Ready to start building coop... with your help!

[hrst_jrdn]

Hello all! First post here... I am ready to start building my coop. I only want a handfull of chickens. I plan on getting them during the next "chick days" at Orschelyns. So I am guessing around next March or something. I want to start building my coop now so that there is no question that it will be ready for them by the time I buy them( I understand that they will be inside for the first 60 or so days). So here is the bad part of all this. I have never built anything like this in my life. I really like this A-frame coop: https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=9413 (thanx to the owner for the idea!) and this coop: https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=26070 (again, thanx!). I would like to build something like one of these two. So heres some questions...

Which would be easier to build?

Any suggestions that you think would better fit me?

Where would I get some type of instructions for this?

I really appreciate your time guys. Oh! I live in the country so no rules or anything like that for me. I plan on having them in my back yard, but it is well fenced so predators dont seem to be a problem. Plus, we have dogs that I trust around chickens. Thanx and I look forward to hearing from u guys!

 

[Amethyste]

Quote:
First welcome to BYC!!!

Second...oh never say that!!That seems to jinx people when they say that. Suburban AND country/rural areas WILL have predators. We have hawks, owls, cats, raccoons and possums. All who think our birds are yummy!!

As for the dogs...well, you never really know about them imho. I have heard more people saying that their dogs were perfectly trusted and and they would NEVER kill the chickens, but, they did. Prey drive is a hard thing to fight, so best thing to do in my opinion is to jsut assume that your dog<s> might like to have a fresh chicken dinner. If they dont, then cool!! But that doesnt mean that you might not have a stray that shows up to help themselves either.

Especially living in the country, you have the added risk of seeing something you normally wouldnt see. Everything LOVES chickens! Coyotes, skunks, possums....snakes even.

Myu biggest piece of advice would be a) dont trust the dogs and b) predator proof your coop and run, and then reinforce it again. Predators are sneaky rotten buggers and will try to get in. I learned this the hard way

 

[hrst_jrdn]

Okay, I take it back on the predator thing. When I said that I meant although I am living out in the country, I am still keeping them in the back yard. So I guess I thought they would be safer in the back yard than they would roaming the land. And I did plan on on predator proofing the coop and run. Anyway, Thank you for the helpful information!

 

[sashurlow]

I'm in the same boat as you... Birds next year and coop this fall. One little tip is to play around in your settings and post your location under your name. That way people can get an idea if you are urban or rural and how cold it will get.
In case you haven't heard yet. 4 sq ft/bird of coop space and 10 sq ft/bird in the run. Consider a good layer can lay 150 ish eggs a year (according to the book the wife bought). So be realistic about how many birds you want and how much space you need.
As far as the designs, both seem quite simple and do able. If you are not a good carpenter, keep in mind, its a chicken. They have real small brains and are not that picky. So do build them a coop, but don't worry about it being perfect.
Scott

 

[possumqueen]

I agree with sashurlow. Chickens don't care what it looks like, as long as it's draft free and you can lock the bad guys out at night.

And if you're out in the country, you don't have to worry about whether your neighbors like it. ha!!! You lucky dog!

But if you think you're just going to have a few, think again. I've said this on another thread somewhere around here -- you'll be getting more than you thought before you get much older. They're really addictive. Just look around BYC for a while. You'll get the idea. And BYC is not the place to be if you want to keep a lid on the addiction!

 

[hrst_jrdn]

Thanks guys! You have provided me with some very helpful information. I honestly don't know how good of a carpenter I am as I have never built anything! lol. So I guess I will just kinda look at some designs I like and try to come up with something on my own! I do have some spare wood from building a porch. Does it matter if the wood is treated or anything like that?

 

[sashurlow]

treated wood has been covered. the general consensus (I know... its sad that I haven't even built a coop and am speaking for the whole website, selfish me), is that its not horrible and OK for ground contacting points. Chickens don't chew so its not that much of an issue.

 

[Amethyste]

Quote:
They dont chew...but they will peck your drywall to pieces and eat the insulation lol

 

[substandardtim]

go bigger and sturdier then you originaly planned. you never know if you will get the oddball super agressive chickens that will need more space or if you get addicted and want more chickens or if your nephew hands you a box of chicks from his school embrology project.

last two reasons have happend to me lol.