Got the chicks, now for the coop...

[Nuzzy]

With our chicks growing daily, no time like the present to build a coop. My Saturday started at 6:45 am by making a fire to heat the home, making a loaf of bread, and cooking some french toast, eggs, and bacon with coffee in a hearts mug.

Then it was out to the garage to finish welding up my foundation legs. The idea is for these to tether the coop to the ground during windstorms.

Yards were meant to be parked in!

Foundation squared up and ready to be dropped into place.

Basic 2x4 wall construction for the front and back. This is the 6' back wall ready to go.

My supervisors

About 11am, my cavalry showed up. My bro and our friend.

 

[Nuzzy]

Doing some figurin'

Now things are rolling along!

Best sawhorse ever: my trailer. I was also pretty stoked that I finally taught myself how to use both a speed and framing square!

Naked.

Clothed. Did all the siding myself since my cavalry had stuff to do and left.

All closed in and roof on.

As it sits now.

Still have to cut out two side windows and the pop door. Make shingled awnings for the windows. Felt and shingle the roof, and make all my inner accessories. Caulk all seems, and paint. But all in all, I'm pleased with the amount done today. We'll be using the deep litter method with the dirt floor. The sliding glass door was free (thanks Monkeyevil) and I figured it would be excellent for light while also filling my door need. The door faces the morning sun and the lower back is towards the heaviest of our wind storms and weather. I used 2x8s for my rafters since I wanting a full 6" of ventilation across the 10' span. Based on the info I've read, 1sqft of ventilation is required for every 10 sqft of floor space. I have roughly 80 sqft of floor so the rafter ventilation of 10 sqft (.5'x10'x2(front and back)) should be more than enough. Then my side windows will just be added gravy in the summer and I can close them up in the winter should I choose. All rafter vents and windows will be lined with 1/2" hardware cloth and eventually I'll also run hardware cloth around the perimeter sunk in the ground.

We will be free ranging our 15 chickens during the day with the dogs helping to protect them, unless predators prove to be too much an inconvenience.

 

[wigglesworth]

Awesome coop. I use the coop that was existing on our "mini farm" we bought. We have 15 layers and 1 rooster. How many you gonna have?

 

[Nuzzy]

We have 15 layers and 1 rooster. How many you gonna have?

13 dual purpose pullets and two straight run bantams. We'll just have to see what the bantams turn in to and if they sexed all the pullets right. Would like to have 1 roo at some point in the greater scheme of things.

 

[wigglesworth]

13 dual purpose pullets and two straight run bantams. We'll just have to see what the bantams turn in to and if they sexed all the pullets right. Would like to have 1 roo at some point in the greater scheme of things.

A rooster is good to have around, as it makes the hens feel secure, unless he starts in on flogging ya, then he is good for dinner Dominant things them rooster's are.....Ours don't mess with me and my youngest son, he's 3, because we both let him know where he stands in the grand scheme of things. I caught my boy chasing him around the coop with a stick, just whooping up on him. It was funny to me, but the rooster wasn't liking it. Now, my oldest son, he's 6, gets chased down by that old bird every time he goes around him. I keep telling him, stand up to him and chase him back, but he doesn't, and gets chased off every time.

 

[isaaccarlson]

thats a good coop for being a lesser scheme.....LOL

 

[isaaccarlson]

I shot our rooster a while back when he spurred my then 2 year old son.

 

[wigglesworth]

I shot our rooster a while back when he spurred my then 2 year old son.

Yep...id have shot him too....or at least deep fried him.

 

[stihl sawing]

Good job on the coop, Looks well made and man that breakfast looked yummy.

 

[ramirezhenry55]

nice and simple :jawdrop:
I'm sure from its build it will last more than expected

 

[dingeryote]

Dang it Nuzz, you're breaking in at a rapid pace!!

Never seen a coop with a patio door.... that's a high class option lol!!


While you're raising young chickens, it's a good time to add a couple Guineas to the brood. They keep the more timid predators like Possums and skunks honest, and raise enough hell that you'll notice if coons or a fox comes around.

Give it a few months and you'll have more 'Yotes and coons than you know what to do with. Your neck of the woods is as bad as here for 'em.

NICELY done!!!!

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[Nuzzy]

While you're raising young chickens, it's a good time to add a couple Guineas to the brood.

I think I read the guinea keets start coming in may. And yes, we are definitely getting some of those ugly bastards I can't wait!!

 

[Nuzzy]

Oh, and yes... I LOVE the glass door! I'm sure I'll love it even more when it's covered 3 foot up in chicken ####. :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[Nuzzy]

Wanted to get the roof shingled tonight. I got as far as the felt paper before changing my mind on how I want to do the side drip edges. With the revamped idea needing different materials, I got the other half of the sliding glass door in place and started messing with the wheels. The door isn't exactly the right one for the frame (hence why it was free), but it'll work out once I'm done

The door is wider than it should be by a few inches. I'm thinking of doing some decorative wood piece on the front to hide the gap and make it look more like a double door. I'll just have to play around with it and see what works. Will also be gluing a piece of wood onto the glass right behind the weather stripping of the stationary piece to recreate the weather seal.

Our little friends are getting more feathers every day

 

[BuddhaKat]

Wow, nice coop. My house isn't built that well.

 

[Nuzzy]

What's your secret to get a project rolling so fast?

Good question!

Basically, projects eat at me until they're done.

 

[DJ4wd]

Nice job on the coop! If you took out the sliding glass door and put a regular man door at the end, it would look nearly like mine. The other difference is that I built mine on top of an old coal trailer, so I could move it around. We have 16 layers and one rooster right now. We're going to soon move the coop and get 25 more layers. We've had chickens for a long time and our kids show them in the county fair, so feel free to ask any questions that you think of! Just like chainsaws, chickens are addictive and you'll have more before you know it.

 

[Nuzzy]

I hate only having an hour or two after work to pound away at this thing. By the time I get all situated, the dogs handled, the tools back out, etc... Oh well, will be the weekend soon enough!


The wife got a quick shot of me shingling away before she got molested by mosquitoes.

While I was at work today, I decided that our coop shouldn't just have boring old corners on the fascias. So I guessed some dimensions, drew a quick sketch in CAD, did some plasma cutting, and bent 'em all up.

They fit the bill for what I was thinking. Nothing amazing, but just enough to add some spice.

I'll probably be adding a few more metal accents here and there, but haven't decided all what yet.

 

[BuddhaKat]

What CAD program did you use?

 

[Nuzzy]

What CAD program did you use?

I'm just using some stupid free download eMachine shop program since it was very basic and I could play with it a little at home when needed. The program is meant for you to design parts and then have their company cut them for you. But I just use it to draw and then export the .dxf over to SheetCam. The other 2 guys at work use a more professional drawing program with a name that escapes me at the moment.

I'm still very new to CAD with no training whatsoever, so I just sort of plod along and make basic stuff as I learn.