the new coop

[scruffychicken]

My son and I are in the process of building this coop.We are new to chickens and are learning alot from this forum and the building of the coop

 

[Mucky]

I like the coop, and I love your shop. Are you gonna fit an access door on the side somewhere, to get into the coop for cleaning and stuff?

 

[scruffychicken]

Thank you very much! The shop is a cluttered mess right now but is very nice to have..The rear end of the hen house opens up the get the eggs and I am still trying to figure out how to put an entry for easy cleaning.
I think with just the small chicken door in front and the rear door for the eggs it will be hard to get in and clean.

 

[Dogfish]

Access by humans is a real issue on that coop.

I would suggest scrapping all of those nest boxes on the rear of the coop and making an access door on the back. Off to either side you could add a set of exterior nest boxes. Remove the second horizontal side board from the floor and build your exterior nest boxes on one or both sides. Use that 4x4 (or paired 2x4's) as the bottom level of the nest boxes. For a coop that size, you should only need 4 nest boxes total at most. Doing this allows easy access to your eggs and provides human access to the nest, and it would be at the perfect height o put your wheelbarrow under for cleaning out the duff. Right now, there is no access suitable. I think this would be the most straightforward method, and you might be able to reuse some of the nest box material. You'll also gain about 12 cubic feet in your coop.

For the roof, toe nail 2x4's on end and extend your eves. This will all a space for additional ventialion and provide an ovehang for your exterior nest boxes where they meet up with the sidewalls.

Otherwise it is a sound build, and I also like the shop, as it is VERY well lit.

 

[joletabey]

What Dogfish said....
I am impressed with how neat it is- you have a knack for building, I think.

 

[dumb_cluck]

Umm, how are you going to move it? Looks heavy enough for an 8N ! (Ford tractor)

 

[scruffychicken]

Yes it is gonna be heavy!

I better get out and work on it .Try and move the nesting boxes to the side.

 

[Backyard_Chicken_rancher]

Forget the coop Great work on the shop

when can I come over and just stand in it so I can feel liek it is my own shop

Seriously good work on the coop but great work on the shop.

 

[Dogfish]

Maybe this will give you some ideas on how to attach the nest boxes.

 

[CityChook]

Ditto - you don't need that many nestboxes for that small of a coop. Scrap that wall, build a rear access door and put two nestboxes on the side wall.
Looks like a lot of lumber and could withstand a bomb -- nice job!