Started construction on my first coop

[cheapheat]

That looks really nice so far Ryan.

 

[HandsomeRyan]

Thanks all for the positive feedback. It looks like the roof is holding up to the 4" of wet heavy snow that has fallen this morning.

 

[HandsomeRyan]

We got a little painting done today. We are going with barn red with barn white trim.

Used Behr barn paint for the red and I'm very happy with the coverage. Took two coats but the second was a much lighter coat than the first. Used Majic barn paint for the white and it seemed a little thinner. It will take 2-2.5 coats to get full coverage but none of the wood was primed so that might have helped.

 

[HandsomeRyan]

The weather has not been cooperating but Mrs. HandsomeRyan and I have made a little more progress on the coop. We got a bunch more 2x4's ripped down on the table saw to use as trim pieces and we got more painting done on the existing trim. Here are the pics:


The horseshoe on the door belonged to my grandfather. While I have enjoyed the coop construction it made me sad because both my father (who passed away unexpectedly about a year ago) and my grandfather who has been gone for several years both would have loved both the construction and the keeping of chickens. Very sad they aren't here to see it.



Needs the rest of the trim installed and the chicken wire of course but it is coming along.

 

[aart]

Well, I don't know just how handsome you are Mr. Ryan, but that is one handsome chicken coop!!!

Our dad's and granddad's are always deep in our hearts, especially during projects they'd like to be helping with and/or taught us the skills to complete.

 

[Mattemma]

Turned out very nice. I liked your baby chic pic with types marked.Very useful.

 

[Chick farm]

Oh I love the red and white! It looks great!

I keep seeing all these cool coops and think, I want one like that. And yours looks awesome! We haven't started construction, and won't for a couple weeks, since my dad is bringing all the wood for it. He is a scavenger and finds or has virtually anything you could ask for given to him.

 

[HandsomeRyan]

I got the interior portion of the nest box [mostly] finished. It is really hard to get a decent picture of it but basically I added a front knee wall to keep the bedding from falling out into the main section of the coop and I also added a section of 2x3 as a perch to help the chickens step in and out of the box even though it isn't really that high off the coop floor.

I still need to add the roosts and finish a little more interior trim and cleanup but I'm pretty happy with how it is coming along. I am going to try to leave it as one big next box but I can add dividers later if needed.

 

[HandsomeRyan]

This is a picture of the girls on their first trip outside. The coop interior isn't quite done yet so they are just using the run as a daycare center and sleeping in their brooder in the garage. They are still pretty nervous about being outside with all the sights, sounds, and smells but I think they'll adjust to it.

 

[HandsomeRyan]

Here are a couple more pictures of the coop now that the ladies are living there full time.


Here is Mrs. HandsomeRyan watering the geraniums we planted in the mulch around the coop. (Yes it is too early to have geraniums out, she wouldn't take no for an answer after she saw them at Home Depot this afternoon)



Here is our afternoon entertainment. Last fall I fabricated the wine spike in the center of the picture and this spring I built the coop. Super fun to watch the girls run up and down the ladder and scratching around in what is left of the grass. Fun times.