MT45
In the Brooder
The Red Heaven Chicken Spa & Resort
My wife advised me that we would be getting chickens to add to the busy horse ranch we already run (https://redheavenranch.com/). My daughter is the ranch caretaker and if you have horses you know they are a 24/7 animal. After letting her know that we didn’t need “one more” thing to take care of, I finally lost the battle when my daughter joined the other team and sided with mom – yup, we are getting chickens.
OK, fine … I’ll be in charge of housing and they can take care of them. Little did I know that I would be on a 3 month journey to build the “Red Heaven Chicken Spa & Resort.” What follows is the photo documentary journey, but let me first describe what we did to land here. We first visited an old friend who has more than 50 chickens. They started with less than a dozen. This is where I learned the term “chicken math” and baked that idea into my construction plans – yes, this coop and run would be bigger than my wife thought it would be.
We heard of predators and the dangers they represent and given we have regular sightings of coyote, bobcat, possum, raccoon and more we decided early on we would build a larger run, rather than free range the flock. We also got to look at the original coop our friend built (too small) and how he approached building the various others he now has on his property. We left there with a decision to order a custom sized coop, gutted inside. This would allow me to finish the interior, add lighting and outlets and build the large run that would be attached to it.
We started by drawing a detailed (almost to scale) drawing for the shed company to follow. We settled on a price (was around $5,500) for a 10’ x 16’ shell with narrow deck and built in nesting boxes. In the meantime, as our custom coop was being built, I called our salesman and asked for the bottom framing dimensions so I could pour the footers/piers that the coop would be sitting on once it arrived. We planned to then build a hardware cloth enclosed run, the same depth as the coop (10 feet), but then go out 48 feet in length. The run would be covered with a steel roof the same color as the coop and framed to hold the occasional 6-12” snow load here in east TN, but more importantly built in a way that the steel roof would remain on in a severe thunderstorm/windstorm.
The coop arrived and as they prepared to drag it back to the 6 acre hayfield behind our house I noticed that the entrance door was not where I drew it on the plans. It appeared as if they NEVER even looked at the plans! Sure enough, it was wrong. Ugh. This was a big deal because we wanted to separate the interior of the coop with a wall to allow for a small feed storage area. We haggled for a bit, and a few phone calls later, a supervisor assured us a repairman would arrive in the next few days to move the door. We agreed and the first near disaster was averted. The delivery man, loaded the building onto his machine and when moved to it final resting place, the coop dropped perfectly onto the piers I had prepared in advance. We were off to a rocky but good start!
I’ve attached images of the items we bought from Amazon, and I’ve included the order sheet I used to write my lumber order for Home Depot. The lumber order was nearly perfect and I had almost NOTHING left in scraps. I needed a few more non-PT pieces of 2x4’s but all the PT lumber was spot on and was used in the build. The interior of the coop is non-PT lumber (save for the door) and the exterior run is ALL PT lumber. I used 1 5/8” screws and washers were 1 1/4” x 3/16” center hole (and the washers were out of stock in Home Depot for the entire 3 months – I bought them all at Lowes).
I purchased the roll of wire to run electric to the coop from Nassau Wire. Great people and excellent service (good prices too). Metal roofing was purchased locally and the color was an exact match to the already roofed coop. Cutting the hardware cloth was fairly easy with a new pair of metal shears/nips that I bought. Wear long sleeves, eye protection and heavy leather gloves or it will bite you. Be careful when screwing in those washers – try not to get your finger BEHIND the washer as you punch the trigger on your drill, too easy to pinch your finger behind it as it drives in (ask me how I know).
At this point we are still waiting on chickens and I’ll report back once we are up and running! After the bullet points below, demonstrating the build, I've included lots of photos
What follows is a summary of the steps of the building process:
• Order lumber from Home Depot (delivery as there was a lot of 16’ long pieces)
• Lay out marker lines and square the run area, spray paint spots where 4x4 would go
• Dig holes for all 4x4’s and set using Quickcrete (about ¾ bag per hole)
• Add double row of band boards/sill plates for rafters to sit upon (roof is roughly 1/12 pitch)
• Add rafters 48” on center, with birds mouth cuts. Level cut ends after install
• Add 2x4 perlins at 16” on center (ensures lots of screws in metal roof to avoid lift off in wind)
• Order metal roofing cut to size at roughly 12’ lengths (17 sheets)
• Install metal roofing using string line and supplied screws (was only ½” off at full 48’ length!)
