We have just released plans for the coop on our Etsy shop! Follow the link below to learn more. www.etsy.com/listing/947189202/efficient-chicken-coop-plans-diy?ref=shop_home_active_1
@@melbee1000 She said around $500-$600. (asked her on Etsy) My guess is, with wood prices being up, it will probably be on the higher end of the number.
I just got chickens and I am so happy I found this channel because it's my absolute first time having a chicks. (Never even held one before this too) and because of your channel I have been doing good at helping them and caring for them :) Thank you very much!!
You should change that roost from a narrow board, to a wider board. I live up north to and it’s much better for the chickens if their feet are completely covered by their feathers. The best way to do that is a roost As wide as their feet. Good luck
we also live in wisconsin and just built another similar coop. i love the raised coop, keeps any critters from taking up residence under the coop. we insulated ours and then used plywood to cover walls. we dont heat it and leave a window cracked and it is much warmer inside than out. also use deep bedding and there is no problem at all with not being warm enough. we built an attached hoop house for the winter deep bedded with mulch and leaves and they love it.
@lynn diehl a type of simplified greenhouse using pvc pipe and plastic visquine. Do a web search for hoop house and you’ll probably get a million images of them full of pot plants. It’s become the preferred grow method here in California. I use hoop houses for pepper plants as my part of the state gets cold. It would basically be like a heated chicken run. Great idea for chickens in the winter.
Thank you for adding this info! Just got an Eglu for our new flock and was concerned about being warm enough. I liked the raised house and ability to free range (it rolls) while still protecting from the hawks and eagles that fly over the fields regularly. It was actually cheaper than building a hen house on a small “flat bed”. Would you please explain the “hoop house”?
I like your coop. The natural shade and water box are real nice. I think the chickens need a wider roost and more air flow, which I think you had plans for. Regarding the next box. Instead of lifting the top for access it’s much easier (especially in bad weather) to build a door into the back of the box. At one time we even built the floor of the next box to hinge and open down, dumping everything into a wheelbarrow for cleaning. Very simple and convenient.
I built one about that exact size and design...I now wish I would have gone much larger. Since I am intending to add some more hens this spring, I will be building a proper chicken house prob 8'x12 with an 8' roof. Like you mentioned, I had the feeder and waterer hanging inside the coop. Then, I was reading up and learned the chickens do not need food or water inside their coop at night. I removed both and they now have much more room. They seem calmer and the picking virtually stopped and everyone is happy. The heavies prefer to stay on the floor and sleep in a pile and the Ameraucanas prefer to sleep on the perch. I built a 25'x10' covered run and winterized it tightly with 6 mil plastic. They are safe and happy with plenty of room to run around and play on straw bails. I use straw on the ground to keep them off the cold ground. We also like to sit inside the run with them every day so there's room for a few lawn chairs. On sunny days, the plastic room warms up to a very comfortable temp. even on 20 degree windy days.
Having removable perches is important. They get messy fast and can get mites if not cleaned. It's easier to cut tree limbs and discard them and replace as needed. Also it's better for their feet to have different sized limbs to use different muscles as it would be in nature.
Wow!! Thank you soooo much for posting this video. I had been struggling with raising chickens in an inferior coop. I followed the same basic layout as your coop in building a new one and my chicken babies are so happy with the new digs! Cleaning is easier, feeding & watering are MUCH easier, as is egg collection. Truly a great design!
We bought a small wooden house for children from our neighbours (it was a very cheap purchase), and made the rest of the walls, frames, doors and roof from wood collected from garbage and pallets. We only bought screws, polystyrene and OSB boards to cover the walls inside. And of course paint. We live in Poland, in an area where it can be cold in winter, so we wanted our chicken coop to be insulated. I have no experience, I'm not a carpenter - I'm a graphic designer, just like my husband. Using basic tools (saw, hammer, tacker and screwdriver) you can do it yourself. But that takes time. In our case - about a month (we worked on this project only on weekends).
Hi, I'm not sure if anyone will see this or not but wanted to say thanks cuz I use to have chickens all the time. But it's been years since I've had any so your videos are helping me out Aloottt... hahahaa. Not sure how well this is gonna go but I'm gonna give it a shot. Oh by the way...I've never raised babies before so this adventure I just jumped in & didn't realize what I was getting into. I already lost a Silky...my very first one. She had poopy but when I bought her. It was just a little and yes bought them at a feed store. Anyway only had her for not even 48 hours before I found out how to take care of the situation. I'm going to let the store know what happened maybe they will replace her. I sure got close to her in that time though. I was handling her & I think she knew who I was. Yes very sad. But I love chickens so I get attached quick. Anyway thanks so much for all your help. I sure needed it. By the way, I live down South...Way down south like Fl. south so I've always had them down here so my chicken pen is alot different than the ones up north. But hopefully it will be okay for them. I didn't realize how much more experience it is...oh well here I go...lol
Nice. make sure to add some protection against the sun for the feeder if you place it on the outside, as air moisture and heat together will cause mold in the feed very fast on summer.
Love the videos... move into a new house I live in a big city ... 3 months later I found out that a chicken laid 10 eggs in my front Yard I decided not to eat the eggs but to let them hatch... oh boi the mother left the baby’s I didn’t know what to do so I kept him and now they are a month and a half. I don’t know what to do I don’t know what to get I put them in a plastic Bin inside my house at night and during the day I let them wander around my patio the good thing is I work from home. The scary part is I spotted a cat wandering around my house so now I’m afraid he might want to eat them. I want to get a chicken coop but I don’t want to get in trouble with the city. Over all I’m trying my best lol. Watching your videos I’m learning. Thx for the info
Woke up to 7 dead baby chicks, we call them babies but they were a few weeks from laying. Had been losing one every couple days and thought it was a hawk. Locked them into coop last night, just a board with a 2*4 leaned against it really. Never had evidence of predators in coop before but board was askew and chickens all dead in run. A few beheaded, one gutted, and 3-4 completely intact. I bought your plans months ago and put off building. I’ll be building 2 today, I know up front my water box needs to be taller for my founts and heat plate set up, I ran an open galvenized pan on same heat plate all winter last year and never froze once (rarely see below 15 in new mexico).
