Chicken Coop Remodel

For the chickens we love, Sammy and Soma:

We were given our two chickens, the coop, and the run last fall. I am so grateful that our friends gave us these to get started.  There is nothing like just doing something to see if you can.  The financial investment can be very daunting.  My friends removed this problem and enabled me to see that I can add chicken keeping to my life.  We have been caring for these two girls for 5 months in a stationary pen, while letting them out to roam in the yard when we are out and about.  But roam, chickens do well.  Ours, love to venture over into our neighbor's bird feeding area.  My little herdsmen are very good at chasing them back home or just picking them up and carrying the chickens back where they belong, but it can not continue for good reasons. 1.The disease that could be passed from wild birds. 2. Good Neighborly conduct. 3. If they venture a little further in any direction there are many large dogs just steps behind an invisible fence.

I have been dreaming about this Coop remodel all Winter.

I love to see the beautiful coops in the Williams-Sonoma magazine. I wanted the tin roof from one and the beautiful green paint from another.

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/search/results.html?words=chicken%20coops

I am also an avid repurposer.  I believe that if you have something that works well, but doesn't look so good anymore, it is your responsibility to make it more beautiful and functional  So many things just get tossed after they no longer look new! (Hence, the chair in the yard, great frame but needs a new seat!)

Therefore, we took what we were so graciously given and improved upon it.

loving Sammy

Winter coop

 It was very difficult to give the chickens kitchen scraps and fresh water before.  I had to pull a piece of chicken wire back and then clip down and weight with glass.

Winter run

 We decided to paint one side before Grandma and Grandpa's arrival

 My father saved the wheels and axles from our childhood double stroller. We built a frame for them and placed them on the bottom.

Then I wanted to add more space for a taller roost and more chickens.
We cut three pieces of plywood for the roof expansion and added a window.  We then trimmed the edges of the roof frame to make it smaller and more lightweight.
A new door was cut in the center for the run door.  The old door will be for egg collection by my little helpers.  It is just there size.  Actually a little too perfect because they both crawled into the coop with the chickens when Sammy and Soma went inside to check it out!

 We then reinforced the run, added 2" x 4" welded wire to the bottom, and attached it to the house adding and old screen door as the roof of the run so that I can easily get inside.

 We still have more hardware (hinges and hooks) to add and a little more paint.

Cost:

Tin Roof: $25.00 (+ $14.00 for wire snips to cut roof in half on the floor of Lowes so that I could fit in car)

Green NO VOC paint: $30.00 (This will also be used to paint garden gate, trellis, and cold frame)

nylon rope: $1.00

Scrap Plywood from Dad: Free

4 wheels on axle with frame from Dad: Free

Coop base and run with chicken wire from friends: Free

hardware cloth for window and a piece on run: $12.00 (with a lot leftover for other purposes)

2" x 4" x 10' welded wire fencing: $6.00 (I took 10 ft off the roll before I put up my garden fence)

tie wraps, screws, electrical staples: free from my father's collection of hardware

Total Cost: $88.00

(Williams- Sonoma Coops $1500)