🖼️
The project:
The chickens were rebelling against what they described as a sub-par abode. I could not have my hens going on strike so action I did take.
I decided to build a new residence for my girls that would suit chickens of their standing within the fowl community. With perch space for 20 chickens, ventilation enough to keep the air clean and enough space to cluck with the best chickens in town.
I thoroughly enjoyed doing this as my first mid size DIY project, I am very proud of the outcome.
- Materials:
I used 300 x 100 stirrups to bring the floor out of the ground utilising 100 x 100 treated pine posts for the bearers. I used 17mm ply for the floors and walls as I wanted this to last longer than me. It felt like I used metre upon metre of framing pine along with enough screws to ensure the coop could withstand any natural disaster that Mother Nature could throw at me. The roof is colourbond sheets in the one and only momentum colour. I used a little bit of merbau wood for features and I hope you enjoy looking at it as much as I loved making it.
- Tools:
I purchased the Makita 9 piece 18v combo kit prior to the job and this was the first serious set of tools I had ever bought. I didn’t think I would use some of them but the values was so good to buy them in a kit form, to my surprise I used every single one of them …. Drink in hand using the portable 18v blower was the most rewarding time for me.
- Step 1:
step 1 was to prep the site and lift the floor out of the ground.
- Step 2:
it was good to lift it up out of the ground but I still needed something to support the floor.
- Step 3:
I keep falling through the gaps in the bearers so I needed a solid floor, this is how it looked.
- Step 4:
floor check, now for some walls ….
- Step 5:
Now the walls were framed, but what to do for a roof?
- Step 6:
Some colourbond roofing and a couple of walls and this project was starting to look good.
- Step 7:
front wall put up and a couple of nesting boxes, 90% done, a lick of paint and a little bit of trim needed, but nearly there.
- Step 8:
pretty happy but it’s just missing something ….. I know what about some colourbond on top of the nesting boxes and maybe some feature window covers?
- Step 9:
that’s better, thanks to all the Bunnings staff for answering the 101 questions each time I went in for supplies :-)
- Step 10:
The final product, everyone including the chickens are so excited with the final results.