Nice chicken coop. Agreed. I built an automatic chicken coop door. It maybe the single most awesome thing I've done for the chickens (besides building the coop). Great piece of mind. I built my coop off the ground as well. As you point out, it gives them somewhere to go if it's raining. It also prevents predators from being able to dig under the coop and getting to the birds.
I made a dog house for Montana hunting dogs freezing in makeshift covers. From insulted floor, made hallway down one side. Doorway into dog house was on inside wall, back of hallway (doorway lined with multiple layers of carpet strips cut fit doorway fully. In hallway, before inside door, built "pressure pad" dog had too step on, activating inside heat lamp. When dog left dog house he had too walk on pressure pad again "shutting off" heat lamp. We put an on/off switch by entrance too hallway so system could be shut off. Then we hinged one side of roof so complete dog house has access for blankets, pads, etc... The dogs loved it! An auto door like on your chick coop would have been great!
I actually like your water cubby, that's much easier than the pipe and nipple system. Although in Alabama our winters are not as long nor quite as cold but cold enough to freeze water. Here the raised coop helps snakes. Love the automatic door as well. Thanks for sharing your ideas.
I love the water compartment. That is one of my biggest challenges in my coop because I have ducks in there with my chickens and this would solve so many issues in my coop!
We built our coop with a cement floor, 2 doors and 2 windows. It is a gable roof and the cost was under $1,000. It can house 100 birds. Guineas and chickens
You need to add screener windows on all 4 sides for ventilation to release toxic poop fumes and increase lighting for egg production. Lastly, use a 2x2 roost bars and need to center it for more wing room. Good luck.
You know for the water you can add an automatic mechanical float valve to connect to the house pipe to always keep the water full especially during hot summers. or you can connect it to the gutter of the coop to always supply it with water without increasing the utility bill.
Looks like a great coop design! Right now, we're turning a shed that's attached to the house into our chicken coop because that gives them a lot of room and us access in the winter without having to go outdoors. Living in NH, we also get very cold and a lot of snow. This also allows us to run electricity to it, and I love your water box, I think I'll incorporate that too! Once we get it started I'll be posting a video.
I have never had chickens and have looked into this a little bit. Thanks so much for sharing. Love the door and the way you keep the water and the fact you have it above ground to give them more room and options. It's wonderful that you can disassemble it. Every tip helps.
I am also in WI, and have a system to only clean the coops 1-2 times a year. Using wood chips 6-10" deep, which gets hot composted for the garden. That only works with a larger coop, and I'll rake it around when it's warm if things build up under roosts. I can get a PU truck load of wood chips for $5 in Eau Claire. Very nice set-up, chickens are so much fun to have.
Where do your chickens hang out when the weather is horrible? I have an elevated coup, and the first adjustment I had to make was to put barriers up around three of the four sides. I used clear corrugated plastic. I scattered hay in the winter, so they can get all comfy in there, and it's not dark. I have a ceiling inside the coop as well, so that I can vent into the attic. Gets cold around here (-30F just a few weeks ago), so I insulated the coop with pink board. I have a little roosting box too, but wish I wouldn't have put it in. In fact, I might remove it this summer. I have two doors of those big doors on mine, although that's a bit of a luxury. You should put a board across that doorway - a 1x4 to keep the bedding inside. I just put little hooks in, so the board can be easily lifted out when I clean. Your life would be a lot more simple if you kept both food and water out of your coop. Put a shit board under where they roost, clean it daily, and the things stay clean forever. I only have to change my bedding yearly.
Put appropriate size wheels for the weight of the coop on two of those coop legs and a handle on the other. Then you can move it around for easier cleaning under. Better yet, just make it a chicken tractor. Add the wheels and handle, then fence the bottom in for a chicken run. You'd have to put a ramp in the floor that drops down to the underneath run.
Looks like a sturdy build. I prefer to be able to walk inside mind. I hung my 2 feeders from the ceiling so very little bedding gets kicked into them. I also put them along the side so nothing is in the center. I put the waterer on the side as well, on top of a milk crate. It's just high enough for them to reach their beaks in and bedding doesn't get kicked into the water. Plus, more than a couple of chickens can get their water at the same time (which happens often).
Great video and coop design. I built a similar one up on stumps, I also put three sides under it, one at the back and each end leaving the front open. It is their favourite spot when it’s raining or a strong cold wind blowing, they can be outside but sheltered, it also made a great spot for a dry dirt bath which they make good use of.
Hot tip, make it so you can open and collect eggs with one hand. Makes life easier when you have your arms full. Stick a cheap gas strut on it to hold it up.
I've never kept chickens and this is so informative. The automatic door is amazing. My first instinct is to worry that I would have a chicken that would get locked out. LOL. I've heard you say that chickens will put themselves to bed so this is just an awesome addition. It would be amazing to see farmers 100 years ago to see your coup.
Question have you ever thought about round roost sticks? Have you thought about putting a fence topper to help protect the chickens from predators and keep them in? Also I have allowed boxes in the pen to entertain the chickens.
