more coops

Finally got a coop design i'm happy with. The base is 92.5" long, the cross members are 44.5". The goal is to have the base covered by a 4x8 sheet of welded wire, 1/2" by 1" holes. I use the small wire so that there's plenty of support for chicken feet.

Once the bases are assembled, you nail the legs on each corner. The front lengs are 76" pressure treated 2x6, the back legs are 66" long 2x4. I use pressure treated lumber for the legs because they're ground contact, and my ground is pretty darn wet. Plus I'll want these coops to last 5 or 10 years without maintenance. The front legs are 2x6 to allow mounting space for the doors. The 2x6 are nailed sticking halfway out.

Once the legs go on, you attach the side supports on each end -- a 4' piece of 2x4 with the end cut at a 15 degree angle, and three roof rafters, which happen to be 8' lengths of 2x4.

From here it's a matter of attaching plywood. That's the 3x8 plywood I listed in the parts list; I chose the 3/8" plywood mostly for cost. It's there for diagonal support and as a wind break, so it doesn't have to be very thick. The doors I make out of 1/2 plywood so that they're a little stiffer and will hold up better.