[red]

Now we have cdecided to put the coop and run at the bottom of the garden under the Lime tree, I spent yesterday making my coop, very satisfying whilst listening to the radio.

I would be grateful for any advice or flaws any of the more experienced coop builders or chicken keepers see in the design?



It is approx 1.3m wide by 1.2m long including the nest box the nest box is 90cm wide). I have put a door on the back to access the nest box, the perch is in the middle of the main coop (1.3m long) roughly 25cm from the floor and above the nest box. The roof is Coroline sheet.

Couple of questions:-

1. What size should the opening into the nest box from the main coop be? At the moment it is 28cm high x 90cm long (the nest box is higher when they are in there, 45cm)

2. If I get 3/4 chickens, will 2 nest boxes be adequate or should I make 3?

3. Should I leave the the openings between the Coroline sheeting open for ventilation or seal them?

Now I am off to strip it down and treat/paint it.

[Anndee]

It looks very nice. Well done 

[ChristyRose]

Wow - you are clever!!  Yes you will need ventilation and that does look a good idea to leave it open at the top.  Will driving rain get in?  But I've got openings at the top of mine so I suppose that would be a problem with any coop!!  Well done!!

[Lindeggs]

Brilliant!  Now the only job left is for you to come and build me one the same! 

In answer to your questions:

1. What size should the opening into the nest box from the main coop be? At the moment it is 28cm high x 90cm long (the nest box is higher when they are in there, 45cm)
My chickens like an opening around 30cm x 30cm because they seem to like to squeeze in somewhere private and cosy to lay their eggs.  If you divided your nest box into three equal parts it would be perfect, in my opinion.  Or you could just divide it in half (see below).

2. If I get 3/4 chickens, will 2 nest boxes be adequate or should I make 3?
Five of my pullets are currently laying in one nest box (although there is an identical one right beside it that nobody uses.  )  My sixth pullet lays her egg in the garden.    The conventional wisdom is to have one nest box for every three or four hens, so two nests should be plenty for yours.

3. Should I leave the the openings between the Coroline sheeting open for ventilation or seal them?
Are you sure no rain can get in?  If so, leave the gaps open for ventilation.  But while you have the coop apart for painting, line the roofing with mesh so small wild birds, rats and mice can't sneak in through those gaps.

Also while you have the coop apart look up Hillfooter's recipe for Diatom Slurry.  Paint all the internal parts of the coop (including nest boxes, perches, floors and walls).  This will be your first line of defense against red mite and I thoroughly recommend it.

Now some questions for you:
Do your nest boxes have a nice deep lip to stop your girls kicking the bedding out?  (And a lip at the back to stop the eggs rolling out when you open the door of course!)

How will you clean out the coop?  Is one of the sides (or the roof) hinged?

Are your perches nice and fat?  Hens don't roost on something the size of a broomstick.  They need something more the size of your leg!  (oops I think I just called your legs fat  )

Seriously though, that is a beautiful looking coop and I'm sure it will be very practical for you and your chickens.  Great work. 

[red]

Brilliant!  Now the only job left is for you to come and build me one the same! 

No problem, I would only claim travel expenses 

I dont think the rain will get in as I have allowed ample overhang at the front, just incase. I have read somewhere about vermin, so I think I will have to get some chicken wire and make some sort of grille.

Now some questions for you:
Do your nest boxes have a nice deep lip to stop your girls kicking the bedding out?

There is a front and back lip on either side of the nest box

How will you clean out the coop?  Is one of the sides (or the roof) hinged?

The whole of the front opens up, so I can get right into every corner of the coop.......hopefully!!!!

Are your perches nice and fat?  Hens don't roost on something the size of a broomstick.  They need something more the size of your leg!  (oops I think I just called your legs fat  )


The perch is 1200mm x 50mm x 50mm and slighthy rounded on the corners only, which leaves a good flat perching point. No worries my legs have been described worse than that. 

I have ordered some diatom and will be making the famous 'Hillfooter slurry' to spread it about.

Now its has been stripped down, painted and rebuilt, you get a better idea of how it opens for ease of cleaning.



Obviously there is a bottom tray to go in but that has to be made, it will be a galvanished metal one I think, would this be ok or would it be liable to attack from chicken droppings and wee?

[andreadon]

it looks fab. 

and judgin by the answers to the quesitons, you've thought of everything.

it looks very nice inside - i like the way  you've done the nest box - our lip of the nestbox is the same height as the perches, and Hope hasn't got the hang of the fact it's not a perch. It's not as wide as the perch, but it's wide enough for her to want to perch on it.
the fact that yours is the tongue and groove will (hopefully!) mean that yours won't want to perch on it (owie!)

[ehs284]

Really neat. You'll need an eavesgutter on the roof at the back, even with a big overhang.
Depending on site and orientation, you might need protection for the door opening in winter. For the bottom floor I'd suggest plywood as it won't be affected by poo and will give a bit of insulation. If you mount it loosely you can lift out on occasion to clean; for daily poo removal it will help if it slopes slightly to the front. HTH

[Skywise]

Your coop looks fab!

Can I ask - where did you get the plans?  Hubby & I are going to start making ours this weekend (apparently) but I'm not sure the plans he's designed are as good as the one you've made -  don't tell him I said that 

[red]

Thanks for the suggestions, there are plenty of good points to consider and impliment 

i Skywise, as usual the best laid plans are in my head, lol, to be honest I searched on here for plenty of useful info, but I also had a look around the likes of ebay, other coop sites and got ideas from their photos which gave me plenty of dimensions and ideas. All I had to do was put it together, took me a full day to work out.

Alot of the timber I already had, and just bought the Shiplap boarding from a local shed manufacturer which was nearly half the price of the likes of Wickes, B&Q.

Being a builder I already had all the power tools at hand, which in some cases was ideal.

The frame is basically 3" x 2" timber, screwed and glued together and the shiplap boarding is routered into a groove for easy removal in case of the dreaded red mite attack. I also wanted a full front opening door so I could get right into the coop if I wanted to. To many of the ones I looked at only had small entrance doors, which could pose a problem to me anyway.

Any further help I can be please ask me and I will help on the construction in anyway I can.

Regards

Tim

[Casey76]

Hi Tim, your coop looks great!  Some pointers for when you do your next one

Try having your nesting box on a wall perpendicular to the door.  Hens like to lay in the dark, and in private, and having the door opposite the nest box might deter them a little.

Secondly, consider a vertically opening pop hole, and not horizontal, this makes life a little easier if you ever want to invest in (or make) an auto pophole opener

And thirdly, Your hens may prefer to roost on either an ascending tier of roosting bars, or a flat slatted bar than a single bar.  Having either a slatted floor or an ascending tier prevents the birds from standing in their own muck and cuts down on the amount of bedding you need to use too

[red]

Thanks Casey for the suggestions, luckily I can modify the coop as I go. When you say a slatted floor could you explain a little further please. Is the slatted floor above the poop tray and what sort of size would the slatts be?

There is one roosting perch at the moment would this be enough or should I take it out and not have one?

Thanks

[ChristyRose]

I've put a piece of lino on the floor of my chicken house.  Its much easier to clean out and wash.

[8doubles]

I think i would cut a scalloped  board front and back to lessen  the gap under the onduline to make it less draughty in windy winter weather, if you hinge it at the bottom you can swing it down for more ventilation in summer.
I would also stick an extra leg or two on the nestbox for stability in gales if the site is not shetered.

Nice coop !

[Bristol Newbie]

Wow I'm just building one really similar - i hadn't thought of using a continuous roof for the whole thing including nest box.  I will do that now sorry to be a copycat!