I love your coop. The modular design was a great idea if you're planning on moving. We recently finished building a chicken coop and one of the primary concerns was cost so we made it from pallets and wood scraps. It was a lot of work but it was very inexpensive.
Hi! Nice job. Our favorite feature is the water box! We use movable chicken tractors most of the year and a covered dog run with pallet cubbies in the winter but we really like the idea of preventing them from spilling and messing up the water!
I use so many of your ideas....latest was the wood shavings. I LOVE THAT....as I'm not cleaning out poop every couple of days but rather sprinkling and looking forward to some wonderful compost!!! Wonderful job on the new coop!! And thank you, just ordered a 5lb bag as well.
I have a plastic tray that sits at the bottom of my coop and the bottom of the tray is the bottom of the coop and I fill the tray up with wood shavings and whenever it’s time to clean it I slide the tray out and dump it out and since it’s plastic I wash it and fill it back up with fresh shavings it is so easy to clean
So what happened to this coop and did you ever build a run for it? Looks like y’all moved so wondering. We have to build a new coop so any updates on this would be great!
We're so excited! We just purchased your plans. BTW, they are super helpful and informative, as much as you state they are not professional. Walked through them with my husband, and he was like "no problem!", sweet! We're urban gardeners and have about 12x20' area behind the garage for the chicken area, so we're going to build a run around this. We both love the efficiency of your design, and that is key for us compared to a cookie cut/designer kit. I'd rather have something I can manage more easily, than cute and is a pain in the fluffy butt. Since we have 12x20 space that we're relegating to the chicken area, we're looking at modifying the coop access location only because we have to maintain at least a 3' distance from property lines. It will all work out, thanks so much for a fantastic layout!
That is a really nice chicken coop!! I have no carpentry skills but I would love to build one just like it. Chickens are great as pets too!! I raised around 7 of them one time and loved them for their friendliness and their tasty eggs!!
We have our waters outside We have a chickens for two years and putting it just out the door they seem to do fine during the winter and it works better for our coop
This is so informative! One question: when you’re out of town and the automatic door closes at night, how can you be sure all the hens make it inside before the door is closed and don’t get locked out all night? Thanks!
Very nice coop! Just a friendly suggestion, i would add a few windows with screens on the sides. Will keep em way cooler in the summer. They can overheat easily when its hot. ☺
@@OakAbode That's a great idea. During the day, all year round, I would just prop the side door open, so the hens can hop in and out as I noticed they were doing in the video.
Just a suggestion put a small lip on the feeder and at the door to keep in your feed and bedding. CUTE CUTE. THEY STILL NEED CURTaiNS. THEY LIKE PRIVACY. LOL.
So glad to have found your channel! We are hopefully going to be chicken owners this year and we also live in Wisconsin. All of your info and tips are so helpful!
Great coop design. I just became a first time chicken mamma and I'm so excited. We're building our own coop and it's almost done. Can't wait to get these little chickies outside foraging around. Thanks for sharing! Love the way your coop came out!❤️
We use the chicken guard door, it’s super, incredibly awesome! So worth the investment. Love the coop design we have a similar set up but we built ours inside of a shed (a box in a box)because we didn’t need it to be mobile. I’m also super happy with ours but you’ve given me some ideas. Thanks!
Thank you for this awesome video! I’m new to owning chickens and have been learning as much as I can to give them a good life in the yard. I’m now a new subscriber and look forward to learning more from your other videos. BTW, I’m sure I’ve watched at least 100’ chicken videos at this point and your video is the only one that I seen that showcases an automatic door. That is a genius idea. I also want my coop to be well thought out and as automated as possible. Thanks again for the great ideas!
Love your vids. I just orderd a compost thing that is on a stand so that I can do my special chicken mix in. I use the pellets from Tractor Supply and the Scratch Grains plus the black oil seeds. It is winter here in NC and I get about 3 to 4 eggs a day with 4 chickens. We have no predators here in the city. Thanks for your vids.
Like all your other videos, excellent information! I’m putting my new shed together and I’ll be sure to incorporate some of your ideas. Keep them coming.
We are new to having chickens and so excited to plan our coop for this summer. We are in northern Indiana. Thank you so much for posting this video! I am certainly going to incorporate some of your plans!
Are you still monitoring threads? How did this design stand the test of time? I like the 'water hatch' idea - does solve the issue of an exposed plug, I'm in BC and for sure will have top heat water and maybe the coop. I only plan on a few birds till I know what the heck I'm doing and too big a coop will be tough for them to keep warm. I would heat the floor but planning on the deep-litter method so don't think heating it would be good - for smell or microbes and bugs. Have you changed the egg recovery style? I'm going to make the top - secure. Easier to seal agains possible water in the nesting boxes but also, the vast majority of natural predators come from above - so chickens are programmed to freak out when disturbed - from above. Dropping the rear wall, under the overhang and lowering that (on a chain so it goes level but no more) doesn't startle them nearly as much, from what I've read. Nice design - I'm going to do something similar.
I love your videos and your enthusiasm. I use 1/4 x 16 inch removable poop boards just under the roosts and clean them daily. They really keep the coop clean. I also set an unbaited live trap alongside the coop run and caught many raccoons, opossums, and even a mink. Never lost a chicken to predators yet.
I'm just setting everything up and my coop is only 4 x 4 feet (for 6 girls) and don't plan to feed/water inside either. Although I am considering contingency plans if we have a bad winter (in PA) so I can if needed. I set my coop up in an area with plenty of wind block and am planning to add a tarp on the windward side of the run in the winter to keep them comfortable from the weather. I've seen some other local coops in my area and their birds seem to be out all winter long messing around out in the runs.
