just thought a desk would make a good starting point for a small coop. The idea came to me while I was sitting here typing.