# Lil' Red Coop (pics & plans)



## Wags (Jun 2, 2002)

I only had a picture to work with when I started- so I built it as I went along. But I did take a few measurements and tried to draw up something that someone else could follow if they wanted to give it a go.



_(click on the above thumbnails to see larger, and in the case of the plans - clearer images)_


I still need to attach the handles, but haven't really needed them because I have been using a hand truck slipped under the front end to turn it into a four-wheeled tractor.  Moves very smoothly that way. 

I'd be happy to answer any questions - although I am definately not a carpenter, and this was my first construction project.


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## Wags (Jun 2, 2002)

I've tried but I can't get the plans thumbnail to show up any clearer then it is. But it looks fine when you click on the link. If you want to save those plans/pcitures - click on the link then right click on the picture and select the "save as" option.

If I were to make them all the time I might make the dimensions slightly smaller so that one 8 ft piece of roof ridge could be used for two coops. Construction was mostly out of 2x2's with pressure treated 2x4's for the base. 

Becuase the roof is corrugated - I put hardware cloth over the entire roof, and then put on the roof panels so the coop is about as critter proof as I can get it.


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

It is very nice, you did an excellent job of it!


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## Wags (Jun 2, 2002)

Thanks! I was starting to think no one had noticed my post.


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## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

Wags said:


> Thanks! I was starting to think no one had noticed my post.


Maybe the trouble is that it is way up top as a sticky...I never look at those!


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## Wags (Jun 2, 2002)

I couldn't find it for the longest time after it was stickied - thought it had been deleted....

I just noticed on the view counter that it has been viewed over 200 times so apparently people are looking, just not commenting. 

Constructive critism is welcome, so if anyone have suggestions on how to improve on it I would love to hear them!


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## A'sta at Hofstead (Sep 20, 2006)

How cool! Thanks for sharing, I may do this for an additional coop!

I just showed my ddh (dear darling) and he is going to build this for me!!!!!!

Thanks!


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## offGridNorthern (Jan 1, 2006)

Hill Crest Farm said:


> I may do this for an additional coop!


I was thinking the same thing... as an additional coop that I could move around the property this would work well.


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## Wags (Jun 2, 2002)

I suppose I should have called it a chicken tractor/ark, since it is designed to be moved around. I refill feeders/waterers and move mine every evening after they go to roost. That way when I'm rushing around in the morning all I have to do is raise the door to the coop and they are set for the day.


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## harrisjnet (Jul 13, 2006)

Do you move the pen and the coop together, or do they seperate? How many standard sized chickens would this hold? I think you did a great job on it. I am planning on building several tractors so my tool shed can be a tool shed again.


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## Wags (Jun 2, 2002)

It is designed to move as a single unit. Theoretically there is enough space for 10-12, but I'm going to guess 6-8 layers would probably be better. Which means I'm going to have to either build another one or get rid of a few pullets. :/

If you are planning on making multiple tractors try making the demensions slightly smaller. Say 43 x 47. That one you can buy one 8 ft roof ridge and use it for two houses and have a couple of inches of overhang on the gable ends too.

Oh and when measuring make sure to account for the siding you plan to use. I forgot to do that on one side so it is a bit off.


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## crafty2002 (Aug 23, 2006)

That looks like a very nice job Wags. I like the colors also. Can I steal them for mine, lol. I was going to paint mine all white to reflect the heat from the sun but yours look neat in those colors. I like the way it is built also. I was just going to build mine retangular with a shed roof but yours looks like a miniture barn. Good job there. 
Dennis


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## Wags (Jun 2, 2002)

Thanks! It was painted that color becuase it was a cheap all in one paint.  Then I had to find a roof color that at least didn't clash.


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## retiredbop (Mar 9, 2007)

OK, first, get rid of my DD and WSIL. :flame: 

Second, fill in the in-ground swimming pool to reclaim a LOT of backyard. :happy: 

Third, build this nifty looking tractor. :goodjob: 

Fourth, buy about 6-12 pullets next spring to drive bossy neighbors crazy!! :duel: 

Sounds like a plan to me! :angel:


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## ArmyDoc (May 13, 2007)

Looks neat. Could you put a nest box on each side? Or would that make it too small of an out side enclosure for the number of birds inside?


