Chicken Coop

We have just finished our coop (more or less). The coop measures a little smaller than 4’x8’. We have an enclosed run that measures 12’ x 8’ with a 6’ high fence, but the birds will be free range as much as possible during the daytime. There is no top to the run, but it is tucked under a large cedar tree for protection from hawks overhead. The chickens will be locked in the coop every night. We do have an outside dog which has been great for keeping critters out of our compost bin. I think he will do the same for the chicken coop. If you have any advice or words of wisdom don't hesitate to share. We are new to chicken husbandry. Here are some pictures of the finished coop:

The seven cedar posts and much of the dimensional lumber was cut/milled on site which helped to keep the cost down. The trees (pine and cedar) were either dead standing trees or cut down to make room for the garden and coop area. The two windows are just scrap glass from a picture framing business. The screen door was salvaged from renovations on the cabin and is covered with hardware cloth.  The roof still needs shingles….it’s covered with 2 layers of roofing felt at the moment.

The door on the back gives access to all four nesting boxes. The coop is raised off the ground to help minimize predator problems. 

I saw these sliding wooden latches on the internet and thought I would try to build them for all the coop doors….AND I’m a cheapskate and didn't want to spend $25 on latches. I had plenty of scrap pieces at the end of the project from which to choose from and they were simple to build. I put a pin (large nail) in each latch, so opening is a two-step process which should thwart any raccoons. The large door on the front of the coop is for cleaning it out.

The new coop is now home to our first hen sitting on 11 eggs, which should begin to hatch in about a week.