Detailed coop plans

granite60 · #1 10/13/12, 03:12 PM

Hey there, I am NEW NEW NEW to this idea of raising chickens but plan to build a coop and have 4 hens or so.

I have been searching all over the internet for coop plans, and while there are tons of great pictures there aren't detailed plans. The library books have been no better.

Before we just go ahead and wing it (which we just might do) I was curious if anyone had pictures plus detailed instructions for a coop that they have built and enjoy using.

Also...if you built one and are kicking yourself about a feature that you left out, let me know what you would change.

I am thinking about building something along these lines:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/image/id/5860237
but with the walls of plywood rather than individual boards.

Pony · #2 10/14/12, 11:29 AM

Whoa. That's one fancy coop - cool!

We used to have a little house, about 3' high, with roosts and a feeding bin inside. We put it on runners, so we could pull it around. We made a detachable run of 1x2, covered in chicken wire, that butted up to the door of the house. So we'd move the house, line up the chicken run, and let the gals out.

That was on our suburban stead. Now, we just let them roam free for the day, and they go into the shed at night.

arnie · #3 10/14/12, 12:24 PM

Oh yes that looks like a noce set up .usally when I build somthing I try to figger out the size to match board or plywood size to avoid lots of scrap wood ply wood is 8x4 lumber comes in 2 foot increments there are some good books like the homsteaders handbook of small livestock.

Otter · #4 10/17/12, 10:11 PM

I've got a nice one that was cheap and easy to build. Not quite finished, but I'll try to get some pictures tomorrow. I'd been planning on posting here anyway and already have some instructions written up.

LOL, It isn't as fancy as the set up above, but it is nice looking, reasonable cost to build and houses 12 to 15 hens nicely.

DYngbld · #5 10/17/12, 10:37 PM

My animal houses are the size of the scrap lumber I have laying around.

If you are only going to have 4 or 5 hens, a small chicken tractor is fine, don't need anything fancy.

roberte · #6 10/22/12, 10:29 AM

I'd want the door to be human sized. No fun cleaning and feeding while hunched over.

I'd also like the threshold to be floor level. It's especially no fun carrying a 20lb bucket of feed hunched over AND stepping over the threshold.....

Or banging the the end of the pitchfork / rake into the wire siding. Speaking of which, I'd check with local chicken keepers about predators to make sure the fencing / netting is suitable.

I'd do more roof overhang. No fun being hunched over, stepping over the threshold, carrying a 20 lb bucket of feed AND having the rain dripping down your neck.

We did the raised coop floor. Just a bit higher than the top of our wheelbarrow. I'd at least make sure the area under it is tall enough to be usable for the chickens and easy enough to get the rake under. (and able to reach the rare / occasional egg. No fun discovering one with the rake.....)

Treewhisper · #7 10/22/12, 10:54 AM

my coop is an old camper from cragslist i bought for $200. Just had to tear out the stove, sofa and fridge. It already has walls and a door so i hung milk crates up for nestboxes. I pull the camper around my yard to help them free range so they dont stay in one spot and turn it into a smelly dirt lot. I kept the heater/AC for freezing winter weather and summer heat waves. If i need electricity i just hook up an extension cord to the house.

airotciv · #8 10/22/12, 05:42 PM

My chicken coop is an old dog house, its 4'x3' and 3' tall. It has worked for our 6 chickens.

granite60 · #9 10/27/12, 11:02 PM

Work is progressing on our chicken coop....hope to have it "usable" buy the end of the day tomorrow but realistically it will take longer because we are expecting rain,etc tomorrow. We are trying to use wood that has been lying around in the garage here, as well as scavenged stuff and things from the local thrift store. We got 5 solid wood cabinet doors for $5, a screen door free, and the metal for the roof for $20 delivered. I've had to sink some money into 2x4's and hardware cloth and screws. But it is shaping up! [particularly since we really don't have carpentry skills] Detailed coop plans - Poultry

granite60 · #10 10/28/12, 09:46 PM

Progress as of this afternoon, when rain set in. So now I have a dog kennel of huffy chickens sitting in my basement. Detailed coop plans - Poultry

roberte · #11 11/01/12, 10:03 AM

Looking really nice! Glad to see you have the coop set up so there is some natural airflow to vent moisture at the top.

Make sure the wire fencing is sturdy enough to deter whatever predators are around.

granite60 · #12 11/18/12, 06:25 AM

Still using the large dog kennel as a surround until we get a break in the weather AND OUR TIME to install the screen door on the end of the run and the hardware cloth around the sides.

granite60 · #13 11/18/12, 06:26 AM

granite60 · #14 12/15/12, 07:20 AM

Just got our second egg today. Two eggs since the chickens arrived on 10/28/12....not that great. But hey three of the four hens have molted since arrival. So I guess not too bad!