Quick and Dirty Coop WIP

[RoseHawke]

Well, maybe not so quick, and hopefully not dirty, but I sort of put the cart before the horse and have eight Cream Legbars that need to be out of my shop soonest. Bit of a problem these days in that I'm pretty much having to build this coop around what I have, and what I can get and also of course, what I need. Interestingly, although pressure treated wood on the whole is in short supply, the 2x2 spindles used for railings are not among them so I've done the framing out of those. It's worked out nicely for what I want, a lightweight coop and run that will be rotated among the raised beds in our veg garden. The 2x2s are screwed together with 3" deck screws, sheathing will be T1-11 siding as we have beaucoup scraps around from various projects. I don't have the bit for the nests framed in yet, those will be off the back. I'm hoping to have this at least functional, if not finished, by this weekend.

 

[RoseHawke]

Making progress. Hopefully I'll have this usable by next weekend. I'd hoped to have it functional this weekend, but we're having company in a couple days and have had to put projects on hold while we give the house a deep clean and straighten.

 

[RoseHawke]

This looks like a very small coop for 8 chickens. If I'm looking at this correctly, you really need to go much bigger. You need roosting bars, nesting boxes, room for them to move around and possibly food and water in there.

The run, including the bit beneath the coop, is 4x12 feet. The coop itself is 3x4 feet plus what will be the additional 3 nestboxes which will be hanging off the back. And those eight birds are going to be culled down to four pullets. It should've been five, but one of the "pullets" is looking more and more like a 'roo. Sorry, I should've said.

ETA: Oh, and the food and water will be PVC tubing hanging from the outside so will take up no room in the run.

 

[3KillerBs]

That's actually one of the garden beds. A month ago it was full of onions . Eventually they'll all be constructed like that as we replace those that have rotted. All the beds are identical in size so the run and coop will be able to be moved between them letting the chickens do their "tilling" bit which will hopefully hopefully help improve the soil.

I absolutely love the metal-sided garden bed.

I'm in NC so I also have the "even pressure treated wood rots out in 5-7 years" problem.

 

[paintedChix]

We are also in NC. Our pressure treated 2x4 & 2x6 frames that our 3 - 2014 & 2015 CP hoop coops are built on and doors framed with, have almost completely rotted out. In the process of removing the base framing (saving the lag screws for other projects hopefully), raising and widening the coops so that they are 10' wide and using a variety of bases. Cinder block, tin or stacked tires. We'll see which works best or which I like the best. Since the hoops will not be supported by the base, t-posts will be driven into the ground to keep the hoops in place. The backs will be redone and have the nest boxes installed. The fronts will be Rugged Ranch dog pen panels that already have the gates. I will add 1/2" HC to the bottom and 2x4" wire up higher. The cost in cinder blocks for one now 10'wX8+'l coop will be just under $93 + tax. I already have tin and tires I can use - coming from other projects.

Looking forward to seeing the rest of your build and WOW, those garden beds are nice!

 

[annampet]

The run, including the bit beneath the coop, is 4x12 feet. The coop itself is 3x4 feet plus what will be the additional 3 nestboxes which will be hanging off the back. And those eight birds are going to be culled down to four pullets. It should've been five, but one of the "pullets" is looking more and more like a 'roo. Sorry, I should've said.

ETA: Oh, and the food and water will be PVC tubing hanging from the outside so will take up no room in the run.

That's better Good luck! You have no room for chicken math....should it happen LOL

 

[RoseHawke]

That's better Good luck! You have no room for chicken math....should it happen LOL

If we lived out in the country there would definitely be a bit of chicken math involved, but unfortunately these are going to have to be "stealth chickens" as it is.

 

[RoseHawke]

Nice progress! May I suggest adding a few more 2x2 "studs" to the framing on the Run area? It will give it some much needed support especially when those 2x2's start to expand and contract with the moisture content of the air.

Good luck and I love the foundation/base!

Good suggestion although I'm fairly confident that the bracing on the run panels will be sufficient, but if not I can retro additional support later. Wood expands mostly widthwise, lengthwise is very minimal. Also, those are all screwed together with 3" torx head deck screws, hopefully that'll do.

That's actually one of the garden beds. A month ago it was full of onions . Eventually they'll all be constructed like that as we replace those that have rotted. All the beds are identical in size so the run and coop will be able to be moved between them letting the chickens do their "tilling" bit which will hopefully hopefully help improve the soil.

 

[RoseHawke]

I absolutely love the metal-sided garden bed.

I'm in NC so I also have the "even pressure treated wood rots out in 5-7 years" problem.

The older beds are just plain construction lumber, so three years is about the best I've gotten from them. I'm hoping that on the new ones since the galvanized metal will keep the soil away from the wood that they'll last longer. Hopefully they'll outlast me anyway. Of course that will also keep the PT wood away from the garden soil although I'm quite comfortable with using the new formulations of PT for edible gardening.

 

[RoseHawke]

Unless it's a 4x4, 4x6, or 6x6, PT wood, it's unlikely to be rated for ground contact or a constantly wet or damp area. I've recently switched from Lowe's to Home Depot for my PT wood as all of theirs is supposed to be rated for ground contact. That said, this new stuff (i.e. post 2004,) just doesn't last as long although I suppose it's a small price to pay for having treated wood with no arsenic in it. I've got a few bits of 6x6 pre 2004 that are lying around (used for a flower bed border at one point) that are still in as good shape as the day I brought them home.