Chicks Got a Coop
June 20th, 2013 · 4 Comments · Posted in farming
This coop will go just about anywhere
At last, for the grand unveiling: our new mobile chicken coop.
People sometimes ask why we want a coop on wheels. There is some advantage to having a stationary chicken coop. First, you don’t have to put wheels on it. Second, you can totally contain a stationary coop to keep out predators both four-legged and those that fly overhead, like hawks.
But a major drawback to keeping a coop in one place is that chickens will completely destroy any grass in their grazing area if left too long. We want to put our chickens to work on all of our pastures, ridding the fields of unwanted bugs and fly larvae, keeping the grass mowed and leaving rich fertilizer to help build the soil. For that, they need to be mobile.
The coop you see in the photo above is my own design, interpreted from the many mobile keeps I’ve studied online. I’m no carpenter. My skills are limited to basic framing. I knew I wanted the coop to be reasonably lightweight, so it’s made with 5/8-inch, exterior grade plywood, held together by screwing the boards to 2 x 4 framing lumber.
In other words, it’s just a plywood box on wheels.
Steve bolts the metal roof in place
I was fortunate to find that a welder who lives down the road from us specializes in building trailers. He was eager to fashion a chassis with wheels for us. I managed to hoist the roughed-out coop onto the frame. But it wasn’t until my brother-in-law Steve arrived from Chicago this week to lend a hand on the farm that we were able to complete the installation and finish the coop.
Over the last six weeks, I had built two sets of four nest boxes that can be accessed from outside the coop to collect eggs. But I needed an extra set of hands to mount them on the sides of the coop. Steve had great ideas for doors on either end of the coop to provide ventilation and egress for the chickens. He also helped select all the hardware: hinges, latches, and so forth.
I’ll describe the construction of the coop in more detail in another post. This morning, we’ll be busy moving the chickens from their enclosure in the basement to the new coop. I want to give them at least a few days to get used to their new home before we move them out onto pasture.
Stay tuned.
Looking good, Ed! Can’t wait to hear how the hens like it.
So far no complaints, Diane.
ed, this is exciting. i remember my grandaddy cupping my little hand and slipping carefully beneath the hen. and then magic: the feel of the soft and squishy, hardened in my bare hands! looking forward to the reading about the ongoing results! Ward Sinclair is smiling down on you know.
Funny you should mention Ward Sinclair, Valca. He is one of my heroes.