Are you thinking about raising chickens? It’s that “brand new flock” time of year again! I thought I’d share this post that I wrote last year about the building and design process of our coop just in case you’re doing some research. Please be sure to leave your questions in the comments section and use the search box at the bottom of the page to find more chicken raising related posts! We’re happy to help as much as we can. Michele
Good almost spring morning!
I seem to be encountering lots of people who are planning to build or buy a chicken coop these days so I thought I’d share an overview of ours as it was constructed.
We didn’t exactly plan the coop before our first batch of chicks arrived in 2007 so our pullets (young chickens) lived in our basement for several months during construction. I don’t recommend that at all. You will save yourself a huge amount of anxiety by building or buying a coop before your chicks arrive. We kind of go with the flow around here but those few months were quite difficult. Fortunately we were totally in love with our brand new chickens so we all got through it together.
Okay, here goes:
The garden, pre chicken, around 2006.
The very beginning… The corner posts were placed into holes dug approximately two feet into the ground. Michael hit a lot of rock but says he put them in as far down as he could go. The floor is plywood, the main posts are 4×4, the floor and ceiling were constructed with 2×6 boards and the walls with 2x4s.
The roof going on..
The roof pitch echoes our house’s roofline. It doesn’t match but it coordinates nicely.
The walls are plywood attached to the frame with roofing paper applied over it to seal. The windows were mostly salvaged with the exception of the front window that my son is standing in. I think that one came from a building supply warehouse nearby (on the clearance rack I’m sure).
Looking at the front; long windows for lots of light, a nice wide front door for easy access and the little chicken door on the bottom right.
Here’s the back side. That overhang provides handy shelter for things like garden tools and wheelbarrows.You just have to watch that you don’t hit your head on the corner.
My little girl (who turned nine last week!)… windows and doors in. No screening on the run yet but that was in process.
Looking down at a habitable coop without siding. It took another year or two for siding to be added.
But then it was, and primer was applied to preserve the clapboard.
Painted and decorated, with flowers growing, of course.
It is a pretty little coop!
Far back view in winter. The girls get afternoon sun through that window which helps to keep them cozy in the colder months.
Here’s the front door and porch area. The porch is great because it gives the chickens a dry place to spend time and there’s space under it so they can hide if needed. It also saves us from having to step into mud pits…
… like this one. Unless your a blogger who wants to take a picture of the front door of the chicken coop during mud season.
But who do you know who would do that? 😉
I realize that this is kind of a quick overview of our process and there’s lots of details missing. I took these photos as we went along but never with the idea that they would someday be used on my blog. So, I apologize for the gaps but hope it gives you an idea of what our coop exterior looks like and what our construction journey entailed. I’m going to do an inside tour in the next week or so. I think I’ll include the head chicken keeper’s direct input as I write it to insure accuracy and probably some entertainment.
Leave me questions! Michael and I will be happy to answer them!
Happy Coop Building!
Michele
The Salem Garden 
