Yes, build bigger. My 8x8 original coop pictured above now looks like this....and I have two other coops in addition and planning another!
8x8 Coop Opinions
- Thread starter joeschmeau
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I would suggest at least 8", higher would be better if you can make it stable that way. Reason being, predators and rats will enjoy getting under there and having the opportunity to work unseen and unbothered at getting into your coop. Rats in particular will just hang out under there and chew upwards til they hit white meat. You may not THINK you have rats but unless you are in one of the increasingly few parts of the world where rats are LITERALLY nonexistant, believe me, there are probably at least a few rats passing through from time to time.
I would suggest at least 8", higher would be better if you can make it stable that way. Reason being, predators and rats will enjoy getting under there and having the opportunity to work unseen and unbothered at getting into your coop. Rats in particular will just hang out under there and chew upwards til they hit white meat. You may not THINK you have rats but unless you are in one of the increasingly few parts of the world where rats are LITERALLY nonexistant, believe me, there are probably at least a few rats passing through from time to time.
will be framed with 2x4s. I was just thinking today though, that I could save a lot of money if ripped the 2x4s in half. Would a 2x2 be too wimpy?
Yes. Would you build a garden shed or playhouse or garage with 2x2s? No, because first you'd need to use twice as many of them to hold up the same roof load (which would negate any cost savings) and second because having such thin walls and so little wood for your nails to be going into would make the whole thing MUCH more vulnerable to wind damage etc.
Note that even 2x3s make noticeably weaker stud walls -- and they're almost twice the width of the "2x2" you'd get by ripping down a 2x4.
Use 2x4s. They do not cost that much
Yes. Would you build a garden shed or playhouse or garage with 2x2s? No, because first you'd need to use twice as many of them to hold up the same roof load (which would negate any cost savings) and second because having such thin walls and so little wood for your nails to be going into would make the whole thing MUCH more vulnerable to wind damage etc.
Note that even 2x3s make noticeably weaker stud walls -- and they're almost twice the width of the "2x2" you'd get by ripping down a 2x4.
Use 2x4s. They do not cost that much
Also, what about siding? The cheapest thing I can think of is 1/2" CDX plywood. Is there something cheaper (besides what I can scavenge for free)?
Varies locally, you would have to shop around. You could use 3/8" if you are pretty sure you have no really determined raccoons and will keep it in good condition but that would not save you much over 1/2" I don't think. Really, if you want cheap, scrounging is your best option, just see whatcha can come up with.
Varies locally, you would have to shop around. You could use 3/8" if you are pretty sure you have no really determined raccoons and will keep it in good condition but that would not save you much over 1/2" I don't think. Really, if you want cheap, scrounging is your best option, just see whatcha can come up with.
For the shed roof, I was thinking about 1/2" plywood covered with some fiberglass corrugated panels. Is that a good/bad option?
There are likely better ways of doing it, but that would be ok (especially if you happen to already have some of the materials lying around). (Are you certain you have a source for ACTUAL FIBERGLASS panels? In most parts of the country they are hard or impossible to find anymore, having been replaced by pvc and polycarbonate plastic panels. Do not use the cheaper ones, the pvc panels, as they are very NON heat/cold/wind/impact resistant and will die an early death from sunlight. The polycarbonate ones are the way to go if you can't get true fiberglass; unfortunately they are usually a bit more expensive than metal roofing)
THe best roof depends a lot on where you live. What kind of summers and winters do you have? If your weather is mild year-round, metal roofing on purlins (i.e. bare beneath) is good and affordable and very durable. If your summers are mild but winters spend a lot of time below freezing, you may need to add insulation under the metal.
If your summers are very hot, metal roofing is better installed on plywood or OSB, and that will give you some reasonable margin of insulation against wintertime condensation too. White polycarbonate (NOT pvc!) plastic roofing could be used instead of the metal, over the plywood or osb, but is a bit more expensive.
If your summers are not super hot, shingles over plywood or OSB is a perfectly reasonable option and usually cheaper because it is usually not too hard to find shingle 'leftovers'.
There are likely better ways of doing it, but that would be ok (especially if you happen to already have some of the materials lying around). (Are you certain you have a source for ACTUAL FIBERGLASS panels? In most parts of the country they are hard or impossible to find anymore, having been replaced by pvc and polycarbonate plastic panels. Do not use the cheaper ones, the pvc panels, as they are very NON heat/cold/wind/impact resistant and will die an early death from sunlight. The polycarbonate ones are the way to go if you can't get true fiberglass; unfortunately they are usually a bit more expensive than metal roofing)
THe best roof depends a lot on where you live. What kind of summers and winters do you have? If your weather is mild year-round, metal roofing on purlins (i.e. bare beneath) is good and affordable and very durable. If your summers are mild but winters spend a lot of time below freezing, you may need to add insulation under the metal.