• Instead of chalk line for screw installs, I used some pink mason string and moved it at each row
• Cut a custom connector piece of metal roofing to join coop to the run (prevents leaks at joint)
• Add flying buttresses (2 of them) to rear of run, each was notched at run end and concreted in
• Buttresses VASTLY decreased rocking due to overhead weight (and no walls to create strength)
• Install “Chicken Run” automatic door on coop end between coop and run
• Install first row of contiguous hardware cloth using 48’ length, down 4’ the face of coop
• Add nailer board (in this case screws and washers) for the 4’ seam of the hardware cloth
• Add second row of contiguous hardware cloth at bottom of coop, fold over excess
• Repeat prior two steps for backside of run (add another 100’ of hardware cloth!)
• Frame out end of run, add a man door (40” wide for wheelbarrow)
• Add all remaining screws and washers to fully secure hardware cloth (used over 500 washers)
• Build out a wall on the interior of the coop to allow for a 36” wide feed/supply room
• Cut hardware cloth to fit into peak area above wall to allow ventilation coop to feedroom
• Cut and install hardware cloth for all open eaves area (over 100 feet!)
• Cut out wall and install new exhaust fan into coop (auto temp and variable speed)
• Build custom interior door for coop, and exterior door for end of outside run
• Build custom roost bars, hinged on large structural smooth shaft screws with ceiling hooks
• Build custom hardware cloth covered window frames for both exterior and interior
• Hang interior window frames on hinges so windows can be opened/closed and cleaned
• Add linoleum sheet to coop flooring (Home Depot at 83 cents SQ/Ft)
• Build an additional 4 feet deck onto the 2 foot deck that came with coop
• Add Polywall 1/16” plastic wall covering behind and at sides of roost area
• Rent digger and dig 200’ trench 36” deep from house to coop area
• Order 200’ of Notre Dame Quadraplex 4 strand wire (2/0 guage for all except nuetral)
• Order 60amp breaker for my panel at the source (my house)
• Order 125amp sub-panel to mount in coop (has capacity for 6 circuits)
• Buy 10 pieces of 20’ sections of ¾” PVC water line
• Splice a “T” connection into our greenhouse water supply line to run new line to coop
• Bury quadraplex wire at base of trench, then backfill trench to 15”, then add ¾” water line
• Connect and bury 24” freeze proof hydrant at coop end
• Run quadraplex into 1 ½” schedule 40 conduit into coop sub-panel and make connections
• Run quadraplex into 1 ½” schedule 40 conduit into my home, to JB and splice to < gauge
• Wire all coop circuits, run wire to lights, 2 dedicated heater outlets, dedicated fan outlet
• Wire in all circuit breakers, add appropriate switches, install 100’ of perimeter cafe lights
• Wire up security lighting/camera system (InfoGeek – sends pics to phone when tripped)
• Make final connection to panel in my house using 60amp double pole breaker (it worked!)
• Add guttering to rear of roof system, terminate gutter at rain barrel set on blocks far end
• Plumb rain barrel to feed the 3psi passive watering system and plumb the drinking cups
• Plumb a refill piping system that feeds water from hydrant to gutter to barrel as needed
• Add remaining hardware cloth to entire coop building and new deck
• Add wifi camera to allow in-coop monitoring, add remote switches to cafe lighting
• Get some chickens … (note: we are in the process of doing background checks and interviewing potential chicken candidates – there is a bidding war to get a spot on the roost bar
My very pregnant daughter helping me get this enormous cable into the house
Starting to dig the 200' trench
Interior wall for feed room built
Building the doors
Fan installed
Cut out for exhaust fan
Metal roofing installed
Cleanable and keeps chickens off the screens
Building the screens
Liftable and lockable roost bars for cleaning
Larger deck added to coop (added 4 feet)
Building the deck
End framing and large man door
Soffits all sealed up
Soffits protected from predators
First side of hardware cloth installed - still more screws and washers to add!
