Woods Fresh-Air coop build

[Beej7]

I looked into enclosing the area under the coop for additional run space. Probably not gonna happen. Yeah, I suppose I *could* get under there, but it would be difficult and messy.

I went under ours a few weeks ago. Its been in one spot since about Halloween and they hang out underneath a lot. I just laid a big sheet of cardboard down and it was no big deal. Without that though, hell no!

 

[Beej7]

Im so torn between making this thing mobile or not. I really like how we can move our chickens around based off of the seasons (shade, forage and wind blocks) and based off of how they are affecting the yard. The downsides are that its a little more work.

I found a hay wagon for $100. It needs a bed, and I have lumber to do that. But its still half buried in snow so I cant move it at all. I need to see how easily it rolls and turns before committing. But even if it rolls and turns relatively easily, that doesn’t mean it will with a chicken coop built on top! And I have no idea how much this coop will weigh. It sure would suck to build it on the wagon and not be able to move it by hand or with our 4 wheeler. Plus, if we blow a tire, now the entire coop is unstable. And with it being probably 9’ tall or more if built on the wagon, it would be bad if it tipped over!

Another option is to keep our current small mobile coop for summer use and use the Woods for winter. This was the original plan but Im always trying to simplify things and having a brand new coop and not using it for half the year seems goofy.

 

[Ktlyn 41]

So, based off of what you said, should I go window hunting before I even start framing the walls? I assumed that windows would be something to consider towards the end but I see what you mean and how that could be a problem. Also on the topic of windows, do you have any in the back half or just the 2 windows in the front “scratch shed” part?

And just making sure Im understanding this right, but you wrapped your coop in plastic and then used 1x6” boards as siding over the plastic?

I used the 1*6 boards first then plastic wrap, then some more 1*6 boards around the windows/doors/front to hold the plastic in place when I go to cut it out of those openings. I'm not finished putting my siding on but it'll be scrap metal siding. I would have what windows your getting planned before you start building so that they will fit when you go to install them, makes things so much easier. Also a plan for how they will open, two mistakes that I made lol. I did put a window in the midsection part of the house as well because I liked that aspect in the KD version of the coop and plan on adding a removable window in the door as well to allow for that much more air flow in summer. I will inform though that with this smaller design he had planned for the nesting boxes to be under the dropping board.... Which I am still trying to figure out the design for since he doesn't go over that and I can't find one online, so if you don't want to have you nesting boxes under a dropping board then not having the midsection window would be beneficial because it would give you a space for your bearing boxes to go on the wall. I currently have two milk crates mounted under that window but I will not be able to fit anymore and I'm not a fan of having them under a window that will be open in the summer and might let rain onto them.

 

[Ted Brown]

Prince Woods describes a KD he built that was wet boards without battens. Lots of airflow. A coop does not have to be air tight although I added battens (we all have a tolerance point).

I did not add windows, nest box location was the reason; I have 4 opposite the entrance door.

I generally try to keep things simple. An extra window, for example, adds planning, getting, framing, cutting, installing. Building a coop is a major project even without extras.

 

[Ted Brown]

Re mobile.

Try to move the trailer as is. You will be able to tell if you can manage it as a coop.

If a tire goes flat fix it.

I doubt a farm trailer will tip. They are made to carry BIG loads; the vast bulk of a Woods is well below it's high point.

 

[Beej7]

I used the 1*6 boards first then plastic wrap, then some more 1*6 boards around the windows/doors/front to hold the plastic in place when I go to cut it out of those openings. I'm not finished putting my siding on but it'll be scrap metal siding. I would have what windows your getting planned before you start building so that they will fit when you go to install them, makes things so much easier. Also a plan for how they will open, two mistakes that I made lol. I did put a window in the midsection part of the house as well because I liked that aspect in the KD version of the coop and plan on adding a removable window in the door as well to allow for that much more air flow in summer. I will inform though that with this smaller design he had planned for the nesting boxes to be under the dropping board.... Which I am still trying to figure out the design for since he doesn't go over that and I can't find one online, so if you don't want to have you nesting boxes under a dropping board then not having the midsection window would be beneficial because it would give you a space for your bearing boxes to go on the wall. I currently have two milk crates mounted under that window but I will not be able to fit anymore and I'm not a fan of having them under a window that will be open in the summer and might let rain onto them.

Looking good so far! Why dont you want the nest boxes under the droppings board? And another idea would be to leave the milk crates under the window and put some sort of a roof over them to protect from rain blowing in the window. Also, if you want more than the 2 nest boxes, you could put them on the floor. I don’t understand why everyone says nest boxes need to be up off the ground. Ours never have been elevated and the hens almost always lay in them. And in nature they would nest on the ground, so elevated nest boxes dont seem like a necessity to me. They would allow more floor space though, so that is one reason.

And thanks for the tip, I’ll definitely start looking for windows before I build any walls.

 

[Beej7]

Re mobile.

Try to move the trailer as is. You will be able to tell if you can manage it as a coop.

If a tire goes flat fix it.

I doubt a farm trailer will tip. They are made to carry BIG loads; the vast bulk of a Woods is well below it's high point.

Ill have to go back out there next week to check it out again. This week should pretty much take care of our snow so by next week I should be able to move the wagon around a bit. Obviously if it’s a bitch to move with nothing on it, then building a coop on top seems like a bad idea. But even if its smooth as butter, I have no idea how building a deck and coop on top will effect it’s ease of mobility.

And yea you’re probably right about it not tipping. If it pops a tire I can always prop it up with a chunk of wood or some cinder blocks temporarily until I replace or fix the tire. I was more worried about the immediate effects of the tire popping and the whole works shifting a couple inches. I’m probably overthinking that though!

 

[Ted Brown]

... But even if its smooth as butter, I have no idea how building a deck and coop on top will effect it’s ease of mobility.

If it is smooth as butter deck plus coop will not impact it greatly. Consider the areas where you will want to move it around.

 

[Ktlyn 41]

Looking good so far! Why dont you want the nest boxes under the droppings board? And another idea would be to leave the milk crates under the window and put some sort of a roof over them to protect from rain blowing in the window. Also, if you want more than the 2 nest boxes, you could put them on the floor. I don’t understand why everyone says nest boxes need to be up off the ground. Ours never have been elevated and the hens almost always lay in them. And in nature they would nest on the ground, so elevated nest boxes dont seem like a necessity to me. They would allow more floor space though, so that is one reason.

And thanks for the tip, I’ll definitely start looking for windows before I build any walls.

ill keep the roof idea in mind for sure, I actually do want them under the poop board but he has them designed so that you can grab the eggs out the back of the nesting box (so the entrance to the nesting boxes are facing the back of the coop). He also has them attached to the boards somehow in one picture. I just haven't figured out how to design/build them. I came across a good picture of one of those boxes once ... But then lost the picture . So Ive got it rolling around in my head till I can get it to come out the way I want lol

 

[Beej7]

ill keep the roof idea in mind for sure, I actually do want them under the poop board but he has them designed so that you can grab the eggs out the back of the nesting box (so the entrance to the nesting boxes are facing the back of the coop). He also has them attached to the boards somehow in one picture. I just haven't figured out how to design/build them. I came across a good picture of one of those boxes once ... But then lost the picture . So Ive got it rolling around in my head till I can get it to come out the way I want lol

What would be the reason for wanting to grab eggs through the back of the nest box and have the chickens facing the back of the coop? I suppose if they faced forward maybe it would be brighter than they prefer. But if you’ve got a broody, or need to clean the nest boxes it would be easier if they faced the front instead of the back.