I’m building my coop exactly like yours because the design is so great! Does that automatic chicken door freeze up in the winter? Could it be mounted on the inside to alleviate that potential? Thanks for the video and the great ideas!
I really like your coop. I have been looking at coop designs for about 1 year now. I thought I found the one that I was going to make, but your design is great and looks like it is easier to make. Thanks for the post. 👍🏻
You mentioned modularity and I respect that, but if you ever think you are going to hunker down in one spot for awhile I would expand the coop. 8x10 for example, is actually small IMO. All the things that you are doing you can do so much easier in a large coop.
Wondering if I can use the coop as a brooder? I don't see why not since I don't have any hens yet. Just hang the heat lamp with a chain inside the hen house. That way they are trained to the coop already and it's home. Maybe not put the litter as deep and set their water and food up above the litter. Oh and a big definitely going to put linoleum down inside the coop. Makes cleaning soo much easier
Try Royal Rooster feed and water dispenser so much less waste and the can’t knock over their water or kick stuff in. I have three girls and one feeder and waterer last is about a week , less in the summer.
Loved your coop design and automatic coop door. You get up in there easily for sure. I loved seeing you hand feed them. They are beautiful. I sub'd and looking forward to future and catching up videos. Very creative build and well designed.
I had this same chicken guard door. It was great for about 1 1/2 years. Then the string got tangled. (Easy fix) But after that, oddly, the function of the up and down buttons reversed somehow. And it didn’t reliably close. And one of the locking flanges on the bottom of the door wouldn’t come out anymore. Seemed like it was spring-loaded but the spring mechanism broke. They have a two year warranty. In order to use the warranty, you have to ship the product to England. And then they’ll look at it to see if it’s a warrantied problem. If it is, they’ll fix it. If not, they can fix it for a fee…I forget how much but it was a lot. I recently had to ship a similarly sized item to France. It cost me almost $100. For routine shipping. I realized that fixing the door could cost up to like $150 or so, and the warranty wouldn’t be extended. I decided to try a different company recommended by another UA-camr, made in the US. Ladies First chicken door. Haven’t gotten it yet. A bit more basic, but with some other features.
Door on timer questions... Are you worried about ever locking a chicken out that is outside partying a bit late? Are you worried about ever locking a predator in for the night?
Love your Design. Wondering if you have any upadates on the feeder? DId you move it or or otherwise update your feeder system yet? Thanks for shariing. We were very reluctant to get backyard chickens. Your videos were very helpful and gave us the courage to give it a go. We got 6 chicks 2 weeks ago and are building a coop.
We have just released plans for the coop on our Etsy shop! Follow the link below to learn more.
www.etsy.com/listing/947189202/efficient-chicken-coop-plans-diy?ref=shop_home_active_1
Lol I sound silly for asking this but will you share your soundtrack playlist?
@Oak Abode How much did it cost you to make this? I didn't hear you mention in the video, but maybe I missed that part? Thank you!
What is the cost to make this size coop?
@@melbee1000 She said around $500-$600. (asked her on Etsy) My guess is, with wood prices being up, it will probably be on the higher end of the number.
@@NamasteTexas Sounds like “Leaning on The Everlasting Arms” on repeat.
I just got chickens and I am so happy I found this channel because it's my absolute first time having a chicks. (Never even held one before this too) and because of your channel I have been doing good at helping them and caring for them :)
Thank you very much!!
I am here studying! Plan to build my coop then get some girls.
Breeds you recommend???
You should change that roost from a narrow board, to a wider board. I live up north to and it’s much better for the chickens if their feet are completely covered by their feathers. The best way to do that is a roost As wide as their feet. Good luck
And it needs to be a round perch, the sharp corners will damage their feet and toes. 🥺
Thats what I was going to suggest!
Switch to 2x4 letting them lay on the 4” side. Great job though!
About how much time and money did this cost?
2x4s... sanded... ❤
i'm planning on painting mine purple and calling it the egg plant
LOL that's fantastic
we also live in wisconsin and just built another similar coop. i love the raised coop, keeps any critters from taking up residence under the coop. we insulated ours and then used plywood to cover walls. we dont heat it and leave a window cracked and it is much warmer inside than out. also use deep bedding and there is no problem at all with not being warm enough. we built an attached hoop house for the winter deep bedded with mulch and leaves and they love it.
Could you clarify if you use leaves, grass clippings for the litter? I heard a few inches of river sand as the base keeps the coop & run dry.
What's a hoop house. I'm really new to this.
@lynn diehl a type of simplified greenhouse using pvc pipe and plastic visquine. Do a web search for hoop house and you’ll probably get a million images of them full of pot plants. It’s become the preferred grow method here in California. I use hoop houses for pepper plants as my part of the state gets cold. It would basically be like a heated chicken run. Great idea for chickens in the winter.
Thank you for adding this info! Just got an Eglu for our new flock and was concerned about being warm enough. I liked the raised house and ability to free range (it rolls) while still protecting from the hawks and eagles that fly over the fields regularly. It was actually cheaper than building a hen house on a small “flat bed”. Would you please explain the “hoop house”?
I like your coop. The natural shade and water box are real nice. I think the chickens need a wider roost and more air flow, which I think you had plans for. Regarding the next box. Instead of lifting the top for access it’s much easier (especially in bad weather) to build a door into the back of the box. At one time we even built the floor of the next box to hinge and open down, dumping everything into a wheelbarrow for cleaning. Very simple and convenient.
"built the floor of the next box to hinge and open down, dumping everything into a wheelbarrow for cleaning" Love that idea! Thanks for sharing....