Flying buttresses installed and concreted in
Most screen on but before adding to the deck was finished
Using board for straight edge when cutting HC at angles
Custom roofing cut to join run to coop
Metal roofing is on!
Using mason twine to line up screws with purlins
Roof deck is ready for metal
Roof deck prepped for metal sheathing
Ready to add the roof
Shed company moving the door they built into the wrong spot (see image of original design they were given!)
Adding the rafters
Ready to put rafters on
Setting 4x4 posts in concrete using mason twine and line level
Lining up the 4x4 posts
Coop delivered and seated on my concrete piers
Coop being unloaded
I poured 6 of these and reinforced each pier with rebar
Pouring the piers - the centers were poured 1/2" low and then shimmed on site
What follows is the original drawing I sent to the coop builders 3 weeks ahead of the build - notice where I placed the door!
And now ... all the items we bought on Amazon
Now the lumber order from Home Depot:
Lumber $1,656 + roofing $1,000 = $2,656 total
https://www.homedepot.com/p/2-in-x-8-in-x-12-ft-Prime-Lumber-560499/202085927
2X8x12 feet
$11.27 (adds $20 to total)
Placed every 4’ along the 48 foot run as roof rafters (includes 4 extra pieces)
16 pieces
https://www.homedepot.com/p/4-in-x-...act-Southern-Pine-Wood-Post-4220254/100025396
4x4x10 feet
$17.38 ($75)
Placed every 8’ along the 48 foot run (these are the “first 4” closest to coop)
4 pieces
https://www.homedepot.com/p/4-in-x-...ontact-Southern-Pine-Timber-4230254/100073070
4x4x12 feet
$20.08 ($240)
Placed every 8’ along the 48 foot run (these are where the ground drops off all the way to end)
12 pieces (includes 2 for end door frame)
https://www.homedepot.com/p/2-in-x-...-Southern-Yellow-Pine-Lumber-107523/206937454
2x8x16 feet
$21.58 ea ($389)
2 APPLICATIONS:
#1
Placed at top of 4x4 to set rafters on, they span 3 4x4’s
Rafter support, upper band boards (6 per long side, 1 inside and 1 outside)
12 pieces
#2
Placed on ends of the rafters along length of run (caps them and give place for drip edge)
6 pieces
https://www.homedepot.com/p/2-in-x-4-in-x-16-ft-Dimensional-Lumber-6091/314753893
2x4x16 feet (NOT PT)
Longer 12’ roof deck adds ONE more purlin run of 2x4’s
$11.28 (adds $33 to total)
15 pieces
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Weather...-Southern-Yellow-Pine-Lumber-253921/206967797
2x6x16 feet
$15.58 ($218)
Placed every 4 feet running along sides of run at hardware cloth seams – this IS pressure treated
14 pieces (2 extra included for end of run at man door)
https://www.homedepot.com/p/2-in-x-...-Southern-Yellow-Pine-Lumber-106147/206970948
2x4x8 feet
$4.48 ($28)
Used for man door at run end – this IS pressure treated
6 pieces (includes extra for misc)
https://www.homedepot.com/p/2-in-x-4-in-x-10-ft-Lumber-6091/314732316
2x4x10 feet
$6.62 ($20)
Used in framing interior coop wall for extra height vs 8 footers
3 pieces
https://www.homedepot.com/p/2-in-x-4-in-x-8-ft-Prime-Stud-058449/312528776
2x4x8
$3.73 ($24)
Used in framing interior man door in coop
6 pieces (includes extra for misc)
https://www.homedepot.com/p/19-32-in-x-4-ft-x-8-ft-Rtd-Sheathing-Syp-195482/100004472
4x8 sheet 19/32 Plywood (coop divider)
$34.88
1 piece
https://www.homedepot.com/p/SAKRETE-50-lb-Fast-Set-Concrete-Mix-65305535/100350261
50lbs Sakrete (add water in hole)
$6.68 (70)
10 bags
Tennessee Metal Roofs
3’ x 12’ roofing
$800
CHECK length AFTER ROOF FRAMING
My wife advised me that we would be getting chickens to add to the busy horse ranch we already run (https://redheavenranch.com/). My daughter is the ranch caretaker and if you have horses you know they are a 24/7 animal. After letting her know that we didn’t need “one more” thing to take care of, I finally lost the battle when my daughter joined the other team and sided with mom – yup, we are getting chickens.
