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22K views 42 replies 23 participants last post by  snakize84 
#1 ·
A few weeks ago my wife and I picked up 5 chicks, a week later we got 6 more, a few days later we got 4 more. Two of the chicks died, which left us with a total of 13. Up until last weekend the chicks had been kept in a large plastic tub, which in turn was being kept in the bathtub. The chicks can not stay in my house forever, sooner or later they were going to have to go outside. On Sunday, March 18, 2012 the chicks moved into their new home.

It took about 2 1/2 days, but with the help of my wife and my son, we got the coop built.



Before construction of the coop started I probably spent 2 weeks thinking about the specs, how many laying boxes were needed, how large the coop needed to be, how it was going to be designed, square footage per chicken, types of lumber, how the chickens were going to access the coop, coop security,,, just lots of details were thought out.

One of the first things I did was get out on the internet and look at some chicken coop pictures. There are a lot of different designs out there, that is for sure. The plan I wanted was for the coop to be portable. The type of coop I was aiming for is called a “chicken tractor”. Its a type of coop that can be moved around the yard. Once I got some pictures, and got some ideas, it was time to start making sketches.

I took several pieces of paper and made rough sketches of how the lumber was going to fit together.



Some of the specs I decided on
:

The coop was going to be 4 feet deep by 6 feet wide.
Treated lumber when possible
Closeable trap door with a ladder
At least 4 – 5 laying boxes
Easy entry into the laying boxes for egg collection
Laying boxes would be made out of 1×12 pine lumber
Portable enough to move around the yard, or load on a trailer
Designed for hot weather. Here in southeast Texas the daytime temps can 100 degrees in the shade during July and August. Even by May sometimes the temps can reach the upper 80s and into the 90s. During May, June, July, August and even into September you are looking at constant 90 – 100 degree temps during the daytime. Even at night the temps may not get out of the 90s during July and August.
The tall side of the coop was to be 4 feet tall, so that a piece of 4×8 plywood could be used

The coop design I decided on has an open bottom. This is probably not suitable for areas where it really cold. Here in southeast Texas our idea of cold is overnight lows in the 20s.

The chicken coop project was started with 4 – 2x4x8 foot long pressure treated boards that would become the corner post.

The boards were put on a table with the straightest board being on the outside.

A framing square was used to square the ends of the boards, this way all of the measurements can be put on the boards at the same time.

Once the measurements were marked, the framing square was used to extend the measurements across all of the boards.

The hardware cloth that I used was 3 feet tall and 1/2 inch squares.

The board the top of the hardware cloth attaches to was set so that the top of the wire would be in the middle of the board.

6 boards 6 feet long were cut.

6 boards 45 inches long were cut.

The 6 foot long boards fit flush on the outside of the corner post. The 6 foot long post where nailed to the uprights, then stood up.

The 45 inch long boards fit “inside” the corner post.



One mistake that I made was not nailing the 6 foot 2x4s in all three locations – bottom, middle and top before the project got too far along. I should have nailed all 3 6 foot long board sin place, and then stood the walls up.

Maybe I should have gone with 4 foot wide hardware cloth instead of 3 foot wide?

Someone on youtube posted a comment saying that 1/2 inch hardware cloth was too small for the chicken poop to go through. If I used a larger sized square, I fear that snakes would be able to get in.

I am thinking about building another coop exactly like this one, then put them together to form a coop that look like a house. This would provide 10 laying boxes, with 5 boxes on each side of the coop.

The open floor is not good for cold weather. My wife and I were talking about what we were going to do during the winter. My suggestion was, if nothing else, wrap a tarp around the bottom of the coop.
 
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#5 ·
We've had chickens for the past 4 years. If you have the space, I would suggest that you might do what we do - let them free range during the day and just pen them inside the coop at night.

Doing this will give you the benefit of not having to clean the coop out NEARLY as often (once a week), buy ALOT less feed (plus they'll keep your bug population WAY down), yet you'll still keep them protected from predators (mostly).
 
#7 ·
After building the coop, I realized I should have gone with 4 foot wide hardware cloth instead of 3 feet wide. I am kicking myself right now for using 3 foot wide, but oh well, it is what it is.