That was one of my favorite songs we'd sing Sunday evenings in our little church when I was a kid some 50 years ago. Still brings a peaceful tear.
I built one about that exact size and design...I now wish I would have gone much larger. Since I am intending to add some more hens this spring, I will be building a proper chicken house prob 8'x12 with an 8' roof. Like you mentioned, I had the feeder and waterer hanging inside the coop. Then, I was reading up and learned the chickens do not need food or water inside their coop at night. I removed both and they now have much more room. They seem calmer and the picking virtually stopped and everyone is happy. The heavies prefer to stay on the floor and sleep in a pile and the Ameraucanas prefer to sleep on the perch. I built a 25'x10' covered run and winterized it tightly with 6 mil plastic. They are safe and happy with plenty of room to run around and play on straw bails. I use straw on the ground to keep them off the cold ground. We also like to sit inside the run with them every day so there's room for a few lawn chairs. On sunny days, the plastic room warms up to a very comfortable temp. even on 20 degree windy days.
good for you.. "thinking outside the coop" nice choice to build off ground! nice
Having removable perches is important. They get messy fast and can get mites if not cleaned. It's easier to cut tree limbs and discard them and replace as needed. Also it's better for their feet to have different sized limbs to use different muscles as it would be in nature.
I was wondering about using tree limbs for roosts, so I appreciate your post!
That makes so much sense!
I will agree, but it is hard to cut tree limbs when you don't have any trees.
I cannot express how much I love that you have a chicken named Reptar. It brings me far too much joy and she's super precious!
Wow!! Thank you soooo much for posting this video. I had been struggling with raising chickens in an inferior coop. I followed the same basic layout as your coop in building a new one and my chicken babies are so happy with the new digs! Cleaning is easier, feeding & watering are MUCH easier, as is egg collection. Truly a great design!
That water box is a great idea!!
We bought a small wooden house for children from our neighbours (it was a very cheap purchase), and made the rest of the walls, frames, doors and roof from wood collected from garbage and pallets. We only bought screws, polystyrene and OSB boards to cover the walls inside. And of course paint. We live in Poland, in an area where it can be cold in winter, so we wanted our chicken coop to be insulated. I have no experience, I'm not a carpenter - I'm a graphic designer, just like my husband. Using basic tools (saw, hammer, tacker and screwdriver) you can do it yourself. But that takes time. In our case - about a month (we worked on this project only on weekends).
A great coop! Your excitement for your new coop, designed the way you want it, is palpable!
I would LOVE to watch a video or read a blog review on what you think a year later! I’m planning on building my coop this winter for spring chicks!
Hi, I'm not sure if anyone will see this or not but wanted to say thanks cuz I use to have chickens all the time. But it's been years since I've had any so your videos are helping me out Aloottt... hahahaa. Not sure how well this is gonna go but I'm gonna give it a shot. Oh by the way...I've never raised babies before so this adventure I just jumped in & didn't realize what I was getting into. I already lost a Silky...my very first one. She had poopy but when I bought her. It was just a little and yes bought them at a feed store. Anyway only had her for not even 48 hours before I found out how to take care of the situation. I'm going to let the store know what happened maybe they will replace her. I sure got close to her in that time though. I was handling her & I think she knew who I was. Yes very sad. But I love chickens so I get attached quick. Anyway thanks so much for all your help. I sure needed it. By the way, I live down South...Way down south like Fl. south so I've always had them down here so my chicken pen is alot different than the ones up north. But hopefully it will be okay for them. I didn't realize how much more experience it is...oh well here I go...lol
Nice. make sure to add some protection against the sun for the feeder if you place it on the outside, as air moisture and heat together will cause mold in the feed very fast on summer.
Love the videos... move into a new house I live in a big city ... 3 months later I found out that a chicken laid 10 eggs in my front Yard I decided not to eat the eggs but to let them hatch... oh boi the mother left the baby’s I didn’t know what to do so I kept him and now they are a month and a half. I don’t know what to do I don’t know what to get I put them in a plastic Bin inside my house at night and during the day I let them wander around my patio the good thing is I work from home. The scary part is I spotted a cat wandering around my house so now I’m afraid he might want to eat them. I want to get a chicken coop but I don’t want to get in trouble with the city. Over all I’m trying my best lol. Watching your videos I’m learning. Thx for the info
Love that is elevated enough that you can pull wheelbarrow under it for easy cleanup.
Woke up to 7 dead baby chicks, we call them babies but they were a few weeks from laying. Had been losing one every couple days and thought it was a hawk. Locked them into coop last night, just a board with a 2*4 leaned against it really. Never had evidence of predators in coop before but board was askew and chickens all dead in run. A few beheaded, one gutted, and 3-4 completely intact. I bought your plans months ago and put off building. I’ll be building 2 today, I know up front my water box needs to be taller for my founts and heat plate set up, I ran an open galvenized pan on same heat plate all winter last year and never froze once (rarely see below 15 in new mexico).
Chicken people with a lot of heart. Meaning very caring for there. Chickens. Loved every minute of this video.
Nice chicken coop. Agreed. I built an automatic chicken coop door. It maybe the single most awesome thing I've done for the chickens (besides building the coop). Great piece of mind.
