I don't have a build thread of our coop, but I do have some updates! We built our coop over 20 years ago, it has seen many Banty's go in and out over the years. We now have 20 standard sized chickens and 3 Silkies, we needed to make some modifications to accommodate them.
I'm going to share what it looks like today and then share some pictures of the modifications! Modifications include the nesting box, vent above the door (we will also be adding a vent in the same location on the back of the coop) and unseen from this view an updated ramp from coop to pen!
We poured a concrete foundation and built a stem wall on top! The rocks on the stem wall are from our property, my husband hand fit each one! The coop is also completely insulated. It was built using left over materials from when we built our house, the siding material was left over from our pump house build!
To the left of the coop is our enclosed pen and to the left of the pen is our new free range area, it's 110'x50'! We just finished fencing and planting grass seed in the free range pen, so the chickens will not be able to use it until it grows in, maybe in 2 months they will get to check it out and enjoy it! We needed a free range pen to keep them safe from dogs that pack around and who can quickly decimate a flock...yes, we've had that happen! My husband built an automatic door into the chicken pen so that the chickens would have access to our yard. We will be moving that when the free range pen is ready for use...you can see it by the right front corner of the enclosed pen! It's not in use right now, because it's not safe to let them run in our yard!
This coop was built for Banty's...we had a nesting box inside and it had to go to make more room. I failed to get a picture of it in place, but it sat below the new external box!
A view before the modifications!
Cutting the opening!
Pictures of the nesting box construction!
Checking the fit.
We reused some of the siding that was removed!
Door added! Opens!
Closes...lol!
Roof!
Nailed in place!
Roof attached!
Door on and all buttoned up! The paint doesn't quite match, but it will be darker when I add another coat or two...just haven't had time yet!
Modifying the chicken ladder. My husband wants to use the deep litter method, so in order to do that we had to raise the door from the coop to the pen! We also added some teflon sheets to the floor and along the bottom of the inside walls!
Cutting the new door to the right height!
Closed up and new ramp in place!
Inside view before!
After! I added in cinder block pavers to make it easier for them to get in and out...you will see those in the roost pictures!
We added a metal roof above the new ramp. We left the old ramp in place as it was built into the coop and we decided that it would work well to support the new ramp! I failed to get a picture before the flock dirtied it up...as you all know that doesn't take long! You can also see a canopy of pineneedles on the pen...I haven't removed them as they provide a bit of shelter from the rain when it decides to fall!
My husband also added a door that I can open and close when I want to keep them in or out...you can just barely see it above the roof...it slides up and down!
New roosting bars...I didn't want the roost bars to high off of the ground, I don't want any injuries...so hopefully this will keep everyone safe! My husband ripped the 2x4's down to 3" wide and sanded the edges to round them off a bit, this size seems to work great! You can see the cinder block steps I placed for them!
A view of the nesting box. My husband placed a lip that can be opened when I need to clean out the nesting area...it will serve to keep the nesting materials and eggs in place! I will be adding dividers to the box...hopefully this next week!
A couple of pictures of the new free range pen! This area also houses our rabbit hutches!
Adding the fencing! We made the fence 6' tall...don't know if that will keep them in, but we're trying...it should keep dogs out!
Tied into the fence at the back of our property to the back end of the enclosed pen!
From the far end looking back toward the coop! We burned a lot of material in the cleanup of this area...this is the last pile!
Thank you for looking!
If you want to see more of our journey, you can find it here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/our-mixed-flock-journey.1352921/
I'm going to share what it looks like today and then share some pictures of the modifications! Modifications include the nesting box, vent above the door (we will also be adding a vent in the same location on the back of the coop) and unseen from this view an updated ramp from coop to pen!
We poured a concrete foundation and built a stem wall on top! The rocks on the stem wall are from our property, my husband hand fit each one! The coop is also completely insulated. It was built using left over materials from when we built our house, the siding material was left over from our pump house build!
To the left of the coop is our enclosed pen and to the left of the pen is our new free range area, it's 110'x50'! We just finished fencing and planting grass seed in the free range pen, so the chickens will not be able to use it until it grows in, maybe in 2 months they will get to check it out and enjoy it! We needed a free range pen to keep them safe from dogs that pack around and who can quickly decimate a flock...yes, we've had that happen! My husband built an automatic door into the chicken pen so that the chickens would have access to our yard. We will be moving that when the free range pen is ready for use...you can see it by the right front corner of the enclosed pen! It's not in use right now, because it's not safe to let them run in our yard!
This coop was built for Banty's...we had a nesting box inside and it had to go to make more room. I failed to get a picture of it in place, but it sat below the new external box!
A view before the modifications!
Cutting the opening!
Pictures of the nesting box construction!
Checking the fit.
We reused some of the siding that was removed!
Door added! Opens!
Closes...lol!
Roof!
Nailed in place!
Roof attached!
Door on and all buttoned up! The paint doesn't quite match, but it will be darker when I add another coat or two...just haven't had time yet!
Modifying the chicken ladder. My husband wants to use the deep litter method, so in order to do that we had to raise the door from the coop to the pen! We also added some teflon sheets to the floor and along the bottom of the inside walls!
Cutting the new door to the right height!
Closed up and new ramp in place!
Inside view before!
After! I added in cinder block pavers to make it easier for them to get in and out...you will see those in the roost pictures!
We added a metal roof above the new ramp. We left the old ramp in place as it was built into the coop and we decided that it would work well to support the new ramp! I failed to get a picture before the flock dirtied it up...as you all know that doesn't take long! You can also see a canopy of pineneedles on the pen...I haven't removed them as they provide a bit of shelter from the rain when it decides to fall!
My husband also added a door that I can open and close when I want to keep them in or out...you can just barely see it above the roof...it slides up and down!
New roosting bars...I didn't want the roost bars to high off of the ground, I don't want any injuries...so hopefully this will keep everyone safe! My husband ripped the 2x4's down to 3" wide and sanded the edges to round them off a bit, this size seems to work great! You can see the cinder block steps I placed for them!
A view of the nesting box. My husband placed a lip that can be opened when I need to clean out the nesting area...it will serve to keep the nesting materials and eggs in place! I will be adding dividers to the box...hopefully this next week!
A couple of pictures of the new free range pen! This area also houses our rabbit hutches!
Adding the fencing! We made the fence 6' tall...don't know if that will keep them in, but we're trying...it should keep dogs out!
Tied into the fence at the back of our property to the back end of the enclosed pen!
From the far end looking back toward the coop! We burned a lot of material in the cleanup of this area...this is the last pile!
Thank you for looking!
If you want to see more of our journey, you can find it here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/our-mixed-flock-journey.1352921/
