Check my plan for inside the coop.....

TerryH said:

I read lots of threads on the debate of covering or not covering the interior walls. I see benefits and drawbacks with both and I've debated this subject from the start. I'm obviously leaning towards covering them. It seems like it would be much simpler to clean if the walls are covered. I plan to caulk every joint and gap before priming and painting. I have a little more wiring to rough in and then it's decision time because covering or not covering the walls will be the next step once I work out the nighttime light issue.

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There are NO drawbacks to leaving the interior walls uncovered, none. They are just as easily cleaned. I just use a broom to knock down the dust, during my twice a year clean out. It's not like you have to go in there with a pressure hose to clean the coop out. It's just dusty, the chickens don't spray the walls with manure

aart said:

Gonna break/fold over the edges of the aluminum?
..and attach that edge all the way along, I just tacked it about every foot or so and had to go back and add more fasteners.

When mine roost on the edge of the board, they are usually facing outward so poops land on board....
......and amazingly, tho they are often somewhat under the birds up on the roost, don't seem to get pooped on.
Have a few that like roost right on the board, back against the wall.

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Yes. I will brake the edges to form a couple of removable pans that will fit inside the poop tray itself.

Crazy chickens. Who knows what the heck they are going to like or not like? I do know that I need to get on with it. I had so hoped to have chickens by Cheryl's birthday but we're not going to make it. April 12 is upon me.

TerryH said:

Still debating on the roof coating vs vinyl deal. I see advantages and disadvantages to both. Leaning towards the vinyl though.


Terry

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If there is a disadvantage to the roofcoat, I'd like to know what it is. The only good thing about vinyl, is that it looks prettier on the floor. It may last a bit longer than linoleum. But it doesn't really compare to the roofcoat.

JackE said:

If there is a disadvantage to the roofcoat, I'd like to know what it is. The only good thing about vinyl, is that it looks prettier on the floor. It may last a bit longer than linoleum. But it doesn't really compare to the roofcoat.

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Thanks for your reply's, Jack. I appreciate your passion on these subjects.

I know this will likely sound crazy to you but the ascetics of the coop are important to me. If I'm building a car, a dragster, a piece of furniture, a fence, a garden bed, a chicken coop or a whatever I want the end product to be not only useful and practical but also pleasing to my eye. I realize that is probably irrational to you and perhaps irrational to most but it is important to me. I also realize that the chickens don't care.

Whatever means of moisture proofing will need to extend up the walls. We are doing deep bedding. To me it seems that the sheeted walls would be more conducive to the moisture proofing and easier to maintain with interior sheeting vs the open studs. I see benefit to the roof coating's ability to seal every crack and crevice so I might actually do both the roof coating and the vinyl on the floor and then extend the vinyl up the walls. I can't imagine that I'd leave the stud bays open one way or the other.

TerryH said:

I am planning on lining the poop tray with some left over .040 aluminum sheet that I have on hand. Basically a tray within the tray.

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That will be nice. If you can somehow have handles on the aluminum tray it will make getting rid of the old easier if you can lift it out.

TerryH said:

Thanks for your reply's, Jack. I appreciate your passion on these subjects.

I know this will likely sound crazy to you but the ascetics of the coop are important to me. If I'm building a car, a dragster, a piece of furniture, a fence, a garden bed, a chicken coop or a whatever I want the end product to be not only useful and practical but also pleasing to my eye. I realize that is probably irrational to you and perhaps irrational to most but it is important to me. I also realize that the chickens don't care.

Whatever means of moisture proofing will need to extend up the walls. We are doing deep bedding. To me it seems that the sheeted walls would be more conducive to the moisture proofing and easier to maintain with interior sheeting vs the open studs. I see benefit to the roof coating's ability to seal every crack and crevice so I might actually do both the roof coating and the vinyl on the floor and then extend the vinyl up the walls. I can't imagine that I'd leave the stud bays open one way or the other.

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Well, I don't like to do things halfa$$ed, either. I'm kinda particular about the things I build, or work on. I don't just throw things together, and hope for the best. Like the coop I built. There was a lot of reading, researching, looking at what works, and what doesn't. Because there is most definitely a wrong way to build a coop. Some things you may get away with. Other things, done the wrong way, and you will end up with sick, and quite possibly a bunch of dead chickens.