OK, fine … I’ll be in charge of housing and they can take care of them. Little did I know that I would be on a 3 month journey to build the “Red Heaven Chicken Spa & Resort.” What follows is the photo documentary journey, but let me first describe what we did to land here. We first visited an old friend who has more than 50 chickens. They started with less than a dozen. This is where I learned the term “chicken math” and baked that idea into my construction plans – yes, this coop and run would be bigger than my wife thought it would be.
We heard of predators and the dangers they represent and given we have regular sightings of coyote, bobcat, possum, raccoon and more we decided early on we would build a larger run, rather than free range the flock. We also got to look at the original coop our friend built (too small) and how he approached building the various others he now has on his property. We left there with a decision to order a custom sized coop, gutted inside. This would allow me to finish the interior, add lighting and outlets and build the large run that would be attached to it.
We started by drawing a detailed (almost to scale) drawing for the shed company to follow. We settled on a price (was around $5,500) for a 10’ x 16’ shell with narrow deck and built in nesting boxes. In the meantime, as our custom coop was being built, I called our salesman and asked for the bottom framing dimensions so I could pour the footers/piers that the coop would be sitting on once it arrived. We planned to then build a hardware cloth enclosed run, the same depth as the coop (10 feet), but then go out 48 feet in length. The run would be covered with a steel roof the same color as the coop and framed to hold the occasional 6-12” snow load here in east TN, but more importantly built in a way that the steel roof would remain on in a severe thunderstorm/windstorm.
The coop arrived and as they prepared to drag it back to the 6 acre hayfield behind our house I noticed that the entrance door was not where I drew it on the plans. It appeared as if they NEVER even looked at the plans! Sure enough, it was wrong. Ugh. This was a big deal because we wanted to separate the interior of the coop with a wall to allow for a small feed storage area. We haggled for a bit, and a few phone calls later, a supervisor assured us a repairman would arrive in the next few days to move the door. We agreed and the first near disaster was averted. The delivery man, loaded the building onto his machine and when moved to it final resting place, the coop dropped perfectly onto the piers I had prepared in advance. We were off to a rocky but good start!
I’ve attached images of the items we bought from Amazon, and I’ve included the order sheet I used to write my lumber order for Home Depot. The lumber order was nearly perfect and I had almost NOTHING left in scraps. I needed a few more non-PT pieces of 2x4’s but all the PT lumber was spot on and was used in the build. The interior of the coop is non-PT lumber (save for the door) and the exterior run is ALL PT lumber. I used 1 5/8” screws and washers were 1 1/4” x 3/16” center hole (and the washers were out of stock in Home Depot for the entire 3 months – I bought them all at Lowes).
I purchased the roll of wire to run electric to the coop from Nassau Wire. Great people and excellent service (good prices too). Metal roofing was purchased locally and the color was an exact match to the already roofed coop. Cutting the hardware cloth was fairly easy with a new pair of metal shears/nips that I bought. Wear long sleeves, eye protection and heavy leather gloves or it will bite you. Be careful when screwing in those washers – try not to get your finger BEHIND the washer as you punch the trigger on your drill, too easy to pinch your finger behind it as it drives in (ask me how I know).
At this point we are still waiting on chickens and I’ll report back once we are up and running! After the bullet points below, demonstrating the build, I've included lots of photos
What follows is a summary of the steps of the building process:
• Order lumber from Home Depot (delivery as there was a lot of 16’ long pieces)
• Lay out marker lines and square the run area, spray paint spots where 4x4 would go
• Dig holes for all 4x4’s and set using Quickcrete (about ¾ bag per hole)
• Add double row of band boards/sill plates for rafters to sit upon (roof is roughly 1/12 pitch)
• Add rafters 48” on center, with birds mouth cuts. Level cut ends after install
• Add 2x4 perlins at 16” on center (ensures lots of screws in metal roof to avoid lift off in wind)
• Order metal roofing cut to size at roughly 12’ lengths (17 sheets)
• Install metal roofing using string line and supplied screws (was only ½” off at full 48’ length!)
• Instead of chalk line for screw installs, I used some pink mason string and moved it at each row
• Cut a custom connector piece of metal roofing to join coop to the run (prevents leaks at joint)
• Add flying buttresses (2 of them) to rear of run, each was notched at run end and concreted in
• Buttresses VASTLY decreased rocking due to overhead weight (and no walls to create strength)
• Install “Chicken Run” automatic door on coop end between coop and run
• Install first row of contiguous hardware cloth using 48’ length, down 4’ the face of coop
• Add nailer board (in this case screws and washers) for the 4’ seam of the hardware cloth
• Add second row of contiguous hardware cloth at bottom of coop, fold over excess
• Repeat prior two steps for backside of run (add another 100’ of hardware cloth!)
• Frame out end of run, add a man door (40” wide for wheelbarrow)
• Add all remaining screws and washers to fully secure hardware cloth (used over 500 washers)
• Build out a wall on the interior of the coop to allow for a 36” wide feed/supply room
• Cut hardware cloth to fit into peak area above wall to allow ventilation coop to feedroom
• Cut and install hardware cloth for all open eaves area (over 100 feet!)
• Cut out wall and install new exhaust fan into coop (auto temp and variable speed)
• Build custom interior door for coop, and exterior door for end of outside run
• Build custom roost bars, hinged on large structural smooth shaft screws with ceiling hooks
• Build custom hardware cloth covered window frames for both exterior and interior
• Hang interior window frames on hinges so windows can be opened/closed and cleaned
• Add linoleum sheet to coop flooring (Home Depot at 83 cents SQ/Ft)
• Build an additional 4 feet deck onto the 2 foot deck that came with coop
• Add Polywall 1/16” plastic wall covering behind and at sides of roost area
• Rent digger and dig 200’ trench 36” deep from house to coop area
• Order 200’ of Notre Dame Quadraplex 4 strand wire (2/0 guage for all except nuetral)
• Order 60amp breaker for my panel at the source (my house)
• Order 125amp sub-panel to mount in coop (has capacity for 6 circuits)
• Buy 10 pieces of 20’ sections of ¾” PVC water line
• Splice a “T” connection into our greenhouse water supply line to run new line to coop
• Bury quadraplex wire at base of trench, then backfill trench to 15”, then add ¾” water line
• Connect and bury 24” freeze proof hydrant at coop end
• Run quadraplex into 1 ½” schedule 40 conduit into coop sub-panel and make connections
• Run quadraplex into 1 ½” schedule 40 conduit into my home, to JB and splice to < gauge
• Wire all coop circuits, run wire to lights, 2 dedicated heater outlets, dedicated fan outlet
• Wire in all circuit breakers, add appropriate switches, install 100’ of perimeter cafe lights
• Wire up security lighting/camera system (InfoGeek – sends pics to phone when tripped)
• Make final connection to panel in my house using 60amp double pole breaker (it worked!)
• Add guttering to rear of roof system, terminate gutter at rain barrel set on blocks far end
• Plumb rain barrel to feed the 3psi passive watering system and plumb the drinking cups
• Plumb a refill piping system that feeds water from hydrant to gutter to barrel as needed
• Add remaining hardware cloth to entire coop building and new deck
• Add wifi camera to allow in-coop monitoring, add remote switches to cafe lighting
• Get some chickens … (note: we are in the process of doing background checks and interviewing potential chicken candidates – there is a bidding war to get a spot on the roost bar
My very pregnant daughter helping me get this enormous cable into the house
Starting to dig the 200' trench
Interior wall for feed room built
Building the doors
Fan installed
Cut out for exhaust fan
Metal roofing installed
Cleanable and keeps chickens off the screens
Building the screens
Liftable and lockable roost bars for cleaning
Larger deck added to coop (added 4 feet)
Building the deck
End framing and large man door
Soffits all sealed up
Soffits protected from predators
First side of hardware cloth installed - still more screws and washers to add!
