How to build Chicken Coop Nest Boxes (from Recycled Material)

Downloadable building plans for this coop are now available! Get them here:
www.slowsteadi...
We've been waiting months for this! Our chickens are finally laying their beautiful assortment of rainbow eggs and we couldn't be happier. I've built some custom nest boxes for their chicken coop to make sure they are laying comfortably in a clean spot. As always the focus is on using 100% free recycled materials to create something as sustainable as it is functional and beautiful.
And then we finish with a delicious, local egg feast.
How do you like to eat your eggs? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Where I get my music: share.epidemic...
Gear I use and love
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Drone: amzn.to/3iOivtS

[@Slowsteading]

Building plans for this coop are now available! Download them here: www.slowsteading.com/original-chicken-coop

[@chandlerayers]

you’re vibes are always so good.. then i saw the beauty of a plant at 2:18 and immediately understood why. some great looking buds!

[@Slowsteading]

Hahaha thanks for noticing 😅

[@luanmeyer1007]

I like how chill he is 🔥

[@Slowsteading]

@@luanmeyer1007 ahh thanks so much! Hard to be stressed out here 🥰

[@jamiewix7040]

What a beautiful life. ♥

[@Slowsteading]

Haha thanks so much 🙏

[@entertainyaro-uq2on]

I like the marihuana plant at the background 😅

[@Slowsteading]

🤐🤐🤐

[@gnarlee4250]

This is a great design. I'll be using this video this weekend to duplicate what you built! I got chickens last May and I built a very small coop to get them through the winter. Their shelter is horrible and I've been looking for something to replace their current situation. This design checks all of the boxes. Big, convenient, sturdy, well thought out... My chickens will be living like queens next week! Thanks for the content!

[@Slowsteading]

Amazing, thanks so much for checking it out! So glad to hear you're liking the design! The design is simple enough that it shouldn't take too long to build either. Good luck, can't wait to see it!

[@tilberry19]

glad i watched and seen the golf ball. i had never knew about this trick! thanks for the solid videos!!

[@Slowsteading]

Haha yeah it's a simple little trick to help train the girls! Most farm stores sell plastic or stone eggs for this purpose, but an old golf ball is much more free 😅

[@zacharyneufeld3854]

I like that you try to reuse materials as much as possible 😉 Thanks for sharing 👍

[@Slowsteading]

For sure, I think it's important to re-use as much building material as possible to both reduce the cost but also reduce the burden on the environment required to produce new materials. It takes more time and effort to gather them and clean them up, but I think it's worth it 🙂

[@georgep9052]

Simplicity leads to a great life!

[@Slowsteading]

Cheers to that!

[@petebartlett2229]

Amazingly good project

[@Slowsteading]

Thanks so much for checking it out!

[@haydenhamilton3169]

I need neighbors like yours that leave out free lumber.

[@Slowsteading]

Haha for sure! It's amazing what people will throw away these days

[@uckfeouye8971]

Craigslist, offer up and Facebook Marketplace. I find a lot of free lumber. Mostly odds and ends but you can score sometimes.

[@bigdogdad4591]

Great series!

[@Slowsteading]

Thanks for checking it out, Big Dog Dad! Are you a chicken owner yourself?

[@bigdogdad4591]

@@Slowsteading We are getting ready to jump in to it. I've been researching the coop and run construction as well as feed mixtures.

[@Slowsteading]

@@bigdogdad4591 Super excited for you, chickens are so fun. What breeds are you leaning towards?

[@bigdogdad4591]

@@Slowsteading We haven't even discussed that yet. We'll have to look for cold weather birds. We're in Northern PA. Probably check and see what other people in the area have.

[@Slowsteading]

@@bigdogdad4591 Most birds are cold hardy to 15F or so, but it sounds like it might get colder than that in your area. There are a lot of cool coop heaters available now that should keep the chickens warm over the cold snaps as well. How cold are we talkin'?

[@shychi7772]

😊that food looked amazing. Loved not seeing any coated pots or pans.

[@Slowsteading]

The cast iron is my favorite, I just wish I had a bigger one for family sized dishes!

[@jdgibs3446]

I enjoy fresh eggs... fried, scrambled, boiled, poached and sometimes fed raw to the pigs.👍💪

[@Slowsteading]

Mmmm all good choices! You must have some lucky pigs!

[@ambassadorsoftheflameofmer5651]

Almost every egg box I have seen was external to the building which has some weather issues which need to be addressed. I love you internal design. Great design.

[@Slowsteading]

Thanks! I made that decision based off of aesthetics originally, I wasn't a fan of the appendage style boxes hanging off the outside. But it definitely has functional advantages as well.

[@kangdeveloper82]

nice chicken coop. I will be make it like yours

[@Slowsteading]

Thanks so much for checking it out, I appreciate it!

[@davidthompson9359]

Thank you for the time you put into building and making your video. What is the size of your chicken coop? I'm making one similar which will be 8'x8'.

