We started with leveling the ground and laying a gravel base for the coop.
I used pressure treated 4x4s for all the wood that would be touching the ground. I ran metal mesh under the foundation so none of our many predators (raccoon, skunk, mice, etc.) could burrow underneath the coop.
I milled down my extra 4x4s with my table saw and attached them as 2x4s to give an attachable base for the rest of the run. You can see my predator mesh in this photo.
Next I laid the basic foundation for the coop and attached the skeleton framing for my roof and run. I built the roof on a 12.5 degree slope for rain control.
Then I attached the coop floor frame mostly to aid in having something to stand on while i installed the roof framing.
I used roof hangers to attach boards every 2 feet to give me a base to attach the roof later and an 8 inch addition from the edges of the framing to give a lip for rain and to keep the run drier.
I split up the area under the coop itself to give us a storage area and to give the chicks a little more room in their run.
Then I framed the coop walls for windows, our automatic door and an access door to clean the coop.
Framing for automatic coop door.
I attached hardware cloth to all of the panels of the run. I’ll later sandwich the cloth between 2x4s to fully secure the cloth and make it predator proof. Also installed the floor of the coop.
Coop Frame.
I installed the coop floor and attached siding before building the egg box.
Finished attaching the roof. We used metal 2x12 panels using metal screws to attach the roof to the roofing frame.
We decided on 3 boxes as the coop will be for anywhere from 6-10 chickens.
Showing the framing of the egg box.
Built the door using the same sandwich method of attaching hardware cloth. Made sure to have the door open into the coop to prevent the girls from running out unless we want them out in the yard.
Attached a sliding bolt and a lock to the top of the door to prevent larger critters from getting in. Made a carribeaner lock on the egg box to prevent raccoons from getting in.
Using a heated nipple waterer for inside the coop especially for winters. 3 roosting bars but our birds only use the top 2. They had no difficulty getting to the top bar even as 7 week old pullets. Also we used cheap stick down linoleum on top of the plywood to make cleaning the coop easier.
You can see the external feed bin for the winter feeder and our access door for cleaning the coop.
My triple feeder for the coop inside. It fills from the box located on the outside of the coop so we can ensure they have food access on the cold winter days.
Coop has a temp sensing automatic heat lamp. Works great for winter and the first nights as pullets in the coop.
My design for our main run feeder. 3” PVC pipe and an attached box to store multiple days worth of food.
We used a 7 gallon tank and built a latching door on the outside of the coop. 3/4” pvc pipe with a ball valve shutoff. Auto fill cups. Silicon sealant and gasket maker to seal the pipe to the tank and for the cups. This method works great.
Light sensing auto door from amazon.
Used a ramp and landing for them to access the coop from the run. It ended up initially being too steep and they slid on the ramp a little and got spooked. I bought a roll of grip tape and added grip tape to the ramp and now they run up and down and love to hang out on the “landing” in front of their door during the day.
Lastly we gave them a swing. They love to hang out under the coop in the shade on hot days.
We installed cameras inside the coop and in the run so we can keep an eye on them when we travel or go camping. The coop was built to be automatic and give us the freedom to travel and still raise our feathered girls.
Last step was using some old railroad ties we found when we bought our home to make steps down into the run and attaching some vents to help keep it dry. It was quite the build and a little more expensive than we thought but the coop works incredibly well and our birds seem to love it. We can leave for over a week (though we haven’t left that long yet) and they’re taken care of. I hope these photos help your build. Happy to answer any questions.View attachment 3167760