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## Wags (Jun 2, 2002)

I would say this chicken tractor will comfortable hold no more than 9 hens. So three boxes is plenty. But I don't see why it couldn't be built bigger and put nest boxes on both sides. Of course the drawback would be that bigger would be a lot harder to move!


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## dap (Oct 19, 2006)

That is a beautiful hen house!!! I emailed it to my hubby hoping he'll catch my hint....  we'll see! Thank you for posting it!!


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## Wags (Jun 2, 2002)

Hope the email works and you get a better looking one then mine out of it!


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## crafty2002 (Aug 23, 2006)

Wags, I just wanted to tell you your chicken coop inspired me on mine. I worked until after 2 am this morning on mine. I made mine 2 stories and it looks like the old timey hay barns that has the roof on two different plains, with a hay loft upstairs. 
I am going to paint it red and green like yours. 
I lucked up on mine. I found on old chest of drawers I took parcally apart apart and used the bottom section for the first floor which will have two boxes and then built ( am still building) the roof as I said that will also have two boxes. It will be on the outside back of a 10' x 10' tractor I built. 
I showed your pictures to my wife and she loved them too. Thanks for shareing them with us. 
Dennis


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## Wags (Jun 2, 2002)

Hope you post lots of pics when you are done Dennis! 

Am I correct in assuming this is not a portable model?


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## myheaven (Apr 14, 2006)

Guess what Im getting for my birthday. This yes this beautiful house. Thank you wags. Now I need to pass this along to all my chicken buddies.


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## dare2b (Sep 28, 2004)

Did you design and build this coop all by yourself? I think I might need a kit or something....


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## Wags (Jun 2, 2002)

Yes I designed and built this myself from looking at a picture of one. I built it mostly using hand tools. It really isn't all that hard to do.


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## JulieLou42 (Mar 28, 2005)

Great plan!!! I spent two days combing the Internet for plans and have pix of dozens of them...then another two days choosing which one of those would work for us and be easiest to put together for us NON-carpenters...it looks very much like yours...and I've not raised chickens in more than 35 years. When I saw where the price of eggs has gone the past few weeks, and knowing how different market eggs are from homegrown...about like the difference in raw milk and market milk. Gotta have chickens NOW!

Thanks so much for posting yours, with the plans and pix to boot!

Julie


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

bump


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## OurLilHomestead (Jan 19, 2008)

I Just joined here and this is exactly what I need to see. Thanks for sharing this! We'll probably be building a few of these.


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## Tam319 (Jan 6, 2007)

I am in love with this adorable luxury chicken accomodation! I am going to work on the fluttering-doe-eyed look to see if I can get my DH to construct one for me. I didn't see the info for measurements or plans. Am I missing them somewhere? EDIT: LMAO Sorry!! I read the first post and found the plans just fine. (Brain fart I guess!)

Thanks for sharing! Inspirational!


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## THETOOLMAN (Feb 15, 2008)

I am buildin a coop SOON. I wonder if I could make it larger & pull it around with my 4 wheeler?


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## BarbaraM (Feb 3, 2008)

Loved these plans and will start on the first one next week. 
Thanks so much for posting them.
Think that my hens will love the new digs.
Barbara M.


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## rodeostarmom (May 5, 2008)

Very nice!!!!!!!!! Can you come build mine? LOL


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## naturewoman (Nov 12, 2002)

You said you wanted constructive criticism? 

Do you have vents for heat on a hot day in the coop? I don't see any. You could do a small triangular screened window, above the door, just under the roof overhang (with a door to close in winter time). The hot air rising out the top vent will suck in cooler air from the chicken door at the floor level. I realize with your roof it won't absorb as much heat, but the darker red of the building will pick up some. My coop is vented on both sides under the eaves...permanently...covered by hardware cloth, only an inch and a half high all along the eaves.