The coop in the first video is only 1/2 of the entire coop. The other side is going to have 4 foot wide hardware cloth. This will give an area 7 feet wide of hardware cloth, then 1 foot on end side for boxes.

If I were to build the coop again, it would have 4 foot hardware cloth for the floor on each side, and 3 foot hardware cloth for the run.

So far my wife and I have around $300 into the coop. All of the 2x4s are treated lumber.

Before its over, we should have around $700 - $750 in the coop. Just the hinges are $4 each, plus the latches. The 1x12 that we lower to access the laying boxes has 3 hinges on it. That is $12 just on hinges for 1 door. The finished coop should have 2 sets of laying boxes and 2 doors, for a total of 6 hinges, at $6 each, so lets say $25 in hinges just for 2 access points. That is not counting the doors and latches to access the main coop section.

A good bit of the cost is not the lumber, but the screws, nails, latches, hinges,,, all the little things you need to make the coop work.

Another idea is to raise the original laying boxes up, put a second set under them so that the laying boxes are all on one side of the coop.

I am seriously thinking about making one side of the coop for perches, and the other side for laying boxes, food, water and a small perch - this is after the other half has been added on.
 
#11 · (Edited)
March 24 and 25 another door was added to the coop, the egg collection door was finished, the ladder was finished, and a vent window was added.

The second door was cut 24 inches by 24 inches square. The other door which measures 18 inches wide seemed a little narrow.



The ladder was completed, except for a draw string to raise and lower the ladder from outside the coop.

A vent window was added just below the tin roof. The window measures 24 inches long by 3 1/2 inches wide. 1/2 inch square hardware cloth was used to block off the window so nothing can get through it.

To reinforce the window, a 2x4 was added to the inside of the coop, then 2 inch long screws were used to go through the 1x4s on the outside, through the plywood and into the 2x4.

The hardware cloth is between the 1x4 and the plywood. Several screws go through the 1x4s, through the hardware cloth, plywood and 2x4. There is no way that hardware cloth is going anywhere.

The 1x4 that covers the vent window folds up and fits snug against the tin. To close the window during cold or rainy weather, a 1x4 folds down, then is held closed with a latch.

When the other end of the coop is added, I am going to install another vent window just like this one on the opposite side.

 
#13 ·
I think the ballpark figure right now is around $350.

After the rest is added on, we are probably talking about $750 for the whole coop.

I am thinking about adding a solar powered hotwire around the bottom of the coop, but that will be after everything is finished.
 
#21 ·
Over the 3 day weekend my wife and I made a lot of progress on the chicken coop. We got the second half built and the two sections put together.



Each chicken has 3.23 square feet of hardware cloth.

Over the next week I am hoping to enclose the bottom so the chickens can get out of the coop and onto the ground.

Several of my neighbors let their small dogs run free. The dogs are friendly and do not cause any issues. But here lately 2 and sometimes 3 of them have been running together. The largest dog of the bunch probably weighs 5 pounds.

I am thinking about enclosing the bottom of the coop, and only letting them out of the coop in the evening when I am home. That is until I can something like a hotwire around the coop.

 
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#25 ·
That's very attractive and functional.

The only suggestion that I have is in regards to high winds. We don't get them that often, but occasionally we do get some really stiff winds that might topple the coop.

You might have already done or planned it. If not consider using the posts for the outside area to secure the coop, or maybe sink a couple of trailer home tie down posts. Just anything to prevent the wind from rolling the coop.
 
#27 ·
Unlike a lot of people that spent Easter weekend going to church and hunting easter eggs, I spent my weekend working on a chicken coop.

Friday morning my wife and I loaded up in the truck, grabbed some lunch at McDonalds, then we went to Parkers lumber in Jasper Texas to get supplies for the chicken coop.

This is what we bought at Parkers:

36 inch x 1/2 inch squares hardware cloth, 10 foot roll
Paint tray
1 box 1 1/2 inch roofing screws with rubber washer
Extra bits for the drill
Skil saw blade
Exterior latex redwood stain paint
14 – treated 2x4s 8 feet long



2 boards 8 feet long were laid in parallel on level ground
3 boards were cut 6 feet long
The sides of the boards that are going to be exposed to the ground were painted. The paint is for extra weather protection.
The boards were screwed together using 2 1/2 inch long exterior wood screws.
The second board up the wall was set at 34 inches to the bottom of the board. This gives the 36 inch tall wire 2 inches of overlap.