I have deep bedding in my coop. Between cleanouts, the bedding may get to be over a foot or so deep in some spots of the coop. And, between cleanouts, you won't even see the floor. So who cares what the pattern of the vinyl looks like? Moisture proofing, does not, have to extend up the walls, DOES not. The roofcoat in my coop, covers the floor, and the edges of the 2X4" wall framing where the walls meets the floor. Heck, the whole front wall of my coop is open, year round, covered only with hardware cloth. Rain can blow in there sometimes. But, it is not big deal, because my floor is protected by a coat of rubber. You do not have to run waterproofing up the walls. Just painting the walls is more than good enough. We are talking chickens here, not hogs.

When I built my coop, I wanted it to look good, but be very practical in the way it works. Every aspect of my coop, has a reason for it being that way. Interior walls, in a chicken coop, is a bad idea. It may look prettier, with some smooth finished walls, like those in your house. But it is not a good idea, for the reasons I posted earlier. It's just a fact, that barnyard fowl will draw some undesired pests. Why give them their own private apartment in your coop? My coop does not have interior walls for THAT particular reason. Not because I was too lazy to install them, and said 'GoodEnoughForMe'. That is also the reason my coop is raised. So I can easily see under it, and make sure nothing is going on under there, that I don't want. Bottom line is, I'm trying to help you out, that's all. I'm not going to throw a bunch of stuff at you, without explaining why. Goodluck to you, with your birds.

JackE said:

Well, I don't like to do things halfa$$ed, either. I'm kinda particular about the things I build, or work on. I don't just throw things together, and hope for the best. Like the coop I built. There was a lot of reading, researching, looking at what works, and what doesn't. Because there is most definitely a wrong way to build a coop. Some things you may get away with. Other things, done the wrong way, and you will end up with sick, and quite possibly a bunch of dead chickens.

I have deep bedding in my coop. Between cleanouts, the bedding may get to be over a foot or so deep in some spots of the coop. And, between cleanouts, you won't even see the floor. So who cares what the pattern of the vinyl looks like? Moisture proofing, does not, have to extend up the walls, DOES not. The roofcoat in my coop, covers the floor, and the edges of the 2X4" wall framing where the walls meets the floor. Heck, the whole front wall of my coop is open, year round, covered only with hardware cloth. Rain can blow in there sometimes. But, it is not big deal, because my floor is protected by a coat of rubber. You do not have to run waterproofing up the walls. Just painting the walls is more than good enough. We are talking chickens here, not hogs.

When I built my coop, I wanted it to look good, but be very practical in the way it works. Every aspect of my coop, has a reason for it being that way. Interior walls, in a chicken coop, is a bad idea. It may look prettier, with some smooth finished walls, like those in your house. But it is not a good idea, for the reasons I posted earlier. It's just a fact, that barnyard fowl will draw some undesired pests. Why give them their own private apartment in your coop? My coop does not have interior walls for THAT particular reason. Not because I was too lazy to install them, and said 'GoodEnoughForMe'. That is also the reason my coop is raised. So I can easily see under it, and make sure nothing is going on under there, that I don't want. Bottom line is, I'm trying to help you out, that's all. I'm not going to throw a bunch of stuff at you, without explaining why. Goodluck to you, with your birds.

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I'm so sorry Jack. I did not mean to offend you nor did I mean to imply that you had done anything substandard. My intent was to explain how my pea brain works. I obviously failed. Please accept my apology.

TerryH said:

I'm so sorry Jack. I did not mean to offend you nor did I mean to imply that you had done anything substandard. My intent was to explain how my pea brain works. I obviously failed. Please accept my apology.

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No apology needed. I'm not offended in any way. This is one of the problems with writing back and forth. Believe me, There is no offence taken by me. When I write, I try to write, like I would talk to somebody, face to face. You know, like a general discussion. Some of what I write, I mean it, in a humorous way. So there is no offence, or problem here. We are just talking (Writing)

JackE said:

No apology needed. I'm not offended in any way. This is one of the problems with writing back and forth. Believe me, There is no offence taken by me. When I write, I try to write, like I would talk to somebody, face to face. You know, like a general discussion. Some of what I write, I mean it, in a humorous way. So there is no offence, or problem here. We are just talking (Writing)

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Thanks Jack. Understood.