11 Steps to Building a Chicken Coop -- in pictures

Step 1: grab a cute li'l helper and start on the porch.  Here's the frame & the floor.

 

Step 2: Select your location.  Pay special attention---it matters!

 

Step 3: Install your walls.  Don't rely on the measurements some guy on Ebay puts on the listing for the windows---wait until you get the actual windows before you build your frames.

Step 4: Add siding & rafters

Step 5: Take a break and wonder why you aren't building an art studio for all this effort.

Step 6: Paint, build exterior nestboxes and doors

Step 7: Enlist husband to shingle the roof. Do not attempt to tickle his leg while he's up on the ladder--he won't think it's funny.

still not funny...

Step 8: Add trim & shutters. Frankly, the chickens won't care but you'll get points from the neighbors

Step 9: Add hardware cloth, chicken door & ramp.  Watch the pitch on the ramp--you want the chooks to elegantly saunter out of their house not tumble together in a feathery pile.

Step 10: Paint rooster to watch over the hens.  Only 2-D rooster allowed (see step 8 about keeping neighbors happy)

Step 11: Install chickens and let the happiness begin!

 

We loosely used the "All in One" pattern in the book Building Chicken Coops for Dummies.