The Blue Coop

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Country Freedom- The run is 16'x16'. There are a ton of pictures on my BYC page that show the run from a variety of angles. The outside dimensions are totally based on the size of lumber that fits in my car. Plus, the 8' length is very standard for everything. I'm lazy and hate to saw things if I don't have to.

Lauralou- I was hoping you'd catch this thread. I put the process pictures on the BYC page. I thought you'd like that I built it myself. You're a great Girl Carpentry Coach!

 

[AnnesChicks]

Very nice coop, you'll find the area below the raised coop becomes their favorite hang out spot. Aren't chickens funny, I kept mine inside the coop for the first few days just to help them settle in, then opened the door so they could go out. Nothing...... Two days later I forcebly put a couple of them out. Geez they acted like I was trying to kill them.

Great design and the funny thing is my house is that exact color combo! Great minds think alike

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

HA! Even funnier is that my name is Anne also!

My plan is to put food and water under one side and wall the other side off to be a brooder. I hadn't done it yet and had sort of thought I didn't need to do just yet. Then I added the first silkie to the mix. She promptly got beat up by the rowdy roos. She's back in the old coop until I can fix up a secure broody pen for them to get used to her. I'm going to try to get that done today while I'm still in construction mode.

The front porch area is starting to be where they all want to sit. Several of them lined up on it last night and just hunkered down. I have a bunch of 2x4 scraps left over and I'm going to make a roost tree off to one side. I just ran out of long screws so it'll have to wait until tomorrow.

So when I opened the pop door this morning they just stared at me. The pullets were the first out. The boys were just freaked out. The only reason they came out was that I went around to the litter door and scared them out the pop door. Freaky little chickens. Sigh.

 

[fldiver97]

Great job....I avoid cutting too, lazy me....

 

[teach1rusl]

Wow! You did a super job! It looks very sturdy and neat/attractive

You should take a lot of pride in the fact that you did it yourself too!!!

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

You go girl!!!

Good to show other women that are waiting on their 'men' to build them a coop, that they can get out there and do it themselves.

Love the color combo and how light and bright the inside seems as well.

I'm curious about the roof area where the metal roof is resting on the 1 x 4's. Could a preditor get up there and squeeze under the metal in between the 1 x 4's?

Great job and thanks for sharing.

 

[Mahonri]

nice

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Sweet cheeks- It is nailed to the 1x4s and to the part in the center. There is a 1" gap where it meets the 1x4. The only thing that can get in would be a snake. Truthfully, there are other places with 1" gaps too. If a snake is going in, it's going in. I'm pretty careful to look before I start sticking my hand places.

I have been really fortunate so far about predators. I neurotically check for damage each morning as I know we have possums and likely raccoons in the area. My biggest predator fear is coyotes. At night I can hear them in the pastures around me. Spooky. I'll keep an eye on the new coop and make changes as needed.

It is a bright and cheery coop. I can't wait to get the others repainted.

 

[kittykorat]

What size is the coop? It looks cute.. similar to what my DH wants to build.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

The bottom platform is 4'x8'. The coop itself is 3' wide by 8' long. The front is 4' from the platform and the back 3' from the platform. The platform is 2' from the ground.
I've put all the specifics on my BYC coop page. Check it out for more details!