Finished Coop and Run Tour!

Ya'll, I'll post more about how we built everything once I've caught my breath, BUT WE'VE GOT IT BUILT AND WE HAVE CHICKENS!!

Still some additions/adjustments to be made, but everything is in working order - huzzah!

Chicken Run (interior)

Chicken Coop & Run (exterior)

Installing the Run

I enlisted my buddy, Kenny, to help me carry and set up the run sides for installation. I had built the sides separately in February with the chicken wire (hardware cloth) already attached.

Photo from February when I built the sides

This was definitely a two person job. The sides were heavy and big enough to be awkward to place. We had them resting on cinder block in at least two different places and one of us would hold the side straight while the other installed it with deck screws. In retrospect, I could have used pockets screws or a better installation method, but I didn't think ahead so I used some small scrap pieces to attach the run sides to the coop. 

I left extra hardware cloth at the bottom and side of the run. I burry the bottom hardware cloth underground to predator-proof the structure. The side bits I should have removed before putting everything together.

I later built the end side by attaching some more 2x3s an a cross beam. I also added interior beams stretching the width of the run from the 7' side to the 6' side to use as support for the roof.

End of March

We installed the back cleaning doors before April. They stick pretty badly, but I don't consider it such a bad thing as it keeps them shut pretty tight. We tried sanding a decent amount which helped, but ultimately they still stuck - I guess that's what happens when there are no straight lines lol.

My man trying to help them fit a little better.

The doors installed. I tried attaching some handles I had laying around the garage. They were old plastic so split during attachment, but we used them for a few weeks just as a way of getting a good grip on the doors. They got replaced with nicer handles down the line.

Paneling!!

Here's more of my hodge-podge frankenstein paneling for the coop. I used everything from old shelf to baseboards - one woman's trash is another woman's chicken coop! All the lumber/wood for this entire project I found for free so I was determined to be thrifty and use what I had. As you can see, during the install things looked a little meh, but after a few coats of paint my pretty little bird house was coming together!

This is the side facing the run, where the chickens have their entry to the coop.

Another side of the coop. I tried scraping off that white paint but it was hanging on for dear life.

Here is the egg-door side after a coat of paint - all better!

For comparison, here is that side before it was painted!