[@Slowsteading]

Thanks for checking it out! The whole structure is 8'x16' and the enclosed coop section is 8'x6', which is plenty for a dozen birds. Good luck with your project!

[@MajikMedia]

HEY! You took my golf ball!!! Amazing video. Awesome boxes. Your hens are living a life of luxury bro! Great work.

[@Slowsteading]

Ha, plenty more where that came from I'm sure! Thanks for the love 🙏

[@happynowfarms]

Nice Coop! Have you added a latch to hold up the nesting box door yet while you collect eggs? It's a process of trial and error with the coops and worth every bit of the effort.

[@Slowsteading]

Thanks so much! And great suggestion. I have since added a hook-and-eye latch to hold the door up, but find I don't use it since I'm so used to just holding the door open! The kids do appreciate the door not closing on their little hands now though.

[@ahmettastekin3296]

Yumurtaları toplarken kapağı tutmanı gerektirmicek bişeyler yapabilirsin firikilerin harika 😊

[@Slowsteading]

Thanks for the suggestion! I have added a hook to hold the door open now, it makes gathering the eggs much easier 😁

[@jackiecorrea8754]

How do you keep them warm in the winter?

[@Slowsteading]

It doesn't really drop below freezing for extended periods of time here, so cold hasn't really been an issue. As long as they aren't getting wet and are sheltered from the wind, they can handle a little bit of cold weather ✌️

[@brianfl4155]

What about securing from animals digging under the outside walls ?

[@Slowsteading]

I buried 24" of hardware mesh outside the perimeter of the run, didn't have any issues with digging predators 👍

[@brianfl4155]

@@Slowsteading ahh that makes it more complete ....did this go in a video ?

[@brianfl4155]

@Slowsteading I have moved from the UK to Portugal and mongoose are an issue here along with the usual foxes stray dogs etc ...and the odd aerial threat from eagles ...but if you live in Paradise thems the breaks 😀

[@Slowsteading]

@@brianfl4155 No, I didn't get a chance to film that step unfortunately 😅

[@Slowsteading]

@@brianfl4155 Woah I've never encountered a mongoose! Is that like a weasel? We do have mink here, but for whatever reason they don't hang around my place (yet). Portugal is beautiful I've spent a fair bit of time there. Seems like an easy trade off to live there ☺

[@LoniAdams]

🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@MosaicHomestead]

My father never used a coop and never bought feed for the chickens, he would feed them coconut and other tropical fruits grown on property, he knew where the chickens hid their eggs 🥚, I saw a video where someone puts a privacy curtain so chickens won't lay somewhere else.

[@Slowsteading]

Privacy curtains, that's cute. Like mini portable nestboxes. The idea of a treasure hunt every morning sounds fun, but I could see how it could become tiring. I envy a place that can grow food year round, not to mention tropical fruit!

[@bryantgutierrez9191]

where are you located where you aren't so burden by ordinance on fowls and livestock? Urban life is such a hassle these days to have beautiful chickens in you're own backyard without some uptight neighbor not being capable of living a false premise we're in Texas not California!

[@Slowsteading]

I'm on a small rural island in the Pacific Northwest, so backyard poultry is pretty common around here thankfully! I have chosen not to keep roosters out of respect for my neighbors, though none have ever complained about it. It's amazing how far an open and honest conversation can go, with a sprinkling of free eggs once in a while to seal the deal.

[@bryantgutierrez9191]

@@Slowsteading Ahh, so that's why. Btw! I greatly enjoyed the 3 part series as I've been conducting my research to start to raise my own flock soon! I'am looking for spare wood where i can find it haha! I live in Dallas TX and unfortunately it's being heavily gentrified. I grew up with seeing hourse, cows, and chickens everywhere and now no where unless far out.

[@Slowsteading]

@@bryantgutierrez9191 Thanks for checking out the whole 3 part series, I hope it's been helpful! That's so smart to start gathering materials early, it definitely takes time but is so worth it in the savings alone. Gentrification is tough, something we're dealing with on this island as well. The upside is the abundance of quality usable material busy people are often getting rid of for free or close to it! How big of a flock are you thinking?

[@bryantgutierrez9191]

@@Slowsteading small flock of maybe 4-5. One thing for sure I’m making sure I comply with is any and all city ordinance regarding fowls. We are getting surrounded by out-of-states people over buying houses for practically 300-400% markup! One that has already called city on us multiple times, people that have lived here 30+ years haha! Of course city sided with us thankfully. I’m seeing discarded pallets that for sure I’m start collecting soon!

[@Slowsteading]

@@bryantgutierrez9191 Oh no, neighborhood drama is no bueno! That's a really sound approach, keep everything above board and hopefully everybody stays happy. 3-5 eggs would be plenty of eggs per day during laying season, and feed costs shouldn't be too high. Start that material hoard out strong!