Ended Coop Page Contest #4 - Win a $20 BYC Store Gift Certificate!

[theadvocate19]

Hey everybody! I would love to do an article but I never got any pictures while building the coop, any ideas? :/

I am like you, we just did that with our duck house... but a previous reply did say we could take current photos and just explain what we did. So that's what I will do


Luckily, we are currently under construction right now for another coop (silly chicken math) so this may be a nice opportunity for us to post two. Hopefully this contest doesn't end before our construction does!!!

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Quote: Nice plan. Hope all goes well with your construction!

 

[jlholm]

Here is my entry!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-nest-egg

 

[AmySG]

My small to medium Coop for 6 bantams.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/my-coop-de-gras

 

[CourtsCacklers]

I still have to post interior pictures but wanted to get my entry in the running....

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...nt-take-the-farm-out-of-the-girl-my-mini-barn

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

We'll be ending this contest on 2/15! Make sure your pages are updated and submitted to this thread!

 

[Alaskan]

Here is my coop.

I welcome comments! I love making it better!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/my-coop-journey

 

[nkkennedy]

I posted my coop this past November? Will it automatically
Be entered into the contest?

 

[nkkennedy]

This is my coop:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-coop-est-2013

 

[CoolClucker]

This is my coop. My Husband, Father in Law, 2 Stepsons and I built it last summer. It is for my 15 chickens: 1 Roo and 14 hens. My Husband and Father in law have construction backgrounds, and we bought the materials ourselves and built it all ourselves. It is fully insulated, and the run is totally enclosed with a roof. The walls are all trenched 12 inches down, and the doors all have locks for safety. It is also shingled, and has vents on the eaves.

It took a lot longer than we thought it would. I would say, have the coop built at least 75% of the way before the chicks arrive. My babies arrived and they grew so fast, much faster than I thought! They were ready for the coop sooner than the books I read had mentioned. Also, the summer was very rainy, so it delayed construction. However long you think it'll take, add at least 3 extra weeks. Whatever you plan to spend, add 25%. As you go, you find things you need to add, or forgot, or just think of as improvements. You learn as you go. Reading books is a good start, but you figure a lot out with experience. I would highly recommend weatherproofing any doors you have. Whether with paint or stain, it will save you a lot of headache. Wood swells and shrinks with the rain and temperatures, and when you go to shut them, they don't fit right if unfinished. So you will find yourself unable to shut or lock a door!

The design was one I had found on an internet search. My husband looked at the picture as reference, but the plans are his own. It houses our 15 chickens comfortably, has a poop shelf, roost bar the length of the coop, 4 nest boxes, and the pop hole door is on a mechanism that I can pull when I open the back doors. There is a permanent ramp leading to the pop hole. There are functioning windows, with curtains on the inside. I hand made curtains for the nest boxes as well. It has 2 heaters on either end, and electricity.

I have since added, wooden letters that say 'EGGS' on each end where the nest boxes are. My Husband also made a wooden perch to place in the run for the chicks as they seem to need a nap about mid afternoon I also added shepherd's hooks around the outside for decoration. I plan to plant bushes underneath in the spring. We decided to make an enclosed ramp instead of fencing underneath the coop, for ease and landscaping. Since we had concrete in the post holes, it would've been very difficult to enclosing the bottom of the coop. I plan to keep adding things to decorate the coop inside and out. I don't have a lot of décor on the inside where it gets messiest, but would recommend a thermostat to keep an eye on temps during the hot and cold days. I plan to add chicken swings in the spring made of logs and rope. I also added a clean, unused metal trash can near the coop. I filled it with feed and it is weather and moisture proof. That way when it's time to feed the chickens, their feed is right there. I also have a container for bedding, and keep a few tools, and a cat litter scoop by the coop. The poop shelf is like a giant litter box and all I have to do is scoop it! The PDZ I put in it, along with the sand, actually clumps the chicken poo! Super easy to clean!

I can say I am very happy with my coop. If I was to change anything at all, it would be to paint the posts of the run. I and my chickens LOVE the coop, my family did an amazing job. It was a huge job, that is true, but worth every hour in the hot sun. Next time, I would wait to order chicks so that we aren't rushing to finish. I would also have started with sand in the coop and sand in the run. I have that now, and it is much easier. I would have added some sort of pump or faucet nearby. Hauling 6 gallons of water 100 feet each way gets a bit heavy and is cold in the winter. I would say, be prepared! It's a big job, going to cost more than you think, take longer than you think, and unless you hire out the work, will be delayed by circumstances such as weather, sick days, etc. Remember why you're building it, and think of how you can make your chickens comfortable. Just because they're living outside doesn't mean they have to be cold, wet or uncomfortable. I try to do everything I can to make their outdoor life as nice as possible. Because to me they are not just 'chickens'. They are my feathered friends, with names and personalities all their own. And no, they are not meat birds, we eat the eggs only. I wouldn't trade them for anything. They are totally worth it!