Demophlos
In the Brooder
A few months ago, I asked for input on the location for a chicken coop. I am happy with the choice here. There is an area to the side of the coop that tends to hold water during heavy sustained rains. Putting the coop/shed on this 6" limestone pad will keep it out of all that. The chicken run will come off the front and also be out of the wet areas. I was able to run electric and water as well. Several people provided great ideas and recommendations and I really appreciated the feedback.
DobieLover, I really like your coop layout and am borrowing from the brilliance.
We received 19 chicks from Cackle Hatchery last week (ordered 16). I am still building but it is close (trim, windows, doors, caulk, paint, shingles). It is a 12'x16' coop/shed. The coop area will take 12' x 11' of the area. It will be vented on both peaks, I just have not cut the hole yet. All the windows and soffit will be covered in 1/2 Hardware Cloth. I have the entire soffit open as a vent (see below). It runs the full length of the shed, 16' on both sides and will be covered in 1/2 hc pending one of my questions. The roof will have a ridge vent as well.
I have the side door entry coming into a work/storage area (please view DobieLover 's coop layout as that is what I am mimicking) You can see the studs I placed for the interior wall in the picture below. I will have 3 small windows in that area (see below for the frame out one of them). In the coop area, I am planning to make a double door with an option to also open a screened section (sort of like Carolina Coops). I will also have 2 - double windows at roost height across from each other, 5' across x 3' high. These will just open to a screen, not full access, and I am just going to use the siding not an actual window (that could change later, just what I am planning now). Again, borrowing from DobieLover , I like the idea of a single height roost around the perimeter of the area. The walls are 8' to the top plate, the ceiling at peak is 10' 6". The chicken windows are at 41". They are facing North and South. The entry door faces the north and the double door faces east. Temperatures in my area rarely exceed 93-94 degrees in the heat of summer and occasionally fall to -10 degrees in winter.
My questions.
Ventilation - Am I considering enough ventilation per the repecka illustrations? ( https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/repecka-illustrates-coop-ventilation.77659/ ) - Across the soffit ventilation w/ridge vent, front and back peak vents (maybe considering a fan to pull cross ventilation), 3 small single hung windows, 2 large double door window openings, and a double door opening.
Will that be too much ventilation at any point that I would need to consider covering part of the soffit? Or is it high enough above the girls that it should not be an issue?
Is there anything I am missing?
Insulation? - I read posts that go back and forth on this. Depends on what you do for the bedding, size, number of chickens. I think I want to try and deep litter on the coop floor, but use sand on platform below the roost bar (again DobieLover ) that media could switch to also being wood chips. More so for the heat, should I consider insulting the roof (it will be shingled). Should I insulate the walls and cover them with a sheet of osb? Or just leave it how I have it now? It is just T-11 siding. Trying to decide this before proceeding much further on the inside.
And I have the run to do as well. It will be a 24' extension off the front fully shingled and hardware cloth.
Input is appreciated as always.
DobieLover, I really like your coop layout and am borrowing from the brilliance.
We received 19 chicks from Cackle Hatchery last week (ordered 16). I am still building but it is close (trim, windows, doors, caulk, paint, shingles). It is a 12'x16' coop/shed. The coop area will take 12' x 11' of the area. It will be vented on both peaks, I just have not cut the hole yet. All the windows and soffit will be covered in 1/2 Hardware Cloth. I have the entire soffit open as a vent (see below). It runs the full length of the shed, 16' on both sides and will be covered in 1/2 hc pending one of my questions. The roof will have a ridge vent as well.
I have the side door entry coming into a work/storage area (please view DobieLover 's coop layout as that is what I am mimicking) You can see the studs I placed for the interior wall in the picture below. I will have 3 small windows in that area (see below for the frame out one of them). In the coop area, I am planning to make a double door with an option to also open a screened section (sort of like Carolina Coops). I will also have 2 - double windows at roost height across from each other, 5' across x 3' high. These will just open to a screen, not full access, and I am just going to use the siding not an actual window (that could change later, just what I am planning now). Again, borrowing from DobieLover , I like the idea of a single height roost around the perimeter of the area. The walls are 8' to the top plate, the ceiling at peak is 10' 6". The chicken windows are at 41". They are facing North and South. The entry door faces the north and the double door faces east. Temperatures in my area rarely exceed 93-94 degrees in the heat of summer and occasionally fall to -10 degrees in winter.
My questions.
Ventilation - Am I considering enough ventilation per the repecka illustrations? ( https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/repecka-illustrates-coop-ventilation.77659/ ) - Across the soffit ventilation w/ridge vent, front and back peak vents (maybe considering a fan to pull cross ventilation), 3 small single hung windows, 2 large double door window openings, and a double door opening.
Will that be too much ventilation at any point that I would need to consider covering part of the soffit? Or is it high enough above the girls that it should not be an issue?
Is there anything I am missing?
Insulation? - I read posts that go back and forth on this. Depends on what you do for the bedding, size, number of chickens. I think I want to try and deep litter on the coop floor, but use sand on platform below the roost bar (again DobieLover ) that media could switch to also being wood chips. More so for the heat, should I consider insulting the roof (it will be shingled). Should I insulate the walls and cover them with a sheet of osb? Or just leave it how I have it now? It is just T-11 siding. Trying to decide this before proceeding much further on the inside.
And I have the run to do as well. It will be a 24' extension off the front fully shingled and hardware cloth.
Input is appreciated as always.