I built my coop off the ground as well. As you point out, it gives them somewhere to go if it's raining. It also prevents predators from being able to dig under the coop and getting to the birds.
it really dream chicken coop for chickens and owner to enjoy, auto openin of door isnt just cool, wonderful
Well for me I enjoy opening the coop and see my chickens just run outside 😍😍
I made a dog house for Montana hunting dogs freezing in makeshift covers. From insulted floor, made hallway down one side. Doorway into dog house was on inside wall, back of hallway (doorway lined with multiple layers of carpet strips cut fit doorway fully. In hallway, before inside door, built "pressure pad" dog had too step on, activating inside heat lamp. When dog left dog house he had too walk on pressure pad again "shutting off" heat lamp. We put an on/off switch by entrance too hallway so system could be shut off. Then we hinged one side of roof so complete dog house has access for blankets, pads, etc... The dogs loved it! An auto door like on your chick coop would have been great!
Wow on the pressure pad door operating set up. Did you design that yourself? Was it hard to do? I've never heard of it before, sounds great!
I actually like your water cubby, that's much easier than the pipe and nipple system. Although in Alabama our winters are not as long nor quite as cold but cold enough to freeze water. Here the raised coop helps snakes. Love the automatic door as well. Thanks for sharing your ideas.
I love the water compartment. That is one of my biggest challenges in my coop because I have ducks in there with my chickens and this would solve so many issues in my coop!
We built our coop with a cement floor, 2 doors and 2 windows. It is a gable roof and the cost was under $1,000. It can house 100 birds. Guineas and chickens
The cement floor is 4 inches thick. and used 2 x 4's for all of the wood, and plywood.
You need to add screener windows on all 4 sides for ventilation to release toxic poop fumes and increase lighting for egg production.
Lastly, use a 2x2 roost bars and need to center it for more wing room.
Good luck.
You know for the water you can add an automatic mechanical float valve to connect to the house pipe to always keep the water full especially during hot summers. or you can connect it to the gutter of the coop to always supply it with water without increasing the utility bill.
Looks like a great coop design! Right now, we're turning a shed that's attached to the house into our chicken coop because that gives them a lot of room and us access in the winter without having to go outdoors. Living in NH, we also get very cold and a lot of snow. This also allows us to run electricity to it, and I love your water box, I think I'll incorporate that too! Once we get it started I'll be posting a video.
Aren't you worried about bringing rodents to the house
another point about having the coop above ground is that it provides a natural shade area for the extra hot days. great video, thanks!
I have never had chickens and have looked into this a little bit. Thanks so much for sharing. Love the door and the way you keep the water and the fact you have it above ground to give them more room and options. It's wonderful that you can disassemble it. Every tip helps.
I am also in WI, and have a system to only clean the coops 1-2 times a year. Using wood chips 6-10" deep, which gets hot composted for the garden. That only works with a larger coop, and I'll rake it around when it's warm if things build up under roosts. I can get a PU truck load of wood chips for $5 in Eau Claire. Very nice set-up, chickens are so much fun to have.
Love the background music!
Awesome job! You guys did a great 😀👍
Where do your chickens hang out when the weather is horrible? I have an elevated coup, and the first adjustment I had to make was to put barriers up around three of the four sides. I used clear corrugated plastic. I scattered hay in the winter, so they can get all comfy in there, and it's not dark. I have a ceiling inside the coop as well, so that I can vent into the attic. Gets cold around here (-30F just a few weeks ago), so I insulated the coop with pink board. I have a little roosting box too, but wish I wouldn't have put it in. In fact, I might remove it this summer. I have two doors of those big doors on mine, although that's a bit of a luxury. You should put a board across that doorway - a 1x4 to keep the bedding inside. I just put little hooks in, so the board can be easily lifted out when I clean. Your life would be a lot more simple if you kept both food and water out of your coop. Put a shit board under where they roost, clean it daily, and the things stay clean forever. I only have to change my bedding yearly.
Put appropriate size wheels for the weight of the coop on two of those coop legs and a handle on the other. Then you can move it around for easier cleaning under. Better yet, just make it a chicken tractor. Add the wheels and handle, then fence the bottom in for a chicken run. You'd have to put a ramp in the floor that drops down to the underneath run.
I came for the coop, I swear, but you're gorgeous.
Big hug from Brazil.
Thanks for the video.
Looks like a sturdy build. I prefer to be able to walk inside mind. I hung my 2 feeders from the ceiling so very little bedding gets kicked into them. I also put them along the side so nothing is in the center. I put the waterer on the side as well, on top of a milk crate. It's just high enough for them to reach their beaks in and bedding doesn't get kicked into the water. Plus, more than a couple of chickens can get their water at the same time (which happens often).
Great video and coop design.
I built a similar one up on stumps, I also put three sides under it, one at the back and each end leaving the front open. It is their favourite spot when it’s raining or a strong cold wind blowing, they can be outside but sheltered, it also made a great spot for a dry dirt bath which they make good use of.
Hot tip, make it so you can open and collect eggs with one hand. Makes life easier when you have your arms full. Stick a cheap gas strut on it to hold it up.
I've never kept chickens and this is so informative. The automatic door is amazing. My first instinct is to worry that I would have a chicken that would get locked out. LOL. I've heard you say that chickens will put themselves to bed so this is just an awesome addition. It would be amazing to see farmers 100 years ago to see your coup.
Question have you ever thought about round roost sticks? Have you thought about putting a fence topper to help protect the chickens from predators and keep them in? Also I have allowed boxes in the pen to entertain the chickens.
I love your coop. The modular design was a great idea if you're planning on moving. We recently finished building a chicken coop and one of the primary concerns was cost so we made it from pallets and wood scraps. It was a lot of work but it was very inexpensive.
My exact plan too…pallet wood and reclaimed 2 x 4s. 👍🏻
Hi! Nice job. Our favorite feature is the water box! We use movable chicken tractors most of the year and a covered dog run with pallet cubbies in the winter but we really like the idea of preventing them from spilling and messing up the water!