My egg boxes are outside my coop too, with a slanted top, and they are built under a long overhang to protect them from rain. But rain still gets down in the crack where the hinged top attaches to the coop, and especially in a heavy snow, when snow sits on that top, if there isn't enough slope, the snow melt can back up under the flap. So, the hay in the boxes does get wet in rainy season. I probably would have put a little more slant on that egg box roof. I also put a hook on the wall above it to hold it open when collecting eggs and especially for cleaning the nest boxes.

Did you put anything across the front of the nest boxes to hold bedding and eggs in? It looks like you only have a flat 2x4 there. It looks like the bedding and eggs could fall out into the coop. Especially if multiple birds are laying in the same box. Mine have a wall about 4" tall, and I think the girls feel more isolated that way too.

I don't know if you did, but if you glued the joints of the pen as well as using mechanical fasteners, they will hold up longer to being used to lift and move the whole thing. I would have used gorilla glue.

It's really a nice design overall...you did a great job for your first chicken house/tractor! :goodjob:


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## Up North (Nov 29, 2005)

Wags- What material/product is the corrugated roofing?
Any concerns for animal health when using the PT lumber for the base?

Thanks for making the effort to share your project.


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## HomesteadBaker (Feb 8, 2006)

Wow.... this is great! It will fit nicely in my backyard.... and meets the city's "hoop jumping" regulations!


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## Curtis B (Aug 15, 2008)

I have noticed lots of coops like yours online and had allways wondered why you would elevate it rather than on the ground. I am fixen to build one and was just curious of the benifits. Also wouldn't the plywood floor rot after a while?


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## Cindy in PA (May 13, 2002)

This is just what I want to build for a couple of bantams, but my coop will be 4 by 6 with a two foot run in front. The total under area would be 4 by 8 (could go 10 feet with a 2 by 10) for grazing. This is s really nice design. I want my nest boxes outside also, but am not sure about my skills. Now if I can just get DH to fetch the materials for me! I thought about putting 4 wheels on also. I figure I will have to only move it the length of the entire structure, once per day.


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## crisco41 (Dec 18, 2008)

hi. Thanks for posting this house. I am just starting off and love this lil coop. I want moveable, small scale, and its so darn cute!
I think you need to make pre fab for us women that have husbands we can't get off the couch.I know I'd be willing to pay for an ez put together. anyhow thanks


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## charliesbugs (Feb 25, 2007)

Wags, what do estimate the cost to be to build your coop? How long did it take you-just an estmate of hours? I'm going to send your patterns and pics to my dd,too. They want to get afew chickens and this would be a great coop for son-in-law to build. thanks for posting it!


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## MissKitty (Mar 16, 2005)

OG has built a "cute", very functional chicken tractor...and has a few left to finished...he has been doing a million of other projects...
The "chicken tractors" are a great idea, and I really like the notion of them...but I want a stationary coop too....We are looking to build another pen farther from the barn and OGs workshop....
You "house" is pretty...I love the color also-MissKItty


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## used2bcool13 (Sep 24, 2007)

What a beauty, is it very heavy? I really want one... Thanks for sharing your pictures.


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## OurLilHomestead (Jan 19, 2008)

I really appreciate all those links!!! My husband & I will be building something for chickens soon & now we at least have an idea of what sizes we'll need for the amount of chickens we plan on raising.


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## Wags (Jun 2, 2002)

Venting - the interior roof is covered in hardware cloth - with nothing on top of that but the corrugated roof. So there is some venting, but adding vents might be necesssary if it was located in full sun.

Mine is usually in the shade of large trees for all of the afternoon/evening, so over heating has not been a problem at all.

I'm going to be getting more chickens and will be building a slightly different one for my older now free range chickens to move into and save the tractor for the youngsters.

I'll post those plans once I figure them out and get it built.


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## ceresone (Oct 7, 2005)

i cant get anything to open, days link wont work


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## aart (Oct 20, 2012)

ceresone said:


> i cant get anything to open, days link wont work


Very old post...data has probably has been removed from the net.


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