Oh boy, Pricing materials tomorrow! Will it work?

[TimG]

I think the instructions about water barriers apply to residential type construction -- as a vapor barrier in heated or cooled spaces. I think you'll be fine just attaching the hardiplank to the studs.

The chickens should have available shelter from the rain and wind. I don't know Hawaiian weather, but suspect there is a prevailing wind direction such that you could orient a three-sided coop to provide plenty of protection from the elements for the chickens.

 

[Judy]

If hardplank refers to that concrete infused stuff, you don't want it. Very heavy, hard to work with, absorbs moisture, impossible to seal, and expensive to boot. I know someone who actually pulled it off their house and replaced it with vinyl. Plywood is the simple solution. You can even use a lighter interior grade and paint it to seal it.

Leaving the frame exposed on the interior is IMO a great thing to do. Gives you something to build onto, hang stuff from, etc. when you want to. And the chickens could care less.

One nest box is plenty - one per four birds is the rule of thumb.

 

[TimG]

Quote:
I think the point is that even if it absorbs moisture, it is not vulnerable to moisture induced rotting.

 

[Mama C]

Hardiplank is an excellent choice for a coastal application. I’d use it if I were living on a Hawaiian beach, but one of us is luckier than the other.

I wouldn’t worry about sheathing. It is a chicken coop after all. (I had the hardest time when building mine – reminding myself that it didn’t have to be residential grade.) To give you the most weatherproof application Hardiplank does need to be primed and painted on all sides of each piece. You can buy it pre-primed and save yourself some time, but don’t skimp on the prep work if you want optimum performance. I would say that if you can get the Hardipanels you may want to try those. Easier installation and less crevices to keep clean (if you do leave it exposed on the interior) particularly if you ever had mite problem.

Interior walls are your call. They aren’t necessary and can make a small coop feel even smaller. I’d say if you don’t need insulation then don’t bother.

You're never going to get so cold that you’ll need to close your coop completely but I would worry that a fully open wall in a wet season would have the potential to introduce too much moisture to the floor of the coop. Making a half wall sounds like an excellent idea. If a particularly strong storm rolls in you can shutter the opening or just hang a shade/tarp you can unroll when needed. Have you thought about half walls on opposing sides of the coop to increase your ventilation? Maybe cover them with awning style (solid) shutters that you could open and close easily but would also divert the rain? If your humidity is crazy bad you're going to need all the ventilation you can get.

I agree with Gryeyes. Technically you won’t need more than one nest box, but two would be better. Those girls can be picky.

Good luck with your build. Let us know how it goes!

 

[elmo]

Quote:
Good point! You're probably right.

 

[birdicus7]

As a certified Hardi Installer...you do not need sheeting under the hardi for a coop. All Hardi installs should be nailed to the framing. the issue you will have is it will need corners installed to butt up against. You will have to install full corners to leave a nailer for the ends. Never nail in the first inch of the planks and spread your joints at least 2 studs if needed. Caulk in with OSI Quad sealant NOT SILICONE! Any further questions about Hardi you can PM me.

 

[midd2005]

i live in hawaii so i know of the issues of which you speak. not sure how much help i can be as i have no idea what a hardiplank is and my coop is young yet.

in any case, we are about a half mile from the beach so there is some issue but maybe not as much as what you are dealing with. we went with all wood because it was the cheapest we could find, and we aren't looking for a structure to last decades. we shall see about the termites. we did put the whole frame up on cinder blocks to keep it from sitting in water. like i said i'm not sure how much help i'm going to be as we just built the coop this summer, and it hasn't yet survived a rainy season. but anyway, here is a picture of it. the left part of it, "the coop", is completely open on the inside.

 

[ndemerly]

yes, you can get away with not putting sheating up on the interior, placing on the outdoors would give more than enough rigidity to the structure. Also! the open studs make an easy place to mount roosting bars.

 

[TimG]

I don't have any experience with termites, but won't the chickens eat them before they become a problem?

 

[BWKatz]

You might want to consider one of the new composite decking materials. Check with ur lowe's or Home Depot for their suggestions.