Our first coop: the biggest mistake

Nobody sets out to build a chicken coop and says "I can't wait to screw this up" but yet, it happens. You read building instructions, you make plans and you do your research fully intending to not make the same coop building mistakes as everyone else. You are sure that this coop is going to be absolutely perfect. Well, at least we were! 

Even the best laid plans go awry and even though the chicken coop looks great when it's done, the day comes when you look at it and say I really didn't think this through did I? 

Whether the doors are too small, the roof is too low, you can't fit enough chickens, there's not enough light or there's too much ventilation (especially in a predators can get in sort of way) something went wrong. *sigh* I'm pretty sure we've all been there.

Coop building mistakes

The first coop we built was strategically set at the bottom of the yard. This was actually pretty well thought out believe it or not. It's a Wild West Saloon style coop my husband designed. It's right at the edge of the clearing and the chickens would be close to the house for carrying down feed and water but far enough away that hopefully they'd stay down in that direction and off the back porch. 

We figured the trees would give some shade in the summer and a place for the chickens to play and dig to their heart's content. They also provide hiding spaces from predators that hunt from above, like hawks and eagles. 

The water runoff from hard rain's tends to go smack dab through the middle of the yard which is a good 20 feet away from the coop so that wouldn't be a problem. Treated wood was bought for the platform base, and the guys went on and on about how it costs more but it'll last longer. 

Amish hemlock was used for the rest of the chicken coop and I drove to the next county to pick up the special tin roofing. 

The coop went up flawlessly and it was beautiful. The chickens moved in and everyone was happy. Everything appeared absolutely perfect. Then the rains came.