Flying buttresses installed and concreted in
Most screen on but before adding to the deck was finished
Using board for straight edge when cutting HC at angles
Custom roofing cut to join run to coop
Metal roofing is on!
Using mason twine to line up screws with purlins
Roof deck is ready for metal
Roof deck prepped for metal sheathing
Ready to add the roof
Shed company moving the door they built into the wrong spot (see image of original design they were given!)
Adding the rafters
Ready to put rafters on
Setting 4x4 posts in concrete using mason twine and line level
Lining up the 4x4 posts
Coop delivered and seated on my concrete piers
Coop being unloaded
I poured 6 of these and reinforced each pier with rebar
Pouring the piers - the centers were poured 1/2" low and then shimmed on site
What follows is the original drawing I sent to the coop builders 3 weeks ahead of the build - notice where I placed the door!
And now ... all the items we bought on Amazon
Now the lumber order from Home Depot:
Lumber $1,656 + roofing $1,000 = $2,656 total
https://www.homedepot.com/p/2-in-x-8-in-x-12-ft-Prime-Lumber-560499/202085927
2X8x12 feet
$11.27 (adds $20 to total)
Placed every 4’ along the 48 foot run as roof rafters (includes 4 extra pieces)
16 pieces
https://www.homedepot.com/p/4-in-x-...act-Southern-Pine-Wood-Post-4220254/100025396
4x4x10 feet
$17.38 ($75)
Placed every 8’ along the 48 foot run (these are the “first 4” closest to coop)
4 pieces
https://www.homedepot.com/p/4-in-x-...ontact-Southern-Pine-Timber-4230254/100073070
4x4x12 feet
$20.08 ($240)
Placed every 8’ along the 48 foot run (these are where the ground drops off all the way to end)
12 pieces (includes 2 for end door frame)
https://www.homedepot.com/p/2-in-x-...-Southern-Yellow-Pine-Lumber-107523/206937454
2x8x16 feet
$21.58 ea ($389)
2 APPLICATIONS:
#1
Placed at top of 4x4 to set rafters on, they span 3 4x4’s
Rafter support, upper band boards (6 per long side, 1 inside and 1 outside)
12 pieces
#2
Placed on ends of the rafters along length of run (caps them and give place for drip edge)
6 pieces
https://www.homedepot.com/p/2-in-x-4-in-x-16-ft-Dimensional-Lumber-6091/314753893
2x4x16 feet (NOT PT)
Longer 12’ roof deck adds ONE more purlin run of 2x4’s
$11.28 (adds $33 to total)
15 pieces
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Weather...-Southern-Yellow-Pine-Lumber-253921/206967797
2x6x16 feet
$15.58 ($218)
Placed every 4 feet running along sides of run at hardware cloth seams – this IS pressure treated
14 pieces (2 extra included for end of run at man door)
https://www.homedepot.com/p/2-in-x-...-Southern-Yellow-Pine-Lumber-106147/206970948
2x4x8 feet
$4.48 ($28)
Used for man door at run end – this IS pressure treated
6 pieces (includes extra for misc)
https://www.homedepot.com/p/2-in-x-4-in-x-10-ft-Lumber-6091/314732316
2x4x10 feet
$6.62 ($20)
Used in framing interior coop wall for extra height vs 8 footers
3 pieces
https://www.homedepot.com/p/2-in-x-4-in-x-8-ft-Prime-Stud-058449/312528776
2x4x8
$3.73 ($24)
Used in framing interior man door in coop
6 pieces (includes extra for misc)
https://www.homedepot.com/p/19-32-in-x-4-ft-x-8-ft-Rtd-Sheathing-Syp-195482/100004472
4x8 sheet 19/32 Plywood (coop divider)
$34.88
1 piece
https://www.homedepot.com/p/SAKRETE-50-lb-Fast-Set-Concrete-Mix-65305535/100350261
50lbs Sakrete (add water in hole)
$6.68 (70)
10 bags
Tennessee Metal Roofs
3’ x 12’ roofing
$800
CHECK length AFTER ROOF FRAMING
Attachments
Last edited:
If the chickens don't like it you can always turn it into a short-term rental.
