I actually have a layer of paint on the coop, but I wanted to share Chateau Chicken with all of you real quick before I head to bed.

The design got a little out of hand. What can I say. It's my nature.

All of the materials except for (4) 1x12's were found, repurposed or salvaged. This is probably what I'm most pleased with, my resourcing for supplies. Ok, not really, it's a runner up to actually getting the dang thing done. lol.

Here we go....
http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll121/woolfoodmama/015-2.jpg

all moved in. The fence was temporary, just so I could move them that night. I just couldn't wait another second once it was done, ya know.

http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll121/woolfoodmama/025.jpg

oh what the heck, 1 more photo
http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll121/woolfoodmama/017-2.jpg
That door is a problem. We had SO much rain when I was building that the doors swelled about 1/2 an inch. So I took them off and ripped 'em down and several days later, when we started to dry out, they're too small for the lock to work effectively. It needs some work but it's definitely good enough for now.

Ok, the highlights...
The little roof on both sides lift up for easy access.
The bottom is screened so stuff can fall through.
The doors are wide enough to accommodate an easy rake out.
There are 2 hanging lights inside for added warmth on cold nights. I only need one, but this winter, I'll utilize both and also add haybales around the perimeter. (oh..the lights are on a pulley kind of set up so I can raise and lower them to change the bulbs, without a full crawl in with the poo. lol.
The roof insulated, the rest is not, but is sided with 3/4 inch ply or straight wood.
There's a small snap open window (also screeened) in the back to allow for an added breeze if this summer ever steams up.
Roosts in the center part, nesting boxes on the sides.

I'm rather pleased. The biggest project I ever took from start to finish all on my own.

I set up a makeshift woodshop under the overhang on the patio and it worked slick. No running back and forth to the garage and nearly all of it was assembled on the spot.

Ok, thanks for looking and letting me ramble away. :)

Nice job!

That is a VERY nice chicken coop!!!

that is so stinking adorable! what color did you paint it?

Must see it painted! It's adorable. I told DH that if he wasn't careful I'd paint the goathouse pink polkadots :lol:

:bow: You rock, Katie!

I'd love to see pics of the inside. Or maybe I'll just come see it in person. :)

oh for sure come and see it in person, Rachel. lol.

When I finish painting it, I'll try to get interior photos.

right now, it's primer white. But when it's finished it'll be all nordic themed. Cream and taupe with red and green trim. Kind of obnoxious probably, but it'll be pretty sitting out in the snow with a string of lights this coming December. :p

Oh I love it and saw something similar on one of the chicken sites that you and mamabear where sharing the other day.... LOVE IT!!!

the nordic them, of course, reminds me of the book "Hedgie's Surprise" by Jan Brett. A lot of her books have a nordic theme and wowsie does my family love her stories!! Hegie's surprise and Daisy Comes Home are both about chickens and we love those!

Beautiful! Great job. I am impressed. I make dh do all the carpentry. ;)

wow that looks great. i am impressed!

great work! definitely a chateau!

A little OT but...

Funny you should mention Jan Brett - my mother is an artist and about a week ago told me about a link to Jan Brett in an artist magazine.

Author Jan Brett's Home Page - A Great Place for Ideas (http://www.janbrett.com/)

GREAT website for kids and parents!

ROCK N ROLL!

Very cool!

Oh I love it and saw something similar on one of the chicken sites that you and mamabear where sharing the other day.... LOVE IT!!!


One of the coops on that site was my beginning inspiration. :) It was square with really cool windows on the top. I wasn't about to try a square pitch roof tho. yikes.

This coop construction actually made me sit down and bury my face once. That's almost predictable for me tho. It's the ":vent: why do I do this stuff to myself" pity bag build up; right before I lean hard and finish. :)

I love jan brett's work.

I love it!

We have a mesh bottom on the roosting side of our coop. One night a raccoon tried to pull one of the chickens through it! :drop:
Fortunately, I heard the commotion and stopped them. I put a temporary bottom on the coop the next day. I'll need to modify it when we get chickens next time.

I love it!

We have a mesh bottom on the roosting side of our coop. One night a raccoon tried to pull one of the chickens through it! :drop:
Fortunately, I heard the commotion and stopped them. I put a temporary bottom on the coop the next day. I'll need to modify it when we get chickens next time.

I was worried about this. In the center it's that small square mesh that's sandwiched between the wood. On the sides tho, I just used chicken wire. I ended up adding wood boards, over the top of the wire, from the inside because it just didn't seem secure enough in the end. I dunno. All sorts of adjustments along the way.

Beautiful!!!

That is the cutest coop I have ever seen! It looks like a little gingerbread house!

I don't want to step on your toes, but I would really recommend using hardware cloth (cage wire) on your coop instead of chicken wire. Chicken wire is so flimsy, and like the other poster mentioned, a raccoon can put his hand right through that wire and grab. Just this week a friend of mine had one of her chicks lose a foot because something reached through her chicken wire while her chickens were roosting. I use the one inch by half inch hardware cloth all around my coop and my chicken tractor and I have never had an issue with snakes, rats, or any smaller predator that could easily get through chicken wire. My feeling is that chicken wire is meant to keep chickens in, but not really meant to keep predators out!

Anyway, your coop is awesome and I can't wait to see it painted!

oh how sweet is that siggy pic?

Thank you Amy. The floor of main body is the 1/2 inch cage mesh/wire stuff. Hard to bend and very much like what would be used for a rabbit hutch.

On the sides, the little wings there with the small angled roof is where I used the chicken wire....then thought it was too flimsy and installed a wood floor, over the wire. The wood panels (floor) can be removed for cleaning. Still, it's not as secure as I'd like. It's back on the drawing board, so to speak.

It's probably good enough but at this point i'm getting down anal. :p

That sounds great Katie, can't wait to see more pics!