When Lucy’s 7 babies arrived in Early April, we knew we knew the little Eglu Go Coop we had would only be big enough to hold the chicks for about 12 weeks or so. The Eglu is designed for 4 full grown chickens and so with the chickens getting bigger each day, we decided early it was time to build the ladies a full sized chicken coop.
The coop took about a week and a half {of working a few hours a day} to build. Ideally, I think you’d be able to build the coop in one weekend, but with temps between 85-90 degrees and 95% humidity, our enthusiasm for building the coop kinda got zapped after about an hour or two working outside. 😉
The chickens though, they didn’t seem to mind. We’d let them out of the Eglu at 5 am each morning and they’d run off into the wooded area along the property line and hangout there foraging and building dust baths until it was time to “come home” at around 8 pm each night.
The plans called for 3 roosting bars, but for now, we have just 2 installed for our 7 hens. If needed, we can always add the third bar. We also still need to add the hardware cloth around the windows, and the vents but you know what? I think the coop turned out just as I imagined it would. 🙂
In the end, although I would have loved to have had a white chicken coop, I decided to paint the coop the same color as our house. It was only when I grabbed the half empty can of house paint the previous owners left behind that I noticed the name of the paint… New Pilgrim Red. Can you believe that?
Clearly….. it was meant to be. 😉
Today is a new day, and you can bet your last dollar I’ve already got the next honey-do project lined up: A vegetable stand for the end of our driveway. And I couldn’t be more excited.
Have a wonderful Tuesday everyone, keep dreaming those dreams and working towards those goals because anything is possible!
~Mavis
Where to Find the Stuff we used to build this coop:
- Chicken Coop Plans
- Windows
- Hardware Cloth {to be installed inside the coop windows}
- Vents {to be installed away from roosting bars}
- Wood and cedar shakes: The Home Depot. We used 4 bundles of the lowest grade cedar shakes.
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Alison says
I love it! My coop is almost the same color – the lady at the paint store helped me – I almost picked a “red” that would have looked pink.
Lissa says
Coop is wonderful. You guys did a terrific job. Loved the pictures of Lucy hanging out with the coop.
Were you surprised by how hot the summers are? I don’t think I knew how Mid-western-ish your temps are.
Lisa L says
You crack me up Mavis! Scrolling through the pictures then I get to the one of you in your pilgrim outfit and I started laughing! Perfect!
Love the coop! it’s so pretty! Great job!
Thanks for sharing!
PSU06VAL says
Loved the pic too!
Mrs. C. says
Wonderful! Also, you are hilarious and I love that little dog!
Kristina says
That is a very pretty chicken house. I’m sure those gals will feel right at home there.
Mary says
Hey, how’s Mrs. HB getting on? Have you talked to her lately?
Mavis Butterfield says
Yes! She is coming to visit me in late August. 🙂
Em says
It looks fantastic! Well done! Thanks for sharing the pics!!
Ellie K. says
Why on earth would you want white??? How PERFECT is that color? WooHoo!! Living your dreams, girl! Your flock is just gorgeous, Lucy is so freaking adorbs and you totally crack me up!
Teri says
Love it and I think the color is just perfect.
LaToya says
Oh, Miss Mavis … you’re so fun. And I’ve learned so much from you over the years.
I think we’re about the same age, though had my babies later in life so we can’t retire and leave just yet. But with your move across the country, at least the HH and I have started having conversations of what our next chapter is going to be. I WANT CHICKENS, I know that much. These blasted HOA rules are for the birds. (Or not – heh.)
Stay cool, chick.
Lori says
Wow, Mighty fine – Talented HH – Hmm Pilgrim Red – a God wink!!
Em says
The coop makes one not want to fly the coop. Beautiful job both of you~
Nancy D says
Ah yes… Morning yogurt with Mavis and her daily dose of encouragement and smiles….my day can now begin! Thank you Mavis! You are AMAZING!!!
Christa H. says
Looks fabulous! Love the look of that plan! The paint color is perfect.
We need to build our first coop in late winter once we move.
Do you know many chickens you can have in this size? I don’t see it listed on the etsy site.
Are there any modifications you wish you did?
Can windows be put on both sides instead of vents on the one side for air flow? I’m in Raleigh area of NC and I heard we have to have good air flow for the heat/humidity so they don’t overheat even at night during our summer.
I’m new to all of this and trying to learn all I can before we move. 🙂
Mavis Butterfield says
Yes, you could have windows on both sides if you wanted.
Christa H. says
Thanks
Carrie says
Hi Christa! I’m from Greensboro and yes its true you have to worry more about the heat than the cold in NC. I have vents along the top of my coop for a cross wind and when the temperatures drop to freezing I staple plastic up. Some folks make it fancy and will build “shutters” for the vents. You need to keep some airflow though so the ammonia won’t build up. I clean the coop once a week in the winter and every 2-3 weeks during the other seasons. They are in there much longer and it gets nasty!
Christa H. says
Thank you! I think we are going to buy the plans for the same coop as Mavis. Thinking of doing a long covered run attached to it.
Donna says
Once your girls start laying, you’re going to have to beat the (tick filled) bushes looking for eggs. You may want to wait until mid morning to let them out.
Mavis Butterfield says
We are hoping to have the run built by then. Fingers crossed.
Bruce Watson says
Great looking coop! HH did a fantastic job – with help from you and the dog, of course! I see a bunch of eggs in your future. . .
Rhonda says
Just a word of caution. Chickens need lots of air to stay healthy. They would rather roost on a tree limb or a fence than be “cooped” up with no air ventilation. Just an FYI. Beautiful coop!
