New and building first "real" coop... Lots of questions

[Geekerbell]

Ok, so I feel like I've been reading for weeks on end, and honestly, the more I read, the more confused and unsure I get about what I'm doing.
We got our first chicks from a local feed store this past weekend, and I'm guessing they are about 3-4 weeks old. We got six total (2 Barred Rock, 2 Black Australorp, and 2 they said are Ameracaunas, but I'm guessing are probably Easter eggers, which is fine by me.) They are currently residing outside in a crib that we modified to a small coop. It is already very hot here in TX and they have had no trouble adjusting.

I have been gathering wood pallets and plan to use them whole to build their coop. I think I have enough now and plan to start building this weekend. But I was hoping someone would read about my plans and give me thoughts and suggestions.

First, do I have to have a floor? I had originally planned just to build it without a floor, four walls and a roof. And when the grass, etc in the inside area is eventually eaten away, do shaving on the floor. But I do have two large pallets that I can use as floor if it would be best.

The pallets I have gathered are smaller, about 2x3 ft, so my finished dimensions should be around 9' x 6' and 6'tall. I will not have an actual run attached, since I plan to let them out to free range the backyard during the day. (I am home all day)
I can have up to 10 chickens in the city limits where I am at. Will this be good enough size-wise? What if I end up with 9 hens and a rooster? (A scenario I am considering.)

I plan to use Sweet PDZ on "poop boards" under the roosts, as in this thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/621363/poop-board-convert-warning-graphic-gross-poop-pictures

I am planning on covering the pallets directly with hardware cloth, leaving sort of an open air effect, since it is hot here, and never gets too cold in the winter. The north and east sides of the coop are only a few feet from the side of my house and a wood privacy fence, so do have some protection. Thoughts on this? What about if we do have a cold winter? (Realize that "cold" here is 30's rarely dropping below freezing.)

I also want a full size door that I can use to walk in. What the best way to do this? Just buy or try to find a regular door? Frame one out of 2x4's and cover with hardware cloth? Other ideas?

Thanks so much for any thoughts and ideas!!

 

[canesisters]

Sounds like a good plan.
I have a 'dirt' floor in my coop. The shed I was gifted with didn't have a floor so I filled it with 6" of 'crush & run' which is sort of a driveway base - gravel and stone dust. I laid welded fencing (2"x3" holes) on the ground and put the flooring over it. Nothing is gonna dig in now. ha-HA!. I don't know what sort of predators you have there, but if you go with a dirt floor, you'll want to consider the possibility of things digging in.
As for a door - you could bang the wood off or one side of a couple of pallets and just hinge them to make a pallet-door.

You've got a good plan and the details will work themselves out as you go.
Enjoy building and post lots of picts!

 

[Geekerbell]

Ok, so just want to make sure I understand... The welded fencing directly on the ground, and then the crush and run over it, correct? And do you use anything over that like shavings or straw for the comfort of the chickens feet, or are they fine?

And great idea for the door, thank you!!

 

[sodamancer]

i bought 6 50lb bags of sand and spread it over the the run area. I have not built the run but ya know.....in time it might happen

 

[canesisters]

Yup - ground, wire, crush&run. So far that's it. But then again, the chicks won't move in till tonight. I want the flooring to pack a little before I get shavings mixed in so I'm just letting them walk around right on it. I figure it's no different than being in a run with sand or gravel. I'm planning to put a small tarp in one corner (under the roost) and put some shavings on it. LOL let's see how long they'll take to not only spread it all over the coop, but to also mix it very thoroughly IN the floor.

 

[micareli]

I built a 12x8 lean to on the back of my storage building, 4x8 roosting pit, 8x8 are i poured 6 bags of the pine pellets for horse bedding, hydrated it per instructions spread that in the 8x8 gave me nearly 4 in thick bedding, they love it as they burrowing into it for their dust baths,

I would add a 2 foot run of 1 inch wire on the ground 12 inches on either side of pallets ( love the pallet idea, wish I had it it would save a bunch of money) use garden staple to secure wire to ground and then nothing should dig beneath it, I'd even use the 1 inch wire wesh over the pallets lot cheaper than the hardware cloth, make sure there are cracks greater than 1 inch otherwise weasels or whatever will kill em.

good luck