Coop plans ok?

[orpingtonnz]

Hi,

I have a shed that was already on the property when we bought it which I think was previously used as a coop which I am revamping in preparation for 4 Orpington pullets which we will pick up next weekend.

The coops is about 2m x 4m, and has 2 wooden walls and 2 wire walls. I have been researching online but I think I'm getting confused between the coop and coop/run aspects. I was going to leave it roughly as is but with roots and nest boxes and just cover the wire sides in winter but I keep reading "ventilated but not draughty" online and I know the shed would be draughty as.

So instead I'm thinking line one end with plywood in an area which would be about 1.5 x 2m, in a way so that side, front and back walls are lined with ply, as well as a partition wall inside the shed of about 1m wide, leaving about a 1m gap for access. The gap would be near the rear wall which would also be lined. In this area I will put 2 nest boxes and roots.

The other end of the coop I will cover with perspex to let the light in and the front will remain open with just wire.

So if that makes sense it will be:
- northern wall 4m wire aside from the eastern 1.5 which is lined (in NZ this is the sunny direction)
- eastern wall lined with plywood
- southern wall plywood
- western wall perspex
- Partition wall internally 1m to section off 2mx1.5 area at eastern end

The feeder and waterer I will put at the western end.

Anyway, my point is, do you think that will be suitable for the chickens to be ventilated but not too cold? It will still have a 1m gap between the roosting area and the outdoors however it should be sheltered from the wind. Where i am in NZ it doesn't snow but does frost.

Also the lady at the shop told me to use bark as litter but I want to do deep litter in the whole shed. Shall I also use bark or just get more pine shavings?

Thanks in advance for any advice and hopefully my description makes some sense.

The shed will be used as a sleeping area only and they will have a certain area of the garden to explore in the day. There may be the odd occasion if we are away that they might stay in for a day or two but really this is the sleeping area I'm describing

 

[DobieLover]

Pictures would go a very long way here.
If you have an open air coop, I would not cover up any of the open air section at all. If it freezes during your winters, you would just cover all but the top 15cm or so with a clear tarp or shower curtain and pin it between the coop/run framing using stripped of pressure treated wood.
You will only need 2 nest boxes (you could actually get away with just one) for 4 hens. You should also have 1.2m of roost space. BUT I would design the interior for the maximum number of hens the coop could house and that depends on if the current structure is all the space they will be provided with for the majority of the day.

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC.

Please do provide some photos -- it sounds from the description like you've probably got a very good, warm climate Open Air coop. "Draft-free" doesn't mean no air movement, it just means no breezes strong enough to ruffle the birds' feathers when they're sitting on their roost.

Here's some general information:

Hot Climate Chicken Housing and Care

Repecka Illustrates Coop Ventilation

 

[orpingtonnz]

Here are the pictures of the current situation.

Please take this as the before shot, we haven't done anything to it yet and the shed has been untouched for almost the last 2 years since we purchased the house.

 

[orpingtonnz]

This is the location, for a bit of context. It is at the very bottom of a sloping section where there is a flat area which will be the fenced off run (approx 4x20m), and they may have access to other parts of the garden from time to time with supervision.

It should be fairly sheltered from the wind, even our house doesn't get the wind that the other parts of town do and that is much higher up than this.

 

[3KillerBs]

What a wonderful base to work with!

What direction do your prevailing winds come from? If they're from the sheltered side it should be good -- or you could add just half of a third wall to protect the roost from direct winds.

 

[orpingtonnz]

What a wonderful base to work with!

What direction do your prevailing winds come from? If they're from the sheltered side it should be good -- or you could add just half of a third wall to protect the roost from direct winds.

I think the only winds that can really get in there are northerly winds (which in NZ are our warmer winds) and that is usually in the spring. I'm not too sure about how Westerly winds impact it. In my experience it is usually not very windy here in winter (though it could be that I didn't notice because I'm warm inside the house).

So you think just leave it as is (structurally, it obviously needs a good clean out) unless it's getting windy in which case add a small wall to shelter the roof?

Do you think a deep litter method will work well in the space?

 

[Percheron chick]

I'm going to start by just saying that you are going to have an amazing coop even without any changes other than cleaning it out. Looks big enough to be a run/coop combo for 4 chickens. Coop envy.
More info. Summer and winter temps? Looks lush like you get good rain. Does it flood, rain sideways? Drop down canvas sides or polycarbonate panels you can remove are never a bad idea. Deep litter will work fine.

 

[TooCheep]

Looks like a concrete floor, so deep litter would work well.

It will keep them off the concrete, will stay dry if the open area is away from the prevailing winds/rain, will avoid problems with poop smells and will allow the chickens to create compost/soil for you.

I'd recommend the coop itself be elevated inside the structure. That will give them the entire floor as a run.

 

[3KillerBs]

I think the only winds that can really get in there are northerly winds (which in NZ are our warmer winds) and that is usually in the spring. I'm not too sure about how Westerly winds impact it. In my experience it is usually not very windy here in winter (though it could be that I didn't notice because I'm warm inside the house).

So you think just leave it as is (structurally, it obviously needs a good clean out) unless it's getting windy in which case add a small wall to shelter the roof?

Do you think a deep litter method will work well in the space?

I tarp one part of my wire wall against storms in hurricane season and/or winter. Test the actual roost area with a lightweight ribbon on a windy say to see if it's drafty or not. A gentle waft is OK, fluttering isn't.

If that's a concrete floor you'll have Deep Bedding -- a dry system -- rather than Deep Litter -- a moist, actively-composting system. I like both systems very well, using Deep Bedding in my enclosed coops and Deep Litter in my dirt-floored coops.

Using Deep Bedding in a Small Coop

Does it flood, rain sideways? Drop down canvas sides or polycarbonate panels you can remove are never a bad idea.

This is an important consideration.

It's not as critical to keep an Open Air coop perfectly dry as it is for an enclosed coop because the superior ventilation lets it dry out again easily, but you don't want to bedding to get really soggy and you don't want blown rain to reach the roosting area -- which is why I tarp that wall for hurricanes.