We will be getting about a dozen baby chicks in May, to expand our chicken flock (which started at ten a couple of years ago, but is now down to seven). So we wanted a second chicken coop, so we can keep the new chicks separate from the old chickens until they’re old enough to be together.

Over the past couple of months I have been designing a new chicken coop. The design started off fairly small, but after ordering the chicks I realized I needed a bigger coop (chicken math is a science). Over time the design has been refined, and yes made a bit more complex, but I’ve tried to keep it fairly simple, so it’s within my basic construction skills. I’ve also been reading a lot, and watching videos, about standard construction techniques.

The current plan is that the new coop will eventually become the main one, since it will be a bit bigger and will have nicer features, and the old coop will be used (maybe next year) for bantams.

Anyway, I’m sure I’ll continue to tweak my design, but I’ve pretty much finalized it now. Here is what I’ve come up with.