Things you've learned while building your coop...

[valmom]

I wish this thread had been around before we built our coop a couple of years ago Actually I like our coop except for a couple of things.

The henhouse is entirely enclosed by the run- it sits in the center of it. Picturesque, but requires that you go through the run to get to the henhouse in the winter. The gate to the run is very tight to the ground for predator control, and the frost heaves are higher than the gate bottom.

We also didn't plan for having to separate out any chickens or for introducing new chickens. I am going to have to get a wire dog crate for the henhouse if we do get new chickens.

Our henhouse floor is covered with a tarp that the shavings and hay goes on. In the spring I will just take out the tarp, drag it to the back of the barn and dump it, hose it off and it is clean. Really easy spring cleaning!

 

[mamabird]

If you are planning on a 10 x12, build a 12 x 16...if you are planning on a 12 x 16, build a 16 x 20. You may only be planning on getting X number of birds, but you will ALWAYS have more that you planned on...chicken math.

Have a wire cover for your run - hawks can and will tear through a netted cover going in and they DON'T use the same hole to get out - they make a new one.

Put a small 'tool shed' side on the end to store all your feed, egg cartons, meds, cleaning stuff, etc. It's great to have that stuff onhand, and you can also use the area to seperate/quarantine birds if need be. Great place to keep new peeps as they are growing - before adding to the flock.

 

[Stumpy]

We haven't built a coop, but we have been building a house for the past 8+ years, and I think this tip might help someone. We live in a heavily wooded area in the south. We chose metal roofing for durability, but it has come with a terrible downside for us. Each and every "groove" of the roof is a potential red wasp nest. There's no telling what we've spent on wasp spray and contraptions, and their sting is very painful. I wish we'd used shingles.

 

[BarkerChickens]

Quote:
Maybe that's why we ripped out the grass and now have rock!

Though I will clean out the chicken coop!

 

[Zahboo]

glad to see this thread ain't dead yet!

 

[BarkerChickens]

This is more for the run than the coop...if you get snow but want a flat wire roof over the run, make sure you have some sort of framing to can handle the snow! We usually get a few inches...no big deal, but this winter we got 14" and the wire roof was sagging down to my shoulder height! (I am 5'6"). Our new run and coop will include some sort of 2x4 framing (maybe 4'x4' sections) with wire mesh over that!

 

[Kimiko]

Safety gate hooks and eye bolts are wonderful inventions and easier to deal with than carribeaners (especially if you're wearing gloves). If you're putting your coop on top of a structure and have a detachable floor (which I also recommend), fastening the coop to the floor with the safety gate hooks makes it secure and quick and easy to release for cleaning.

Put hinges anywhere you can. It makes it easier to get into everything and if you need to open everything up for cleaning or ventilation--just prop the hatch/door open.

Make sure you can reach every corner of the coop/run easily.

Put the feeder somewhere it won't get wet when it rains.

Make sure the door you use for cleaning is large enough to fit any cleaning implements you might want to use.

Use the "practice" coop for quarantine. It makes the person who built it feel better.

 

[nightshade]

if you plan to have an outdoor run you plan to walk in make sure it has a solid roof cover. Or every spring thaw or steady ran you are gonna have mud and there is little worse then hearing that lovely sucking sound as you take a step and lose you shoe to the muck.... I hate mud

Also no plan is ever set in stone no matter how much you believe it is. You can be sure that half way through the construction something unexpected will call for changes in the design, lay out or materials. It sucks but it seems to always happen.

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

Move your thumb out of the way when swinging your hammer...

 

[nightshade]

also use caution in how you hold the nail when also trying to hold the board in place.