One of the 6 foot long boards was secured at the top of the wall just to hold the 6 foot width for the entire length of the wall.

4 boards are cut 45 inches long, and if possible painted before being assembled.

The 4 boards are cut 45 inches long because they are going to fit “inside” the walls. 45 inches + 3 inches for the 2x4s = 48 inches.

The second section of the coop is going to be 48 inches X 72 inches. Or, 4 feet X 6 feet. This equals a grand total of 24 square feet. The first section is 18 square feet, not counting the laying boxes. 24 + 18 = 42 square feet. 42 square feet divided by 13 chickens = 3.23 square feet per bird.

This 3.23 square feet is “just” the area covered by the hardware cloth. It’s not counting the 5 laying boxes and the perches.

The walls were stood up, the 45 inch long spaces put in place, and everything screwed into place.

Before the plywood was screwed to the walls, the bare section was moved into position so that it could be mounted to the first section. The floor was then framed in with 2x4s.

Once the floor was framed in, 2 spans of 36 inch by 1/2 inch square hardware cloth was laid down and stapled. The staples that were used are 3/4 galvanized. All the the staples were drove in with a hammer.

The hardware cloth was lapped over the end of the wall, bent down and nailed in place. The idea is for the hardware cloth to be clamped between the 2 chicken coop sections.

The two coop sections were moved so that they butted up against each other, then c-clamps were used to pull the two section tight against each other.

Since the two sections were not built at the same exact time, there was minor differences in the various measurements. While one board was flush, another had an offset. The answer was to split the difference. I did not want to start unscrewing boards to work the difference out, so the various offset was split.


Lessons learned so far

If I were to ever build another chicken coop, I would NOT build it in two sections. The whole coop would be built at one time, and with boards that span the entire length of the coop.



After I got the two sections together, one side of the coop came together nicely, and the other side had a 1/2 – 3/4 crack at the top. To close the crack up put stress on the other side of the coop.

Once the crack at the top of one wall was closed up, a piece of 1×4 about 2 feet long was pout over the splice between the two sections. Several screws 2 inches long were run into the 1×4 scab piece to hold the sections together.

After the seam between the two sections was closed up, I noticed one of the coop had a dog leg in it, as it was not running parallel with the first coop section.

It was just one thing after another trying to get the two coop sections together and squared up. One coop section is leaning a little bit to one side, the other coop section is leaning the opposite direction.

I did what I could to get the project finished and the coop opened up for the chicks.

There are 4 things I am mainly concerned with

Security – keep the chicks safe from predators such dogs, raccoons, opossums, cats, snakes,,, and anything else that decides to come along.

Keeping the chickens dry – if the roof does not leak, I will be happy.

Warm in the winter

Cool in the summer
 
#29 ·
There are 4 things I am mainly concerned with

Security – keep the chicks safe from predators such dogs, raccoons, opossums, cats, snakes,,, and anything else that decides to come along.
For sure..you can NOT make it too varmint-proof

Keeping the chickens dry – if the roof does not leak, I will be happy. I agree...wet birds are yucky

Warm in the winter Don't worry about that...the cold won't bother them as long as there is enough ventilation

Cool in the summer Agreed...heat is harder on them than cold will ever be; I always keep one waterer in the freezer, and swap it out with the one outside during a very hot day.
Your coop looks great!
 
#28 ·
Video #4 of the chicken coop project.



The perch was leveled out to make more room for the chickens. From the way the chickens are reacting to the new design, they seem to like it.

With a sloped perch - no more then 3 or 4 birds on the perch at one time

With the perch leveled out - 12 chickens at one time.
 
#30 ·
Two month update.

The chickens are growing fast, they are getting in and out of the coop with the ladder with no problems, in the evening they all go up the ladder into the coop.



The stench of chicken crap is getting worse in the coop, so I am adding two large vent windows opposite each other. This way the windows can provide for a cross wind through the coop and hopefully help remove the build up of stench / methane.

