Chicken Coop

While I don’t typically take on projects of this scale, this one was an enjoyable endeavor none the less. A project of this size and type is typically more forgiving with mistakes, which meant it was a great opportunity to try and include the kids as I built it. I am a firm believer that work ethic is not something you are born with, it is something you are taught. And let’s be real, the coolest “toy” a kid wants to play with is a drill!

The chicken coop has 3 nest boxes that open up from the outside for easy egg gathering. The front of the coop has two doors; the main door and a pull out tray. The main door has multiple features that I built into it. It hinges open and swings out like a barn door for easy quick access into the coop if necessary and also has a sliding door for when the door is closed but allows airflow into the coop. The pullout tray allows for easier cleaning by being able to pull the tray out. On the backside of the tray floor is a hinged opening that allows me to pull the drawer out over a wheelbarrow and having the opening swing open into the wheelbarrow at which point I can shovel the shavings into the hole down into the wheelbarrow from outside of the coop.

The south wall includes a window that opens up for added airflow as well as natural light during the winter months. The window has a rope tied to it that runs through eyelets along the roof truss to the north wall where a cleat is attached to tie off the rope when the window is open. To prevent overheating during the summer, the roof overhangs beyond the suns highest point in June to keep the sun out of the coop.

Supplemental power is supplied to a battery via a small solar panel. At first the intent of this was to supply power to a linear actuator that was on a timer to automatically open and close the chicken run door each morning and night. These automatic doors can be purchased pre-built as a kit but I decided to build my own for a fraction of the cost. I have since disconnected the actuator for the door and just leave it propped open all the time now since some of the ladies have preferred sleeping on the outdoor roost at night. I do intend on utilizing this power however by putting some lights in, on, and around the coop for security and maintenance reasons.