Chicken Coop Designs

NickTellis · 03-03-2009 11:52am #1

Going to begin construction of a coop to house 3 or 4 birds in a month or 2 and am at the design stage (who'd have thought designing a hen house would be complicated but believe me it is).

Anyone know of any good (preferably Irish) websites with plans for coops contained within a run?

wazzoraybelle · 03-03-2009 2:53pm

http://www.buildeazy.com/chicken_coop_metric_1.html

Villain · 23-04-2009 11:31am

Nick how did you get on?

I have some very good easy designs if you need any help.

NickTellis · 23-04-2009 11:37am

I'm 3/4s of the way through the build - my modest chicken coop has progressed into a fully-fledged aviary (pardon the pun) with integrated run and hen-house. It's based on this design (but personally I think ours is looking better) :-)

www.thegardencoop.com

E.t.a. 2 or 3 weeks so will post a few pics when finished and a few more when those 1st eggs arrive. :-)

Villain · 23-04-2009 11:53am

Good stuff Nick, well done, I've made a portable one that can be moved around the lawn i.e. fertilise but not destroy hopefully.

NickTellis · 23-04-2009 12:01pm

We'd considered a portable ark too but I think the fact that yours truly used to hand feed a family of foxes in our back garden meant that we needed something more "grounded" (i.e. with the wire buried a foot underground and a concrete base so predators can't burrow underneath). I guess time will tell if it's predator-proof or not... but it's a battle I intend to win

NickTellis · 19-05-2009 2:02pm

Well the chicken house is complete (almost) - I still have some bits and pieces to finish off and a lot of landscaping to do around the actual house/run but she's done... and we now have 4 very content hy-line pullets who have just moved in along with 3 very content children who are loving their new friends.

The hens should start laying in about 1 month so, for now, the nest boxes are closed off... mmmm fresh eggs.

Villain · 19-05-2009 2:06pm

Nick the Coop looks great, but I would urge caution about putting photos of your kids on the internet.

NickTellis · 19-05-2009 2:09pm

Fair point

DWrynn · 19-05-2009 7:07pm

Nice big job there alright.

niceirishfella · 19-05-2009 8:30pm

Nice coup - hens look Happy!

thin2win · 06-12-2009 7:19pm

My Dad got a coop off a place in Kildare. Chicken coop man is what he calls himself. Website is good shows a few picshttp://chickencoopman.ie/index2.html

Very helpful man, he delivered an got 2 free chickens too.

Clydagh · 12-04-2010 5:13pm

Villain wrote: »

Nick how did you get on?

I have some very good easy designs if you need any help.

What size chicken coops are your designs for?

foodaholic · 31-05-2010 12:15pm

Villain wrote: »

Nick how did you get on?

I have some very good easy designs if you need any help.

do you still have those plans, convinced the OH to let me get a couple of chicks

Clydagh · 10-07-2010 4:36pm

Villain wrote: »

Nick how did you get on?

I have some very good easy designs if you need any help.

can you send some to me,please.

Qualitymark · 10-07-2010 6:59pm

This looks excellent. One tip: bury a row of chicken wire going out about a foot from the coop, and maybe three or four inches down; a fox will keep digging down and go under if there's nothing in the way, but if it hits a barrier it won't usually think to back off and try again further out.

Welease · 10-07-2010 9:04pm

As a cheap alternative, we bought a second hand (although pretty unused) dog kennel (with hinged roof) off adverts.ie (for 30 quid)..

Add a roost bar and box inside, and a run out the front.. Total cost about 70 quid.

Quick photo out my office window..

Qualitymark · 10-07-2010 9:11pm

Not enough room for happy, healthy hens, Welease.

Welease · 10-07-2010 9:32pm

Qualitymark wrote: »

Not enough room for happy, healthy hens, Welease.

You sure? (we dont have them yet, so any advice is appreciated, and I can amend)..

The plan was to let them roam free during the day, it's 3/4 acre rural plot (neighbours have chickens roaming also, so foxes don't seem to be an issue).

The run is for late evening, or when we are out (which would only ever be for a single daytime period)..

2 chickens only..

Edit.. I based the size of the run on the ark that people buy.. its longer than those (about 8ft in length)

Qualitymark · 10-07-2010 9:44pm

If they're going to be roaming, fine - though I wouldn't count on no foxes!

Welease · 10-07-2010 9:58pm

Qualitymark wrote: »

If they're going to be roaming, fine - though I wouldn't count on no foxes!

Phew

thanks for quick response.. we pick up next weekend, so i wanted to ensure I hadn't built some chicken hellhole..

Yeah the potential foxes, but also roaming potential of the chickens has been a concern.. building a larger enclose has been an option... we have the space, but this is an initial try at keeping a couple of chickens for a few eggs and to get the 2 kids interested, so I didnt want to get into major structures and cost if it was a short lived whim of the wife

One plan was to get some wooden stakes and mesh fencing, and just do a 5m x 5m (4 ft hight) larger run with no roof.. is it worth it?

Qualitymark · 10-07-2010 10:03pm

If you keep on with the chooks - and they're addictive, though time-consuming - you'll probably end up with something bigger.

This

http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Build-a-Chicken-Tractor-Part-1-9256480

kind of thing is popular, but I don't like them - hens like to roost high at night.

Chicken Coop Designs

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