Converting an older shed I built into our new coop

[aart]

Got the rear wall of the coop resided today and got the windows installed and trimmed out.


I made angled the top pieces of window trim on the ends to dress it up a bit. Caulked the trim around the windows and will install new soffits on this end of the coop tomorrow and prime all new trim.

Nice trim job!
What is that shiny (metal?) strip between the gable and wall siding?

I would suggest removing the solid (looks solid anywat) soffit material on eaves and replacing it with HC...will give you much better ventilation flow thru the gable vents

 

[McKinneyMike]

The shiny stuff is a metal strip called "Z molding". It is used when you butt sheets up to allow for a drip edge. I am thinking about removing the soffits and using wire, but I might just using Hardie Soffit which is predrilled with multiple holes (as I have extra sheets of it also). I have two 50'x48" 1/2" hardware rolls coming Tuesday.

Once I get the cover run built I will re-roof the entire structure and add a ridge vent to coop to help with ventilation.

 

[donrae]

I think most of us are jealous

The only thing I can see is, it looks like your roosts are awfully low. Chickens like to roost as high as possible, so if they're lower you may have issues with them sleeping in the nest boxes instead. This is a problem in that they poop while they sleep, and cleaning out the nest boxes each day gets tiresome.

 

[McKinneyMike]

I think most of us are jealous

The only thing I can see is, it looks like your roosts are awfully low. Chickens like to roost as high as possible, so if they're lower you may have issues with them sleeping in the nest boxes instead. This is a problem in that they poop while they sleep, and cleaning out the nest boxes each day gets tiresome.

I was concerned with making the roosts too high due to increases the chances of bumblefoot. The roosts are 30" off the floor while the nest boxes are 18" off the floor. I could raise the roosts up to 36" without too much issue. Should I raise them higher yet? Again I am open on the roost height up to even 48". Just wanted to make sure that I did not create more problems by doing so. If I am off base on my concern about height of the roosts and bumblefoot, please let me know. I am a novice chicken owner.

 

[Folly's place]

I have roosts at several heights. My chicks start in the 'annex' section, with a ladder roost from 6", 18", and 30" off the floor, then roosts about 3" up. When they are integrated into the flock, roosts in the main coop section are about 4' off the floor, and many birds choose the rafters, 4" fence posts that are 8' in the air. I use deep bedding, and in over two decades, have NEVER had a case of bumblefoot. (Watch, tomorrow it will happen, but I hope not!). Mary

 

[aart]

Bumblefoot is caused by a staph infection in a cut on foot, tho high roosts could exacerbate a case of bumblefoot they are not likely to cause it.
Sharp objects should be kept out of coop and run.

Chickens like to roost as high as possible, but they don't have to be really high....
.....just about a foot higher than nests so the sleeping/pooping in nests doesn't happen.

Smaller coops may need lower roosts due to lack of landing area.....then ramps can be employed.

Your 30" roost and 18" nests sounds fine...level of nests isn't labeled in your drawing so maybe there is the confusion.
The more space over the roosts, the better for ventilation purposes.

There's a 'stack up' aspect to coop design:
Bottom of pop door should be about 8" above floor so bedding doesn't get dragged out of coop.
Nice to have bottom of nests about 18" above bedding to allow use of that floor space under them(doesn't count if your nests are mounted on outside of coop).
Roosts should be about 12" higher than nests so birds won't roost(sleep) in nests and poop in them.
Upper venting should be as high as possible above roosts so no strong drafts hit roosts in winter...and hot/moist air and ammonia can rise and exit coop.

 

[McKinneyMike]

Bumblefoot is caused by a staph infection in a cut on foot, tho high roosts could exacerbate a case of bumblefoot they are not likely to cause it.
Sharp objects should be kept out of coop and run.

Chickens like to roost as high as possible, but they don't have to be really high....
.....just about a foot higher than nests so the sleeping/pooping in nests doesn't happen.

Smaller coops may need lower roosts due to lack of landing area.....then ramps can be employed.

Your 30" roost and 18" nests sounds fine...level of nests isn't labeled in your drawing so maybe there is the confusion.
The more space over the roosts, the better for ventilation purposes.

There's a 'stack up' aspect to coop design:
Bottom of pop door should be about 8" above floor so bedding doesn't get dragged out of coop.
Nice to have bottom of nests about 18" above bedding to allow use of that floor space under them(doesn't count if your nests are mounted on outside of coop).
Roosts should be about 12" higher than nests so birds won't roost(sleep) in nests and poop in them.
Upper venting should be as high as possible above roosts so no strong drafts hit roosts in winter...and hot/moist air and ammonia can rise and exit coop.

Thanks for the input. I think that I will raise the roost to 36" off the floor with poop tray at around 30" off floor. I have two 50 foot rolls of 1/2" hardware cloth coming on Tuesday so I can start on the inside of the coop. I hope to get started on the run this week also and then I will Black Jack the coop area floor and add a piece of linoleum to the entry area. These chicks are getting big fast!

 

[McKinneyMike]

Got the front door and window trimmed out this afternoon. Tomorrow caulk everything and then prime all new wood on Wednesday. Hope to start painting by Thursday afternoon and then work on the run.

 

[McKinneyMike]

Got the coop floor covered with Black Jack 57. Really happy with this stuff. Painted the inside of the coop with a low VOC latex enamel. Got interior wall between coop and storage area covered with 1/2" hardware cloth. Once the Black Jack dries I will install the poop board and the roost under the windows and paint it too. I will be making wooden frames with hinges with 1/2" hardware cloth over them to cover the windows on the inside and allow us to swing them open to close/open windows. Wife did not like the look of hardware cloth over the outsides of the windows. Still need to add hardware cloth to rafters over coop area. Getting closer.

 

[McKinneyMike]

Made some hinged frames covered with hardware cloth so I could still raise and lower windows and still protect the birds if the windows are open. I used piano hinges on the frames. I need to add the last one to the window on the left. Will install poop board and roost tomorrow evening. The chicks are ready for their new and larger.








I am going to use two each of these to latch the frames closed.