Recycled Chicken Coop: day 3

Hey Everyone, and thanks for joining me. Today I want to talk a bit about the custom chicken coop I am creating. I love using that word custom, it seems like it could be code for "throwing together something awesome". I am sure that it is going to turn out just the way that it wants to!

I did the first two posts as a video, and I shared some info about the material that I am using. Today I want to talk alittle bit about the same, and share some new pictures of what is happening.

This build is being done on the property of our "bug out" spot. It is owned by a friend of mine, so everything that we are doing for the property will ultimately benefit him and his family. We are clearing, cleaning, and repairing the house. We are also planting a garden, building a chicken coop, getting chickens, fixing fences, trimming trees, and other landscaping.

The chicken coop is a fun project that I think that anyone could do. Most people seem to have random material just laying around that they need to sort out, so why not build a chicken coop with it!

I started with a bunch of random lumber and pieces of OSB that are all different thicknesses. I used 4x4 pieces of oak as the legs and the main source of strength for the coop. I used pieces of reclaimed barn wood for the coop floor. Those are cut to fit and are just pressed into place. I used some 2x4's and 2x6's to "frame" up the roof section.

That is where I am starting today. Since the last video I have added 3 roosts. One that goes right in front of the laying boxes (which helps cut down on the pooping in the boxes) and then two that are staggered on the other side in front of the window. I like to use natural materials whenever I can, so this time I got to make one of the roosts out of a piece of oak that fell out of the tree. It is plenty strong and should make for a nice natural grip for the birds.

I also cut the hole for the laying boxes and the pop door. These may look like rough cuts, but they will be covered up and we won't even be able to see them really. I will be building the laying boxes and then attaching them on the outside, and I will be building a guillotine style door for the pop door.

The roof is coming together pretty nicely. I am using just enough lumber to make it sturdy and safe, but not doing my classic over build. So I am using some pine and oak 2x4's to frame it, with a 4x4 pine at the top. I have some random 2x's that I am using for supports in the middle, which will be holding up my latest find.

I found some awesome roofing metal! I got enough metal that I will be able to do both sides of the coop roof and a ridge cap. By using metal I have greatly cut down on my need for more material. I have some shingles that I was going to use, but that would mean that I need to also have the wood to nail into. So this will be a great save.

I also wanted to take a minute again to show the little window in the back. I found this window in the owners barn. Just a single pane glass window with a wooden frame. I am going to real caulk and seal it all, and it should add plenty of light inside the coop. The window is actually facing the East, so it should get them up and going!