Recycled Coop!

[timp123]

Good evening! It's been a LONG time since I was last on this forum.... '03, possibly '06, thats the last time I had messed with chickens & Quail... it's been so long infact, I couldn't locate my old user account!

Oh well... to bring you up to speed, early last year, I was leaving work, and I saw a Crate that was broke down after receiveing some industrial equipment... once I eyed it up, actually how big it was, I jumped on it.. I knew.. it would make a perfect coop! Approx 6 ft wide, 11 ft long and 6ft tall box. So, I borrowed a friends trailer.. and started on my first Back yard coop.

I had to buy 4 posts, screws and stud hangers, paint & hardware cloth, I also bought the nesting boxes.. from a guy on eBay.. I just loved the design.., the 2x4's were scrap from work, the tin roofing material was given to me from my brother that had built a pole barn... oh, the hardware cloth I bought was for the raised floor when in the coop, I wouldn't have to clean that out... as much..

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Well, at this point, last year, I thought, I was done. We hatched some eggs, Americanas and some silkies.. and put them out there...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v404/starwarssniper/ChickenCoop/010.jpg

Fast forward to Fall of last year... Raccoons... they started BITING OFF THEIR TOES!!! There would be days, that I would go down to check on them, and the poor things would be missing toes, it got so bad, that some of them just had stubs... it was so sad...

then Oct last year, we went on a 3 day camping trip... we had 10 chickens in our coop.. all pretty good size... Raccoons climbed up the outside of the coop and entered in through the space between the trusses and the tin roof.... and ATE EVERY SINGLE CHICKEN

There was nothing left but legs... project, haulted

So, fast forward to spring this year... the plywood door that was made from cutting it out... did not weather well at all. It started delaminating, that started this years updates. I found a storm door on Craigslist.. just like I wanted.. bought it and installed it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v404/starwarssniper/ChickenCoop/001.jpg

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Thats fixed. Now, how to let the chickens roam, but keep them safe from neighbor dogs, Coyotes, Owls & Hawks... Craigslist to the rescue, I started watching for a used dog kennel... (I wonder if this is the first kennel used to keep dogs OUT?)

Most of them that were posted, were either asking too much, or were gone before I could get to them. I finally saw one posted and was the first person to call, I didn't even argue price.. .she was kind enough to hold it for me, and I picked it up after work that day.

Now, here we are this past Tuesday, 06/02, we closed in the bottom of the coop on 3 sides using picket fencing cut down to size... added a deck off the front... and attached the kennel to the back of the coop... using the 4th panel that wasn't needed for a 3 sided pen, as a top enclosure, (of course, it's 4 ft short since it's a 10x10x6 panel) So there is a gap, that has to be filled in yet...

Things left to do...

1. Build a ramp on hinges in the floor of the coop to the chicken run...so that it can be raised each night, for added protection
2. Add block or wire mesh around the parameter of the run and coop to help prevent preditors from digging under..
3. steps off the front
4. Landscaping around the entire coop.
(wifey's idea... by the way, this was also the wifes requirement... if I must do chickens and have a coop.. then it has to look like a garden shed.. and not a piecemeal coop... )

I think I will repaint the Coop a Leaf Green.. and stain the deck and underpinning a cedar stain....

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v404/starwarssniper/ChickenCoop/005-1.jpg

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It's coming along nicely... and though I thought we were done last year... I like how it's turning out, with the changes this year! And who knows... I may make more changes as time passes by...

 

[FinsUp]

those are the most beautiful nesting boxes!!! You are allowing the chickens to sit in them! LOL

 

[Mamaperreca]

Nice. It looks really good.

 

[timp123]

Quote:
The guy that made these, is a cabinet maker.... Ya, I know... not exactly recycled.. but I really liked them, so I splurged.

 

[3chimama]

looks great!