So jealous! If we had more land, I would use moveable chicken tractors in a heartbeat!
You are so creative minded and have knowledge about comfort for animals and birds. Stay blessed 😊😊😊
Not sure how I came across this channel, but I'm SO very glad I did!
I use so many of your ideas....latest was the wood shavings. I LOVE THAT....as I'm not cleaning out poop every couple of days but rather sprinkling and looking forward to some wonderful compost!!! Wonderful job on the new coop!! And thank you, just ordered a 5lb bag as well.
I like the way the chicken is just digging in the litter and kicking it out the coop lol
I have a plastic tray that sits at the bottom of my coop and the bottom of the tray is the bottom of the coop and I fill the tray up with wood shavings and whenever it’s time to clean it I slide the tray out and dump it out and since it’s plastic I wash it and fill it back up with fresh shavings it is so easy to clean
So what happened to this coop and did you ever build a run for it? Looks like y’all moved so wondering. We have to build a new coop so any updates on this would be great!
If you put your ramp parallel to the coop and make on outside foyer at the door you can stop the wind from entering the coop.
We're so excited! We just purchased your plans. BTW, they are super helpful and informative, as much as you state they are not professional. Walked through them with my husband, and he was like "no problem!", sweet! We're urban gardeners and have about 12x20' area behind the garage for the chicken area, so we're going to build a run around this. We both love the efficiency of your design, and that is key for us compared to a cookie cut/designer kit. I'd rather have something I can manage more easily, than cute and is a pain in the fluffy butt. Since we have 12x20 space that we're relegating to the chicken area, we're looking at modifying the coop access location only because we have to maintain at least a 3' distance from property lines. It will all work out, thanks so much for a fantastic layout!
"pain in the fluff butt", never heard that before. 😄
That is a really nice chicken coop!! I have no carpentry skills but I would love to build one just like it. Chickens are great as pets too!! I raised around 7 of them one time and loved them for their friendliness and their tasty eggs!!
We have our waters outside
We have a chickens for two years and putting it just out the door they seem to do fine during the winter and it works better for our coop
I cant wait to see your new feeder and watering systems!
This is so informative! One question: when you’re out of town and the automatic door closes at night, how can you be sure all the hens make it inside before the door is closed and don’t get locked out all night? Thanks!
I’ve just asked this question, didn’t realise you had already asked. Doesn’t seem like you’ve had a reply though?
@@stephsadventures4382 ….????
They get use to a routine. If you lock them up at 6 then they go in at 6.
chickens naturally go back in 99% of the time
Your coop design gave me a lot to think about with my new coop/ condo, especially with the external feeders and water boxes, to save space.
I'm getting ready to build a new (bigger) coop this summer and I'll definitely incorporate a lot of these great ideas!
Very nice coop! Just a friendly suggestion, i would add a few windows with screens on the sides. Will keep em way cooler in the summer. They can overheat easily when its hot. ☺
We actually will be replacing the door with a hardware mesh/screen version for the summer! Then just swap it back to this one for winter 😉
@@OakAbode That's a great idea. During the day, all year round, I would just prop the side door open, so the hens can hop in and out as I noticed they were doing in the video.
Just a suggestion put a small lip on the feeder and at the door to keep in your feed and bedding. CUTE CUTE. THEY STILL NEED CURTaiNS. THEY LIKE PRIVACY. LOL.
Thanks for the tip Pamela! I knew I was going to have to add that as soon as it was all put together lol.
So glad to have found your channel! We are hopefully going to be chicken owners this year and we also live in Wisconsin. All of your info and tips are so helpful!
Great coop design. I just became a first time chicken mamma and I'm so excited. We're building our own coop and it's almost done. Can't wait to get these little chickies outside foraging around. Thanks for sharing! Love the way your coop came out!❤️
Oh wow! The water box? That’s gonna happen. I’m running with that one. Thank you!
We use the chicken guard door, it’s super, incredibly awesome! So worth the investment.
Love the coop design we have a similar set up but we built ours inside of a shed (a box in a box)because we didn’t need it to be mobile. I’m also super happy with ours but you’ve given me some ideas. Thanks!
How Does the extreme weather such as freezing rain and below zero Temps effect the automatic door. Thank you in advance.
I have a question. How do the chickens know when to go in at night before the door closes? Thank you
I would add a removable piece of wood in front of the clean out door to keep your deep litter from falling out then you open the door.
Because you used real wood to build your chicken coup, that alone deserves a Subscribe/Bell
I just bought my plans and can hardly wait to begin building this coop.
Thank you for this awesome video! I’m new to owning chickens and have been learning as much as I can to give them a good life in the yard. I’m now a new subscriber and look forward to learning more from your other videos. BTW, I’m sure I’ve watched at least 100’ chicken videos at this point and your video is the only one that I seen that showcases an automatic door. That is a genius idea. I also want my coop to be well thought out and as automated as possible. Thanks again for the great ideas!
Nice looking coop. We built a massive mobile coop but this one looks amazing for a stationary one.
@Kevin Ours is 7.5’x20’ with 18’ of nesting boxes on each side. It sits on a hay trailer and we move it around our pasture with electric poultry wire.
Love your vids. I just orderd a compost thing that is on a stand so that I can do my special chicken mix in. I use the pellets from Tractor Supply and the Scratch Grains plus the black oil seeds. It is winter here in NC and I get about 3 to 4 eggs a day with 4 chickens. We have no predators here in the city. Thanks for your vids.
Hello!
Do you have an updated video of your coop today with your updated feeder system and fenced in area around coop?
Thank you! ❤️
Like all your other videos, excellent information! I’m putting my new shed together and I’ll be sure to incorporate some of your ideas. Keep them coming.
