After months of waiting I've started building my coop/run - pictures

[Newtothis]

Hi
After a long time asking questions of anyone who knows anything about chickins - including all the nice people on this forum - I have at last started to build.
I'm copying a design from the forum, and thought you might like to see some pics.
Still got the nest box to build and fit a perch and then a run to build - but chicken day (C Day) is getting nearer.....

Ummmm having said that I have the pics on my PC but am now unsure how to get them on here?
Help!

David

[RedThorn]

Don't use quick chat, click advanced then on the paper clip and follow the directions....

[Newtothis]

[Newtothis]

Hope this works now....here goes

[Newtothis]

Thanks Red Thorn - I was wondering what to do next.
Easy when you know how, eh

The coop is 4ft by 2ft and is an idea I got from the forum.
My son is helping me by screwing on the door.
It seems pretty sturdy now its together - and is pretty heavy too.
I'll need to attach a pop hole door and a ladder for the hens to get in.

[Suechooks]

Don't forget to creosote (Creocote) the joints. Theres no real need to do the flat surfaces but do anywhere that 2 edges meet including the perch ends and rests. Try and make perch that's easily removable.
Looks good. I've knocked a few together for my broodies from Bramble's plans but they're not as tidy as yours!

[Newtothis]

Yes I remember you saying about the creosote. I have gone and found a tin in the shed - looks lighter than the stuff you used though.
The perch should be a fairly simple affair - nothing fancy - just some rounded off timber on a couple of brackets.
I'm planning to use newspaper on the floor beneath to catch the poo.
When I do the run I am thinking of putting flagstones around the two garden edges - the other two sides will be the brick wall and the shed on its concrete base - will this be enough to deter digging under the wire?
I'm then planning to use wood chips over the rest of the grass area before it becomes a muddy mess. Maybe 3 to 4 inches deep.does that sound OK?

David

[Snadger]

I thought the idea of using corugated onduline was to use it 'up and down' the slope to get rid of water?

Surely by using it the way you have, it will hold water?

[chris]

Looks really good Newtothis, well done!

[chris]

I thought the idea of using corugated onduline was to use it 'up and down' the slope to get rid of water?

Surely by using it the way you have, it will hold water?

It may pool on the top as snadger says... to get around that, put something under one of the leg supports, to create a slight incline from left to right - that'll create that run off.

[Newtothis]

Ok good idea -was my same thoughts - some of the legs are longer than the others...maybe I shouldn't worry about getting them level then

[chris]

I only made mine flat as it's in a covered run, mine isn't totally level though.. but then again neither is the concerete base

[Newtothis]

What to use for the run now.....I want it to be high enough to walk into and was thinking of covering all(or part) with a roof of clear corrugated plastic - at a slope to shed the water
I'll connect to the wall at the back and the shed at the side, but how thick should I make the other timber bits?
The run area is 3m x 4m approx.
I think the timber will have to be fairly strong to span the 3m width.
Also any ideas of what to use - I am on a very small, tight budget.

[Newtothis]

Your run looks great Chris. Lovely home for the chooks.

[chris]

I used 3"x3" timber for the posts - then built frames to slot inbetween them.

You could use 2x1 and create some 6' x 3' panels - then screw/tie them together to form a box shape.. but 3 x 4m is a large area to make a covered run.

I'm not sure how much your budget is, but do you have foxes around you? If you do, you'll need to make it as secure as possible. Shame your not closer, as I've some weldmesh left over! Fox proofing isn't cheap really.

You probably don't need a ladder for that small drop, mine used to jump up a ~2' drop to get into their coop, never used the ramp/ladder I made for them I'd probably just use a wide bit of wood as a ramp, perhaps with some thin bit of wood horizontally across it to create almost steps. Be less work than a ladder! Mine don't really use the ladder I made for them - they mostly jump down, and then fly up to the door.

I looked at various sites - but there's one called down the lane, which has a great poultry section - there's a members showcase thread of their runs etc, so I use some ideas from there, and from flummery to create my run!