Small Monitor Roof Coop

[CluckingOnThe45th]

Really cute coop!

Thanks! I hope it turns out how I hope it will

 

[CluckingOnThe45th]

**some** plexi can be cut with the circular saw blade installed backward, finest tooth you have - like a plywood or veneer blade, instead of a ripping blade. You can also use a cut off wheel on a rotozip or similar tool.

But in any case, try it with scrap first, AND great looking build! Tempting to take inspiration from that for my next coop (though I'll have to up the size some). I like the way you framed that out.

The plexiglass came from a handicap elevator that was installed installed in our house by the last owners. That was a good amount of work to remove in the first two weeks of us living here . It's nice and thick.

That looks nice!

Thanks

 

[Sally PB]

The plexiglass

It's nice and thick.

SCORE! Plex is expensive and hard to come by these days.

 

[aart]

Covered by plywood inside and out. We have about 20 birds and they can pick the coops they want to crash in at night. Right now we have 3 - well, 4, but the 4th is just for food and hanging out, so they don't sleep in it - and this will replace one of those as that one is leaning in two different directions.

I'm up in Minnesota. I thought I had entered that in, but maybe not.

Do they ever all try to cram into one small coop?
I see in your intro thread that you have a nice big run, is it divided to separate groups?
Do you 'winterize' the run to keep snow and wind out?

 

[CluckingOnThe45th]

SCORE! Plex is expensive and hard to come by these days.

Is it? Huh. Glad I saved this. I honestly kept it because I had a vision on making a coffee table with a recessed top where I could put down some pictures and then put the plex over the top, put an edge to seal that down and then a slight poly to really seal it.

But I guess I'll use it for chickens to rub poop all over instead . I have a couple of sheets, so we'll see if I still have enough for that table

Do they ever all try to cram into one small coop?
I see in your intro thread that you have a nice big run, is it divided to separate groups?
Do you 'winterize' the run to keep snow and wind out?
View attachment 2441578

They couldn't possibly all fit in one of the smaller coops. They can all fit in our larger coop (out of the picture), though, but we also have three roosters and they're pretty good with each other, but wouldn't all roost together.

There's two cyclone sections. One thats 10x10 and then another that's an L shape made of three 10x10s. They're connected by a wood framed cutout in the cyclone with a little ramp. I wanted one cyclone fenced in area, but my wife wanted it that way. Something about keeping the ducks separated. Whatever.

The L shaped one is then connected to the 10k sq ft fenced in area. That is 5' tall goatwire. So yeah, it's sectioned out. It's been a good setup, but you can tell the larger fenced area wasn't done by professionals

We wrap the cyclone in tarps for winter and that helps the snow drifts. The raised roof over those kennels and the tarp on the top is new for this year. Looking forward to how that helps as well. It'll save the top of my head for sure. We have chicken wire over the top and without the raised portion I was always scraping the top of my head where the chicken wire would sag. I'm not tall, but just tall enough. Also, if I happened to wear a hat the wire would grab the little button on the top of my hat, pull it off and deposit it in the beautifully mushy chicken poop, leaves and straw mixture on the run floor.

 

[aart]

They can all fit in our larger coop

How big is that one?

Also, if I happened to wear a hat the wire would grab the little button on the top of my hat, pull it off and deposit it in the beautifully mushy chicken poop, leaves and straw mixture on the run floor.

HA!! BTDT!

 

[CluckingOnThe45th]

How big is that one?

HA!! BTDT!

It's an A-frame with two levels. Probably 6.5' high and 6' long. Bottom level is surrounded with hardware cloth and is more just for hanging out in. The upper section is probably 4' high at the tip. I put lots of 2x4s in there for roosting.

Here are some pics from when we bought it. My wife got it for $700 from a lady who built it but then got rid of her chickens.


Then in the winter I wrap the bottom in corrugated plastic to help make it comfy and control and snow drifts while also allowing airflow

 

[aart]

It's an A-frame with two levels. Probably 6.5' high and 6' long. Bottom level is surrounded with hardware cloth and is more just for hanging out in. The upper section is probably 4' high at the tip.

....and about 2-3' wide?
20 birds fit in there?!
Do you leave that window open all winter?

 

[CluckingOnThe45th]

....and about 2-3' wide?
20 birds fit in there?!
Do you leave that window open all winter?

2.5' wide. Yeah, there's enough roosting bars and they all cozy up. Like I said, they choose the coops, so some of the roosters and a few hens run to a few other coops, but most are in that one. It's funny to crack that window and see all those eyes looking back and maybe get a cluck.

I leave the windows on both sides cracked at the top just a bit for ventilation. It's our third winter with it.

I bet the kids just wanted to see inside it that day, I don't recall. About once a month I crawl inside and give it a good cleaning

 

[aart]

windows on both sides cracked at the top just a bit for ventilation

Nice you can open the tops.

Do you get any condensation on the roof inside?
(might not see if you only go in once a month)

Any frostbite?