We are new to having chickens and so excited to plan our coop for this summer. We are in northern Indiana. Thank you so much for posting this video! I am certainly going to incorporate some of your plans!
Are you still monitoring threads? How did this design stand the test of time?
I like the 'water hatch' idea - does solve the issue of an exposed plug, I'm in BC and for sure will have top heat water and maybe the coop. I only plan on a few birds till I know what the heck I'm doing and too big a coop will be tough for them to keep warm. I would heat the floor but planning on the deep-litter method so don't think heating it would be good - for smell or microbes and bugs.
Have you changed the egg recovery style? I'm going to make the top - secure. Easier to seal agains possible water in the nesting boxes but also, the vast majority of natural predators come from above - so chickens are programmed to freak out when disturbed - from above. Dropping the rear wall, under the overhang and lowering that (on a chain so it goes level but no more) doesn't startle them nearly as much, from what I've read.
Nice design - I'm going to do something similar.
I love your videos and your enthusiasm. I use 1/4 x 16 inch removable poop boards just under the roosts and clean them daily. They really keep the coop clean. I also set an unbaited live trap alongside the coop run and caught many raccoons, opossums, and even a mink. Never lost a chicken to predators yet.
I love both your hints, here.....the poop boards and the traps alongside the coop run. Thanks for sharing!
I don’t put my food or water in the coop at all. I have it in the run. But I’m in MS, so winter is pretty mild.
I'm just setting everything up and my coop is only 4 x 4 feet (for 6 girls) and don't plan to feed/water inside either. Although I am considering contingency plans if we have a bad winter (in PA) so I can if needed. I set my coop up in an area with plenty of wind block and am planning to add a tarp on the windward side of the run in the winter to keep them comfortable from the weather. I've seen some other local coops in my area and their birds seem to be out all winter long messing around out in the runs.
I’m building my coop exactly like yours because the design is so great! Does that automatic chicken door freeze up in the winter? Could it be mounted on the inside to alleviate that potential? Thanks for the video and the great ideas!
I like that idea. That would also keep a predator from being able to push it up with its nose or paw.
I really like your coop. I have been looking at coop designs for about 1 year now. I thought I found the one that I was going to make, but your design is great and looks like it is easier to make. Thanks for the post. 👍🏻
The first thing that I thought about since the coop is not fixed to the ground was that if you are in a windy area if Wind can topple it.
Thanks for sharing functional simplicity. Great standard coop. Thoughtful for future move if need be as well. Much appreciated 😊
You mentioned modularity and I respect that, but if you ever think you are going to hunker down in one spot for awhile I would expand the coop. 8x10 for example, is actually small IMO. All the things that you are doing you can do so much easier in a large coop.
I'm so impressed with your creativity.
So aesthetic and very practical!! White and black is definitely a nice look too! Love your chicken names. We named ours after the Golden Girls hehe
Love your new coop!! The water placement is a great idea!!!
Wondering if I can use the coop as a brooder? I don't see why not since I don't have any hens yet. Just hang the heat lamp with a chain inside the hen house. That way they are trained to the coop already and it's home. Maybe not put the litter as deep and set their water and food up above the litter. Oh and a big definitely going to put linoleum down inside the coop. Makes cleaning soo much easier
Try Royal Rooster feed and water dispenser so much less waste and the can’t knock over their water or kick stuff in. I have three girls and one feeder and waterer last is about a week , less in the summer.
I noticed you filled in the rafters and the end walls. I remember you talked about opening the wall that was filled in on your previous coop.
Loved your coop design and automatic coop door. You get up in there easily for sure. I loved seeing you hand feed them. They are beautiful. I sub'd and looking forward to future and catching up videos. Very creative build and well designed.
Nice design. We are getting a new shed and I am going to break down the existing shed and will use it for a new chicken coop... bigger, better, badder
My hubby built a coop I can walk into and clean but is off the ground. External nest boxes with drop down door.
That water box is brilliant.
I had this same chicken guard door. It was great for about 1 1/2 years. Then the string got tangled. (Easy fix) But after that, oddly, the function of the up and down buttons reversed somehow. And it didn’t reliably close. And one of the locking flanges on the bottom of the door wouldn’t come out anymore. Seemed like it was spring-loaded but the spring mechanism broke. They have a two year warranty. In order to use the warranty, you have to ship the product to England. And then they’ll look at it to see if it’s a warrantied problem. If it is, they’ll fix it. If not, they can fix it for a fee…I forget how much but it was a lot. I recently had to ship a similarly sized item to France. It cost me almost $100. For routine shipping. I realized that fixing the door could cost up to like $150 or so, and the warranty wouldn’t be extended. I decided to try a different company recommended by another UA-camr, made in the US. Ladies First chicken door. Haven’t gotten it yet. A bit more basic, but with some other features.
Door on timer questions... Are you worried about ever locking a chicken out that is outside partying a bit late? Are you worried about ever locking a predator in for the night?
The auto chicken door is what I need!
this coop has stronger headers than my house! nice build!
The run I'm set to buy on the 1st is 10×20' so plenty of room for 6 hens. Want lots of room for a dust bath and roosts and toys to keep from boredom.
Love your Design. Wondering if you have any upadates on the feeder? DId you move it or or otherwise update your feeder system yet? Thanks for shariing. We were very reluctant to get backyard chickens. Your videos were very helpful and gave us the courage to give it a go. We got 6 chicks 2 weeks ago and are building a coop.
Really appreciated this video. Gave me ideas and some points to think about before i start building a coupe myself. 🙌🏻😃🇺🇸🇦🇺