When I first started looking at building my chicken coop, the first thing I did was go out on the net and look for pictures. There are all kinds of examples out there, but I needed to go cheap. Cheap as in building the window out of scrap material. I see no reason to buy a window, when one can be made from left over scraps from building the coop.
Besides ventilation, the screened in vent windows allow the chickens to be viewed without opening the doors. At ni time, if you want to check on the chickens, walk up to the coop, look in through the screened in windows to check on the chickens.
In the following article I will try to describe how to install a screened in window for a chicken coop. If some steps are left out, I apologize. But hopefully this article can give you the general idea.
Needed materials
Saw – skilsaw or crosscut saw
Pencil
Tape Measure
Drill
2 inch long exterior wood screws
1 inch long exterior wood screws
1/8 drill bit for pilot holes
2 c-clamps
Hardware cloth
Framing square
Hinges
Barrel bolt
The laying boxes of my chicken coop are made out of 1x12s. After building the coop I had a piece of 1×12 that was 44 inches long. The left over piece for the laying boxes was cut in half, that was there was no waste.
Cut the hole in the side of the coop about 1/8 higher then what the doors measure and about 3/8 wider then what the doors measure.
How wide is the window? Add 7 inches to the width and cut a 1×4 to length. Lets say the window is 11 inches wide (2 1x6s), cut a single 1×4 18 inches long.
Insert the 1×4 into the coop, align the bottom of the 1×4 with the top edge of the the hole for the window, clamp in place. This is called a backer. 3/8 plywood is too weak to hold a screw. so you add a backer for the screws to run into.
Run a couple of 1 inch long screws through the 3/8 plywood and into the 1×4 backer.
Do the same thing for the side backers.
Time to cut the hardware cloth
Whatever size you cut the hole for the window, add 5 inches and cut your hardware cloth. The 5 inches is for 2 1/2 inches of overlap on each side of the window.
From the edge of the window, measure over 2 1/2 inches for the overlap. Hold the hardware cloth in place, secure with a few 3/4 galvanized staples.
The second half of this video talks about how to make a window for a chicken coop
Its time to install the outside window frame
Cut 1 1×4 the width of the window.
Cut 2 1x4s the height of the window plus 3 1/2 inches.
I like to start on the right hand side of the window. Install the outside frame, secure with some 2 inch long exterior screws.
To start with, install only a couple of screws, as the screws for the hinges will add extra strength.
Install the hinges on the boards that will cover the window. I tried to space the hinges equally on the door. If the door is 21 inches long, the hinges were spaced 7 inches apart.
Install the doors on the window.
When the windows were installed on the frame, I used 2 inch long screws on the frame side, and the screws that came with the hinges on the window covers. 2 inch long screws are long enough to go through the hinge – 1×4 frame – hardware cloth – 3/8 plywood – 1×4 backer. This ensures that all the pieces of the window are sandwiched together.
With the 2 inch long screws going through the hardware cloth, this ensures that nothing can push the hardware cloth loose and get inside the coop.
Besides ventilation, the screened in vent windows allow the chickens to be viewed without opening the doors. At ni time, if you want to check on the chickens, walk up to the coop, look in through the screened in windows to check on the chickens.
In the following article I will try to describe how to install a screened in window for a chicken coop. If some steps are left out, I apologize. But hopefully this article can give you the general idea.
Needed materials
Saw – skilsaw or crosscut saw
Pencil
Tape Measure
Drill
2 inch long exterior wood screws
1 inch long exterior wood screws
1/8 drill bit for pilot holes
2 c-clamps
Hardware cloth
Framing square
Hinges
Barrel bolt
The laying boxes of my chicken coop are made out of 1x12s. After building the coop I had a piece of 1×12 that was 44 inches long. The left over piece for the laying boxes was cut in half, that was there was no waste.
Cut the hole in the side of the coop about 1/8 higher then what the doors measure and about 3/8 wider then what the doors measure.
How wide is the window? Add 7 inches to the width and cut a 1×4 to length. Lets say the window is 11 inches wide (2 1x6s), cut a single 1×4 18 inches long.
Insert the 1×4 into the coop, align the bottom of the 1×4 with the top edge of the the hole for the window, clamp in place. This is called a backer. 3/8 plywood is too weak to hold a screw. so you add a backer for the screws to run into.
Run a couple of 1 inch long screws through the 3/8 plywood and into the 1×4 backer.
Do the same thing for the side backers.
Time to cut the hardware cloth
Whatever size you cut the hole for the window, add 5 inches and cut your hardware cloth. The 5 inches is for 2 1/2 inches of overlap on each side of the window.
From the edge of the window, measure over 2 1/2 inches for the overlap. Hold the hardware cloth in place, secure with a few 3/4 galvanized staples.
The second half of this video talks about how to make a window for a chicken coop
Its time to install the outside window frame
Cut 1 1×4 the width of the window.
Cut 2 1x4s the height of the window plus 3 1/2 inches.
I like to start on the right hand side of the window. Install the outside frame, secure with some 2 inch long exterior screws.
To start with, install only a couple of screws, as the screws for the hinges will add extra strength.
Install the hinges on the boards that will cover the window. I tried to space the hinges equally on the door. If the door is 21 inches long, the hinges were spaced 7 inches apart.
Install the doors on the window.
When the windows were installed on the frame, I used 2 inch long screws on the frame side, and the screws that came with the hinges on the window covers. 2 inch long screws are long enough to go through the hinge – 1×4 frame – hardware cloth – 3/8 plywood – 1×4 backer. This ensures that all the pieces of the window are sandwiched together.
With the 2 inch long screws going through the hardware cloth, this ensures that nothing can push the hardware cloth loose and get inside the coop.