Watch the full : Check your local listings for air times beginning Feb. 18: \r<br>\r<br>Ask This Old House general contror Tom Silva creates a backyard chicken coop for a homeowner in Connecticut in “Build It.” (See below for steps.)\r<br>\r<br>Click here to SUBSCRIBE to the official This Old House YouTube channel: \r<br>\r<br>Steps for How to Build a Chicken Coop:\r<br>1. Stain the sheets of T1-11 and allow to dry.\r<br>2. Place two sheets of T1-11 on top of each other and ensure theyre even on all sides. Use a track saw to cut the roofline of the plywood at a 45-degree angle on both sheets at once. \r<br>3. Remove one sheet and then, using a jigsaw, cut a small square opening for the sliding coop door into a plywood sheet. For all the doors, the cutouts will later be reattached as the door.\r<br>4. On the next sheet, cut an opening for the small entrance door, using the jigsaw. \r<br>5. Cut a third sheet of T1-11 to form the side walls. On one of them, cut a large opening for the egg door, using a jigsaw. The other side wall will remain uncut. \r<br>6. Cut two of the 4x4 posts to the desired length, then match the angle of the roof using a miter saw for both steps. \r<br>7. Use a driver to drive in 1 5/8-inch ceramic screws to attach the posts to the plywood sheeting.\r<br>8. Use a piece of 2x4 at the bottom and the top of the coop to give it additional support. Attach these using ceramic screws, and fasten them using a driver. \r<br>9. Construct the opposite gable end, repeating the same steps.\r<br>10. Connect the two gable ends using 2x4s, and attach one of the side walls.\r<br>11. To form the rafters, screw in a 2x4 ridge beam and 2x4 purlins (parallel roof framing), using a driver and 3-inch ceramic screws. \r<br>12. Finish the framing by attaching additional 2x4s to the base of the front and back gable walls, using 3-inch ceramic screws. \r<br>13. Then, attach two more perpendicular 2x4 joists to form the floor support for the coop with 3-inch ceramic screws\r<br>14. To form the floor, use the ½-inch exterior plywood and cut out the corners to match the posts using a jigsaw. \r<br>15. Fasten the plywood floor by driving 1 5/8-inch screws into the floor joists. \r<br>16. Attach the cutout door pieces to the plywood exterior sheets of the structure using hardware of your choice. Do this by driving provided screws into the hardware. \r<br>17. Attach the chicken door by threading a rope through a pulley at the top of the door. Then attach the rope to an eyelet on the chicken door. The other end of the rope should be linked to a hook at the opposite end. A track for the door can be made using scrap wood.\r<br>18. Attach the final side wall using 1 5/8-inch ceramic screws.\r<br>19. Build a nesting box to your desired dimensions using plywood and 2x4s. \r<br>20. Cut cellular PVC trim boards to match the angles of the coop, using a miter saw. \r<br>21. Attach the PVC trim boards to the exterior of the coop using a hammer and stainless-steel trim nails. \r<br>22. Attach ½-inch plywood roof sheathing to the roof structure using a driver and 1 5/8-inch ceramic screws. \r<br>23. Lay down a layer of felt paper, and staple in place. \r<br>24. Using a hammer and roofing nails, attach the asphalt shingles with a 5-inch reveal to the roof sheathing. \r<br>25. Attach 4x4 posts of the coop to a beveled base using a driver and ceramic screws. \r<br>26. Attach the beveled base to a 2x12 square using a driver and ceramic screws to keep the coop from sinking into the ground. \r<br>27. Create a pen area using pressure-treated 2x4s to desired design. Connect the pen structure using driver and ceramic screws. Include an access door for cleaning the pen.\r<br>28. Cover the pen with chicken wire by hammering in construction staples. \r<br>29. Dig a trench in the outline of the pen at least 3 inches deep, and place the structure in the trench. This is meant to keep predators from crawling in underneath. \r<br>30. Attach the pen structure to the coop structure by driving in screws. \r<br>31. Place a piece of 2x12 from the coop door to the pen to serve as a ramp for the chickens.\r<br>\r<br>Follow This Old House and Ask This Old House: \r<br>Facebook: \r<br>Twitter: \r<br>\r<br>Pinterest: \r<br>G+: \r<br>Instagram: \r<br>Tumblr:
