We finally finished the coop and the run and moved the chickens out over the weekend. I had envisioned a quick little project turning our old unused dog house into a cozy coop for the girls but it’s taken several weekends of precious time – mostly on the part of my husband who has even less of it then I do.
I took pictures of the run and finished coop all filled with straw and then just deleted them so I’m posting what I have for now and I’ll come back with more later in the week.
Here is a list of the modifications we made:
- Bump out an external nest box with two nests. There is a lip front and back on the nest boxes to keep the wood shavings and eggs in the box when I open the door. The door to the nest boxes has top hinges and a secure clasp to fasten it shut.
- Cut out a door with side hinges and secure barrel lock in the rear of the house so that I can sweep out the litter when I clean it.
- Close up the expansive front hole and install a small door with side hinges and a secure barrel lock.
- Add two perches inside which I have yet to see them use – right now they seem to enjoy cozying up in the wood shavings. Probably since that is what they are used to so far or they are using it to keep warm since they are only about 4 weeks old.
- Build a plank for them to walk up and down. They have yet to use that as well. So far I’ve had to put them in the house at night and force them out in the morning.
- Add screened ventilation openings with little hinged doors to close in the winter.
- Build a platform to raise the coop up high enough to make it easy for me to rake out the litter and discourage varmints.
Here is a closeup of the nest boxes and perch positioning before the house was finished.
From the outside, front door and plank
An external view of the nesting boxes with the door open. The chickens love the nesting boxes and huddled up in there right away. Now that they are getting used to the coop they seem to be fine in the open area.
I wish I could remember whose blog I got this idea from to give them credit. I put chicken wire on the ground around the outside of the run to prevent the dog and any varmints with opposable thumbs from digging or lifting up the wire and getting inside. The chicken wire run sides are 5 feet high and I attached bird netting over the top to keep any wild birds out. I’m not sure if it will be rat proof (likely not) but it seems pretty secure.
I’ll add more pictures in a few days if I can remember not to delete them this time…
I love your blog! I stumbled upon it in a google search for chicken coops & shade, and it is fantastic! I especially love the rules you’ve posted in the sidebar. My family has gone from making oblivious purchases at the market two years ago, to a more local, sustainable, environmentally responsible approach to eating. Kudos!
Thanks Tina – your blog looks great too!
Having our coop in the shade has actually been a blessing in the summer and in the winter the tree shading it is bare so it’s working out perfectly! There is a thick hedge to the west of the coop which protects them from a lot of wind. I was worried at first but I’m amazed after our cold snap a month ago how they just puffed up their feathers. Chickens are tough!
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Im thinking of building a chicken tractor. Maybe building a coop. Looking back, Annette- which one would you now prefer? I would want 3-4 chickens.
Really like this website. Thank you!
Thanks Jim – I have built square ones that fit exactly over raised beds in the past but now that I am converting to full-on permaculture I no longer have square raised beds. My favorite solution is having several houses like this doghouse (which I use as a chick brooder and movable coop now), connected by small hoop tunnels. One side of the tunnel is plastic mesh for airflow, the top and other side are growtunnel or other clear plastic. It’s all clipped together with paper binders and supported by bent metal hoops. I lay logs down around the base to keep things from digging under or them from digging out. You can lock them up at night inside the dog house. This has become my defacto meat bird tractor system now (although I really need something easier to move around the lawn).