When the chicken crap starts to build up under the coop, my wife and I insert some pipe under the legs and roll it to clean dirt.

The pine shavings that I originally used may not be such a good idea. The chickens scratch the shavings out of the box, and the shavings just sit there. I do not know how long its going to take for the shavings to decompose, but its taking a little too long.

My wife and I are going to cut the grass this weekend. When we do we are going to rack up the cut grass, then put the grass in the laying boxes.
 
#32 ·
Two month update.

The chickens are growing fast, they are getting in and out of the coop with the ladder with no problems, in the evening they all go up the ladder into the coop.

Chicken project two month update - YouTube

The stench of chicken crap is getting worse in the coop, so I am adding two large vent windows opposite each other. This way the windows can provide for a cross wind through the coop and hopefully help remove the build up of stench / methane.

When the chicken crap starts to build up under the coop, my wife and I insert some pipe under the legs and roll it to clean dirt.

The pine shavings that I originally used may not be such a good idea. The chickens scratch the shavings out of the box, and the shavings just sit there. I do not know how long its going to take for the shavings to decompose, but its taking a little too long.

My wife and I are going to cut the grass this weekend. When we do we are going to rack up the cut grass, then put the grass in the laying boxes.
Do you use Diatomeous Earth in your coop? It really helps keep down the smell a lot and prevents infestations from mites, too. I throw a cup of it into the shavings each week... (coop is 4' x 7'). Btw, those little yellow tree-thingies that people hang off their rear-view mirrors REALLY keep the flies away. Only the yellow, vanilla-scented ones work, though. If you're smelling ammonia , there isn't enough ventilation, so you are correct in making the vents bigger...


By the way, does anyone else think we could use a section dedicated just to chickens? Are there enough of us on here to keep one going?
 
#33 · (Edited)
here is my update other than I need to get a few pics so you can see how fast the meat chickens are growing


.Duel sign:D::D::rofl:



.


ZRT

I also switched the way I watered . I went with this
http://www.qcsupply.com/420006-poly-threaded-body-nipple.html

took a 5 gallon bucket drilled 6 holes using a 11/32 sized drill bit and screwed 6 nipples in the bottom. It has to be hung of course. they figured the new waterer out in less than a day (monkey see monkey do I think) I read that you want to use the 360 degree nipple if you have meat chickens (dumb critters). I also read 1 nipple per 3 chickens
ZRT
 
#36 ·
I also switched the way I watered . I went with this
http://www.qcsupply.com/420006-poly-threaded-body-nipple.html

took a 5 gallon bucket drilled 6 holes using a 11/32 sized drill bit and screwed 6 nipples in the bottom. It has to be hung of course. they figured the new waterer out in less than a day (monkey see monkey do I think) I read that you want to use the 360 degree nipple if you have meat chickens (dumb critters). I also read 1 nipple per 3 chickens
ZRT
Nice find!

I've (kind of) looked around for the same drip systems that poultry houses use. These are low pressure lines with nipples that make a single drop. The water cohesion holds the drop in place until a bird drinks it and then it forms another drop. The system that you found is very similar except that the commercial one is hooked to a faucet and needs no maintenance or refilling.
 
#37 ·
Latest update to my chicken coop project



My wife and I added a run that is 6 feet wide (same width as the coop) and 12 feet long.

To enclose the coop and protect the chickens, we used 1/2 inch UV resistant PVC pipe and chicken wire.

 
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#38 ·
A few years ago I made a chicken coop. I only bought the hardware, 3 sheets of plywood, chicken wire, and hardware cloth.

The plywood went to 1 - the roof, 2 - the back wall to hold the nest boxes, and 3 - the nest boxes and door. The other three sides were all chicken wire.

For all of the vertical supports, perches, etc. I used branches of trees and saplings I cut for the purpose. This made it much cheaper and more natural. I'm not sure if that matters to the chickens, but it looked fine and served the purpose nicely.

The door was 12" x 18" tall. My son said he thought the opening was too small for the birds until I crawled through it to attach the perches on the inside.

I only used the coop to hold the birds at night, allowing them to roam freely during the day. We did have some issue with hawks and a much larger issue with the neighbor's dog.
 
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