I cannot say how happy I am with my Chicksaw I built using the free plans Justin Rhodes created! I do have to agree with Justin's first post that this chicken coop design is a great way to practice the paddock shift system Paul Wheaton describes in his Chicken Article.
Attached is a picture of my Chicksaw. So the story behind it...
After buying all of the materials (well most of them) almost entirely from hardware/lumber stores the cost for me was close to $300. I did cut some corners and worked with materials I had on hand/available for me for free. However, I was pressed for time and was willing to pay the extra buck for convenience rather than going out of my way to find cheap materials. In my opinion, it is definitely possible to find cheap/free lumber, paneling and even hardware. Where the majority of the cost came from was the wheels (almost half the cost), then the lumber and hardware combined was the other half.
So after I had my materials laid out, it took me two full (8hr) days to build. I am not an expert carpenter, but with Justin's step by step instructions it was very easy!
Now for my Chicksaw specifically....
I have 16 chickens. My first concern was "is this coop big enough?" The answer is YES! when all of the chickens are in for the night they take up less than half of the space in the coop. Next I was concerned that three nest boxes weren't enough so I put four nest boxes in mine. Turns out my hens only use 2 or 3 of the boxes so again... I should have just trusted Justin haha.
Next, the reasoning why my roof is metal is I had metal sheeting on hand. The same reason why I used wooden boards to enclose the back half on the coop, because it was on hand. Now, I live in the 5b grow zone so I added removable panels for the sides and the front that I plan on taking off when the weather gets warmer but during the winter it is very helpful to get the chickens out of the wind (I also live in the corn desert of the Midwest so wind never stops... and no Paul Wheaton fans I cannot build a berm!!). I do have a heat lamp and water heater available for the chickens... do they NEED the heaters, probably not, but I sleep easier knowing they are warm.
As for the weight of the Chicksaw, it is surprisingly easy to move around! Even with my bulky wood board paneling! It is a blessing and a curse but I live on very flat land so there is no where that me and my Chicksaw cant go. I can't imagine how light the whole coop would be if I followed Justin's plans and used the suggested paneling, just pure Genius!
For the questions from other readers on Justin's post:
Predation Problems- I have not had any yet (knock on wood). I followed Justin's suggestion on getting portable electric fence which does a great job at teaching my dog to stay away from the chickens haha. As for the coop itself, if your chickens are closed up for the night I can't imagine anything (foxes, raccoons, coyotes, etc.) being able to harm them. What I am worried about are hawks. I would like to think that the chickens could find refuge underneath the coop or in the coop but all I can do is hope that I am right.
5b zone- I went ahead and placed removable panels for the winter months to hold in the heat and I am fairly confident that it was sufficient. Also I put straw bales around the bottom also hoping to block the wind from entering the coop.
Donkey- Justin's coop is so light he really means it when he says it is easy for one person to move around... I don't live in the mountains but I still think it could work:)
Balance- It is designed to be front heavy so that when it is resting it stays resting! I could imagine it getting tipped over by wind or if hens are laying eggs that just their weight could tip it. So again, trust Justin, he knows what he is talking about.
Nesting boxes- I personally decided to add a hatch door that can be latched shut and it works great for me! I would have to agree with Bill Erickson, if there was anything I would change about Justin's plans it would be to add a door to access the milk crates.
I would like to conclude that when I have any questions on chickens I go straight to Justin's articles and videos. I think they are great and would encourage him to keep pumping more material out!! Thanks Permies!!