Cass says
WONDERFUL COOP. (too small, but wonderful none the less) I can tell you from neighbor’s experience that you can have 12 – 15 full grown chickens in that size with no problems if you let them out daily. Which means shoveling them a place to walk around on in the winter. I hope you have a snow blower. Ray blows a path around my coop every storm so mine can get out daily. Nothing for them to eat, but they are not stuck in the coop eatting each other eggs and plucking each other’s feathers out.
CT Bargain Mom says
Coope is lovely! Can I make a suggestion – having grown up with 25-30 hens at a time as a child and I help care for MILs hens now….leave the coop with 2 roosts. They’ll huddle in the nest boxes in the winter if they need to and you’ll want to put a heated water container in there this winter….placed on some bricks to keep them from kicking shavings into the tray…also you’ll want to have hubby install some sturdy hooks in the big beam of the ceiling (to hang winter feeder bricks from). It provides entertainment and nourishment.
Most importantly double locking define on the door and the nest boxes. Raccoons can figure out a standard hasp (hook and eye) and since they have razor sharp claws they are affectionately referred to as marauding bastards with stripes by many a chicken farmer
Love the color!!! You could build little window boxes and plant with herbs for them to snack on too
Donna says
I’ve lost a flock to one of your “marauding bastards with stripes”. Just tore them apart without eating any.
Arbie Goodfellow says
Love the new “Girls Club House”
Just a thought… would your girls like a thick tree branch to grip to roost?
I know my finches loved having real tree branches and having different thicknesses to grasp… like in the wild.
Think of carpel tunnel for chickens lol!
Mavis Butterfield says
Yes! We are planning on taking out the roosting bars and adding in tree limbs.
Carrie says
Love the coop! You need to introduce all the chickens and tell their breeds. They are so pretty!
Amy says
Hello Mavis, I love it when you dress up in your pilgrim outfit, it really cracks me up!
The coop looks fantastic. We’re moving next week and I’ve been telling my husband about your coop so he can build me one like it. We’ve had a couple of coops so far and it’s high time for a cute and “pinteresting” one.
Thank you for sharing!
Tracy says
The coop is very pretty. I do worry about the lack of direct ventilation (not an open window), not much natural daylight, and no insulation! Your Birds will be in that coop for days on end during some periods of winter. They won’t go outside in temps below zero willingly, and if you force it you’ll have a lot of comb frostbite and feet frostbite. Not charming to treat. I’m not a fan of heating coops, but ones that have very high ventilation (“high” meaning far up in the rafters, not drafty right near the birds), much natural daylight and tons of insulation, especially in the floor, will do for a healthy chicken population. I just think you might be underestimating your winters a bit?
Peggy says
Wow, the coop looks amazing and Lucy is the great helper, or supervisor! 🙂 It’s great to have a handy hubby too! I love the color, I’m painting a few things around our place about the same color, ours is Colonial Red. Anyway, it looks wonderful! Can you give me some advice on free ranging? I’m a first time chicken keeper and am not at all confident on my abilities not to lose my chickens free ranging. Literally. It may sound stupid, but how do you keep them from going all over the place, and how do they know to come back to the coop/run? Mine are a few weeks older than yours I think, they have a great run and I give them greens every day (their fav’s from around the yard), I would love to free range, but I’m afraid they will simply wander away. Thanks, I appreciate any advice. 🙂
Marybeth says
Wow. You and HH did a great job.
Gee says
Delightful coop, Mavis … and, of course, I’m falling over looking at you posing you in your favorite outfit!!
A question: Do the shingles need to be varnished or treated some way? I’d think the weather up here would destroy them pretty quick.
Mavis Butterfield says
Nope…. We don’t plan to treat the cedar shakes, I’m looking forward to a nice weathered grey roof, just like the house. 🙂
Mona says
Hi Mavis. That coop looks great. Awesome job. Would you mind giving an approximate cost to build? I was wondering if it is worth the cost to build and customize or if a ready made coop would be more cost effective. Thanks so much.
Mavis Butterfield says
About $650 and that includes hardware and the cedar shake.
Carrie says
Nice! Coops that look just like that sell for $1000 around here.
Mona says
Thanks Mavis. That is worth it to customize it like you want it. Looks great!
Teri says
But so much better quality than anything you could buy!
Judy says
Love the coop and your antics. The color is perfect and I think the ladies will be in love with it too. You and hubby did a wonderful job building it. He sure is handy to have around, I bet. Will be interesting to see what kind of veggie stand he will build. It will be great. Thanks for your blog and all the great info on it.
Mama Cook says
Beautiful!!!! I love the color as well! I’m not sure if the piece of 2×4 that is holding up the nesting box lid is going to be part of the coop permanently, but I suggest you find a way to keep the lid propped when your collecting eggs. We have had the lid come down on our heads enough times that my hubby ended up putting a hinged prop piece on. Your coop looks lower, but it could save some smashed fingers. 🙂
Mavis Butterfield says
He bought a hinge, but still needs to install it. 🙂 Smashed fingers are not an option…. Need those for hooking!
Debbie - MountainMama says
I love it!!!!! Back when I had chickens I painted my coop the same color as my house also…and had a hanging basket of flowers on one side and a metal sign that said ‘fresh eggs 50 cents’ on the other! I loved my chickens and my coop and I’m always tempted to start again at this house…but we have too much wildlife around here, and I don’ t need to be giving the bears, coyotes, wolves, fishers, or bobcats any more reason to come near my house around my three small dogs. So I shall resign to buy my eggs from the farm down the road!