ugly chicken tractor last a week, see new ugly NW style coop, no DH..

[jkm]

So no cute , hammer wielding, charming DH in sight.
I live in the NW, it rains a hell of a lot and blows too. We live in the suburbs, chickens must adapt.
MY DEAR Mother, with Occ comments from dear sister, the water color painter, helped.( I have not ever built a structure before, but own tools from house work).

First before you begin, make sure you have new drill bit in your drill!
For the NW I knew I needed solid foundations, plus cover and I wanted to see my girls! So many coops are designed for the midwest... big backyards, lots of cold, minimal rain.
I saw left over pieces from local house construction and found the best bases for my coop. Solid ten inch framing triangles I could put together into a square. (so I have solid, ten inch off the ground base for the coop!!)_
Since I wanted my coop in a winter wet spot this was great!
Home Base supplied the rest, I tried to go back for plywood at the construction site was beat out by a man with a truck.

PS , Home Base has precut cut plywood, that fits a pallet perfectly if you think about it! 24 x48 plus 2x2 framing.....
this coop took me three 1/2 days.
It is 48 by 48 by 50 tall in the front by 38 in the back.


Hint .. build from the door side!!!!
it has a flimsy door with two bolts, with clasps... can raccons undo these clasps?

The mesh is 1/2 inch, hardwire stapled by hand, everywhere, the outside run needs works, just thrown up for a week , while I fix it!!!
Outside run is a dog pen with hammered down tent stakes. Covered with mesh tied with plastic ties.
Plus the outside run door has wire and a ten pound brick to hold it in place.

I have really paid attention to the raccon warnings on this site.!!!.

If I could build it again!!! heavier door, planned first!!! build with precut 24 x48 from HB.


MY mom and the sheltie Leo were great help. Mom braced and thought and talked. Leo sat on my tools and was supportive of my mistakes.
Stain to happen later this week, after the rain!
Girls are cuddled up on staw, before evening rain, closed in tight. looking happier than in the dog crate.( they wanted their heat lamp back.. didnt happen tonight)


the wire next to the door will be filled in with plywood, as soon as I ride my bike around and find a piece!, the egg door above is on a hinge, the roost has not been made yet.

Thanks to everyone who posted pics and let me think about what I needed for the NW rains ...
Which is cover from the rain, space to run in , some out side space,....

coop is 3.5 x 3.5 = 10 sq fet
out side pen 3x3 feet 9 sq feet
total 19 sq feet for three spoiled chiks, can I have a buff too? any one have a spare buff chick?

more pics to follow....

questions? Have woked ike hell on this for four days , plus the thinking!
Quick , Fred, Leo, Kells, Red, WS, Aracona, TO THE SUPER COOP!
cheers from justine , off to work for a few days.....

 

[silkiechicken]

Good job on making an outdoor run for your birds. I'm a seattle and everett resident in the NW. I would be careful of coons still, espeically with your run.. They can tear though that green stuff like none other if it isnt really tough. As for the run when your birds get older, do you plan on letting them out? They're gong to need a bit more room than you're current enclosure.

And as a suggestion, when they reach laying age, but in a square box for them to lay eggs and I would hang up the feeders so mice and rats don't eat all the food when you aren't looking. I used to have ground feeders and ever since I raised them, much less feed is lost to rodents.

Edit: Put the feeders just above back level as this will also reduce the amount the bill out of the dish.

 

[chickpa]

I am still looking for an answer about what DF stands for. If DH is for Darling Husband, I am taken. If I were a Mormon, I would be happy to be your DH too. Sounds like you are in the NW. If you are in Portland, I could lend some help with the construction as you complete your rain and predator proof chick dwelling.

 

[jkm]

thanks for the advice seattle,
i just got them in out of the rain,
I hung the new feeder better today,
I am looking for a one gallon water to hang
box will be coming with roost,
the side run is temp until I get another day to build.
they will get garden time in 10 days, when they know where home is, this is their third pen in three weeks.
this was a big improvement over the last dog crate, they did not like that at night very much.
they fussed for ten minutes in this then were calm.


they looked great today, dry, warm , fed, running around and sleeping in the straw, its a normal may day, cool, sun and rain. I don't have to worry about them while am at work.
pet chickens are a lot of work!

thnaks for the offer of help!!, next time i do this I will need two drills, one for the bits, one for the screws,

cheers