How To Build a Farmhouse Chicken Coop: A two weekend, or less, project

Instructions

1. The first step of my DIY Farmhouse Chicken Coop project was to build the base. I made sure to assemble my coop base on a level surface. If you plan to modify your Morgan Creek Plans, like I did to have 10 laying boxes instead of 5, you will need to make your base 6' wide instead of 5' per the original plans.
2. Next I placed my assembled base in the location where I planned to permanently leave my coop. This is a sturdy, well built and oh so heavy finished product, so I didn't want to move it again once I started standing the walls. I then made my wall cuts per my Morgan Creek Plans and laid them on the coordinating sides of the coop. This helped me to make sure I was not missing any cuts.
3. I then assembled the front wall and nailed it to my coop base. When I built my front and rear walls, I made sure to include the duplicated nesting box framing on the right side of the coop. Also, if my newly nailed down front wall looks a little off plumb in this picture, it is. My front and back walls both looked like this until I installed my side walls and squared all the walls up well. As seen in this picture the front wall is framed up to accommodate the larger door for cleaning access to the coop.
4. The back wall, as seen in this picture, is framed up to accommodate the chicken's access to the coop. After nailing the front and back walls to the base of the coop, I honestly struggled to install the side walls by myself (My sweet husband was on call this day or he would have definitely helped out.) It's not impossible to pull off alone, because I did it, but I highly recommend 2 people for the side wall assembly and attachment.
5. Side walls installed, phew! All plumb and pretty! To achieve the extra five laying boxes, I duplicated the "Right Side Wall" from the Morgan Creek plans and omitted the "Left Side Wall".
6. Here is a view of the back wall with the additional laying boxes on the right side of this picture. You can also see the smaller chicken door framing to the left of center on the lower portion of the rear wall here. By this point I had installed the roosting bars that the original plans had called for. I waited until later to the install the extra roosting bar, once I could see where it would best lay out on the interior.
7. On to the roof structure! As seen in this picture here, I had framed up for the ridge of the roof. After the ridge was framed, I marked out the centers for the locations of the rafters as instructed by my Morgan Creek Plans. Check out the time lapse below or click here to watch me install the rafters!
8. Next came the siding! Cutting the templates for the siding was the step that required the most skill with the saw. I had the hubs to thank for most of the great cuts on this portion the my project! I, of course, learned from a few mistakes. So, thankfully, my missed measurements were not at a loss. Making sure to pay close attention to the reverse measurements that came along with duplicating the nesting box side was a challenge for me, but oh so worth it!!
9. As seen in this picture, with my sweet old pup, I used 3/4" treated plywood for the roof decking and the laying box lids. Even though I decided to go with a metal roof for my DIY Farmhouse Chicken Coop project, I wanted the extra insulation and sealing qualities that the decking offered. And boy am I glad I did! This hot Louisiana summer weather has surely been a good test!
10. All primed and ready for paint! You'll notice I had also installed the nesting box dividers by this point. I recommend using a full gallon of primer if you use the T1-11 siding that is recommended in the Morgan Creek Plans.
11. Here is a view of the rear of the coop. You can see the trim in this picture well. I used the same 3" wide trim for the fascia, around the windows, the edges of the coop, and around the doors. Prior to installing the trim, I made sure to install some hardware cloth over the screened portion of these cute little windows. This way it is safe to leave these precious little ventilation portals open, night and day, without fear of predators getting to my chickens.
12. This picture shows the large door, with the X design that I just LOVE, and the laying box lids installed. The Morgan Creek Plans note this X design as optional because it's purely decorative, which is true, but I highly recommend not skipping this important design feature if you fell in love with the look of this coop like I did. It will completely change the aesthetic if you leave it out. So take the extra few minutes to build this charming design for the large door, you won't regret it!
13. Metal roof installed, prior to ridge cap, and my furry supervisor is firmly settled in his self proclaimed spot. Clutch, my big ol' lab here, was quick to find the shade that the coop provided underneath. This has since proven to be a favorite, nice and cool, dust bathing place for my hens too!
14. Here is the rear view showing the sturdy ramp for the chickens to access their new coop. I used treated lumber for this ramp with hopes that it will last as long as the coop itself.
15. All done except for the front door latch! Isn't she a beaut!! Click here or watch the video below for a view of the inside! I still can't believe I was able to build this gorgeous Farmhouse Style Chicken Coop! Thank you Morgan Creek Plans for your chicken coop architecture expertise and a special thanks to the hubs for never getting tired of my endless projects!