Coop Build

[Cawagula]

Just sharing some pictures of my build - would love any advice or upgade ideas.

Just realized I don't have many pictures of the inside lol. The wall side facing the deck has a large rectangular window for most of the ventillation. Also have a 2" gap along both side walls where the roof rafters meet the wall covered in hardware cloth. 5 x 5 coop not including nesting box, 5 x 10 run - free range most of the day as I work from home and tend to work out on the deck to get the girls plenty of free range time.

Two roosting bars, even though most nights they all want to be on the same one.

Adding an additional 6 x 10 x 8 ft to the run this week and hatching out some chicks so probably gonna add an addition onto the coop.

 

[DobieLover]

You need way more than just one window for ventilation. You need permanently open ventilation. Badly.
And that flappy piece of roofing is going to either take flight like Toto in the Wizard of Oz or collapse if some day.
How many birds do you plan to keep in it?

 

[Cawagula]

You need way more than just one window for ventilation. You need permanently open ventilation. Badly.
And that flappy piece of roofing is going to either take flight like Toto in the Wizard of Oz or collapse if some day.
How many birds do you plan to keep in it?

Sorry, this was during the building stage. Roof was trimmed and capped after these pictures were taken. Again, huge window on the only wall not pictured. Adding an exhaust fan for winter - 25 sq ft in the coop, 6 hens in the coop. Hatching some more so debating some additions to it or a 2nd coop - havn't decided yet.

Did the majority of ventillation on the inside facing wall as I figured the building and the deck would help cut down drafts but allow plenty of air flow. Small window was just so I have an easy spot to peek in for head counts at night but also stays open 24/7.

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC and the lure of chicken math.

I'm a fan of passive ventilation myself. Even a barn-rated fan (other types are a fire hazard), is apt to fail due to a power outage just when it's wanted most.

Here's my article on coop ventilation. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/repecka-illustrates-coop-ventilation.77659/

 

[aart]

Adding an exhaust fan for winter

Rarely efficient, and often detrimental in winter.

Current, and interior, pics would help here.

Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[Cawagula]

Rarely efficient, and often detrimental in winter.

Current, and interior, pics would help here.

Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!
View attachment 3267015

Thank you - I'll avoid the fan then.

Location is Southern New Jersey, average of around 35° in winter, never reqlly falls below 14° on the coldest days which are rare.

If you'd reccommend I could probably easily cut the apex off the coop, build up another foot or two and leave the sides open on both sides to allow a better cross wind ventillation and then close the large and small windows in the winter. I'll add some internal pictures a bit later.

 

[Imataken]

I'm also in NJ central do you plan on covering your run for snow and wind I have thick clear plastic all around the run that I roll up on nice days with attached velcro straps but it keeps all the snow rain and wind away from them when it's real cold of snow storm coming I place straw bales around the sides up about 3 ft helps alot plus they love when I toss a bale in the run keeps them busy for awhile on cold snowy days also do you have any perches in the run so they can get off the cold ground. I take the food and water in every Night but never have it in the coop only the run

 

[Cawagula]

I'm also in NJ central do you plan on covering your run for snow and wind I have thick clear plastic all around the run that I roll up on nice days with attached velcro straps but it keeps all the snow rain and wind away from them when it's real cold of snow storm coming I place straw bales around the sides up about 3 ft helps alot plus they love when I toss a bale in the run keeps them busy for awhile on cold snowy days also do you have any perches in the run so they can get off the cold ground. I take the food and water in every Night but never have it in the coop only the run

I'm actually building an addition to my run no, adding an extra 50 sq ft. I have a huge extra roll of painting plastic (bought two when I painted the house, only used one) so that'a a great idea, maybe I will cover for December - February. My feeder and waterer are both in the coop currently but I just made a 25G waterer from an old food grade barrel, have a 2nd I was gonna make a feeder out of but our code requires all food in a metal container and I live on a corner lot so easy to see everything from the sidewalk. Always have people stopping and watching the chickens on my cameras lol. Not sure how central you are, I'm about 15 minutes outide of Cherry Hill but when it warms back up you should check out Cedar Lane Auctions in Elmer - every Tuesday at 1PM, straw, hay, farm equipment, livestock. It runs all year but from my experience there isn't a lot to offer over winter.

 

[Imataken]

I lived on the border of maple shade and pennsauken for about 10 years till I moved back to central I'm in Marlboro one of the many reasons we left was to have no neighbors lol houses in the area we were were way to close together they could see what we were eating for dinner. I've got 3 acres now with 1 neighbor at the end of my property behind the woods they cant see what we having for dinner lol. I'm actually not familiar with that auction is it worth the trip would you say. I usually go to a place in flemington to get hay and straw but last week was in a pinch and went to a horse stable in sayreville and paid a outrageous price of 15 bucks a bale of straw which is way more then the usual 6 bucks we pay but knew I'd need it with all the rain we were getting how far would you say the auction is from voorhees my brother lives there maybe give me a excuse to finally go visit

 

[Cawagula]

I lived on the border of maple shade and pennsauken for about 10 years till I moved back to central I'm in Marlboro one of the many reasons we left was to have no neighbors lol houses in the area we were were way to close together they could see what we were eating for dinner. I've got 3 acres now with 1 neighbor at the end of my property behind the woods they cant see what we having for dinner lol. I'm actually not familiar with that auction is it worth the trip would you say. I usually go to a place in flemington to get hay and straw but last week was in a pinch and went to a horse stable in sayreville and paid a outrageous price of 15 bucks a bale of straw which is way more then the usual 6 bucks we pay but knew I'd need it with all the rain we were getting how far would you say the auction is from voorhees my brother lives there maybe give me a excuse to finally go visit

From Voorheese probaly 40 - 45 minutes. It's hit or miss in the winter but normally pretty cheap prices, no one is bidding straw up to $15 a bale lol. Normally in summer they update their facebook solely to let you know what's expected for hay and straw. I actually just switched to the pellet bedding for when it rains a lot $6 a bag and when it gets wet breaks down to sawdust, dries up pretty quick and then is also great for dust bathing. If it get too wet throw more pellets out and if we run out we throw chopped straw we use for the nesting boxes. I hear you with the houses though, we just bought this house last year, was origonally looking in the Carneys Point area for the same reasons but my dad passed in the middle so decided to stick around her. Ultimately looking to pick up some farmland down in North Carolina in about 5 or so years.