rayrose
Songster
I'm new to chickens and after much study, decided to build my own coop and covered run.
I basically copied the design of the coop built by Pete on Youtube. The coop is 8x8, 7ft. tall
on the front and 6 ft. tall at the back, 5 attached nest boxes that are 18" high at the front tapering
to 15" at the back and 16" wide with the bottoms covered in astro turf. It has a built in roosting
box that has 3, 4ft. long roosts setting on top of 4x5 sand box into which the poop lands, so that
I can scoop it out with a kitty litter scoop. It has 4 jaloosed windows that I can roll in and out and
will keep out the rain. I keep them fully opened and the coop stays totally dry. There is also ventilation
at the front and back eaves. The coop is raised 2' off the ground and has a linoleum floor. Every opening
is covered in 1/2" hardware cloth, as is the entire 28 x 18 run, which is covered in galvanized steel roofing
that is painted white on both sides. It makes the entire run very shady and cool. I also built the same roosting
box (minus the sand box) in the run, which also has many individual roosts and play toys built with leftover
scrap lumber. Beneath the coop is an 8x8 screened area that I can close off, when necessary. The girls
use it as their dust bath area. They love the run, it's like their play ground.
I basically copied the design of the coop built by Pete on Youtube. The coop is 8x8, 7ft. tall
on the front and 6 ft. tall at the back, 5 attached nest boxes that are 18" high at the front tapering
to 15" at the back and 16" wide with the bottoms covered in astro turf. It has a built in roosting
box that has 3, 4ft. long roosts setting on top of 4x5 sand box into which the poop lands, so that
I can scoop it out with a kitty litter scoop. It has 4 jaloosed windows that I can roll in and out and
will keep out the rain. I keep them fully opened and the coop stays totally dry. There is also ventilation
at the front and back eaves. The coop is raised 2' off the ground and has a linoleum floor. Every opening
is covered in 1/2" hardware cloth, as is the entire 28 x 18 run, which is covered in galvanized steel roofing
that is painted white on both sides. It makes the entire run very shady and cool. I also built the same roosting
box (minus the sand box) in the run, which also has many individual roosts and play toys built with leftover
scrap lumber. Beneath the coop is an 8x8 screened area that I can close off, when necessary. The girls
use it as their dust bath area. They love the run, it's like their play ground.