If your summers are very hot, metal roofing is better installed on plywood or OSB, and that will give you some reasonable margin of insulation against wintertime condensation too. White polycarbonate (NOT pvc!) plastic roofing could be used instead of the metal, over the plywood or osb, but is a bit more expensive.
If your summers are not super hot, shingles over plywood or OSB is a perfectly reasonable option and usually cheaper because it is usually not too hard to find shingle 'leftovers'.
I'm really trying to do this on the cheap, and my calculations already have me in the $700 range. I'm hoping to get that closer to $400 or $500. Any suggestions?
Mainly, spend some time scrounging around, see what you come up with. If it's a lot of shingles, build a shingled roof
Etcetera. You can adapt your design to what materials are available.
Good luck, have fun,
Pat
Mainly, spend some time scrounging around, see what you come up with. If it's a lot of shingles, build a shingled roof
Good luck, have fun,
Pat
For the size you are building, I suggest making it high enough to walk in comfortably. You will need to get to all areas for some reason or another. No need to hurt your back.
I built mine on the ground with a dirt floor. The ground is a decent insulator so it works well in all climates. You do need to position it where it stays dry. I suggest on a bit of a rise so water cannot run into it. If you are building on a hillside, you can divert the runoff with a swale or trench. Just a thought.
I did not raise mine at all. As Pat mentioned, if you don't raise it enough, certain wildlife can safely live under there. But if you raise it high enough to expose anything living under there, then chickens can get under there and lay eggs or get sick or injured and go hide. You may need to get something out from under there. I made mine safer against digging predators by putting a wire apron around it. That's where you take a strip of galvanized wire, either hardware cloth or welded wire fencing, and lay it flat on the ground around your coop and attach it to the bottom of your coop. You can bury it a couple of inches if you wish or leave it on the surface as long as it lays flat. The idea is that the digging predator goes to the wall and starts to dig, hits the wire, and does not know to back up.
If you find used metal material for the roof, beware of nail holes. You do not want your roof to leak. Used metal often has holes in it so it does not work well. Just be careful. Also, remember to slope your roof so the rainwater runs off instead of sits up there and leaks through the joints. Slope it so the water runs away from your coop and run and certainly away from your door.
Most building material does come in 4' or 8' dimensions, so those are usually pretty good dimensions to use. Remember for your wall panels and such, those are out to out dimensions, not centerline dimensions. That makes a difference. Also, you want an overhang on your roof. Partly to get water away from the building, but also because an easy way to provide ventilation is to cut out under the overhang and put up hardware cloth to keep predators out. A roof with overhang will be more than the 4' or 8' dimensions. Just something to consider when setting size.
I do firmly agree that you need to provide sufficient room for the chickens. Having too much is infinitely better than not having enough. If you have little more room than you absolutely need, you have a bit of wasted space. If you don't have enough, chickens can turn mean and cannibalistic. That is a lot worse than having a bit of wasted space. So I suggest building as large as you can afford.
Hope this helps a bit. Welcome to the adventure.
I built mine on the ground with a dirt floor. The ground is a decent insulator so it works well in all climates. You do need to position it where it stays dry. I suggest on a bit of a rise so water cannot run into it. If you are building on a hillside, you can divert the runoff with a swale or trench. Just a thought.
I did not raise mine at all. As Pat mentioned, if you don't raise it enough, certain wildlife can safely live under there. But if you raise it high enough to expose anything living under there, then chickens can get under there and lay eggs or get sick or injured and go hide. You may need to get something out from under there. I made mine safer against digging predators by putting a wire apron around it. That's where you take a strip of galvanized wire, either hardware cloth or welded wire fencing, and lay it flat on the ground around your coop and attach it to the bottom of your coop. You can bury it a couple of inches if you wish or leave it on the surface as long as it lays flat. The idea is that the digging predator goes to the wall and starts to dig, hits the wire, and does not know to back up.
If you find used metal material for the roof, beware of nail holes. You do not want your roof to leak. Used metal often has holes in it so it does not work well. Just be careful. Also, remember to slope your roof so the rainwater runs off instead of sits up there and leaks through the joints. Slope it so the water runs away from your coop and run and certainly away from your door.
Most building material does come in 4' or 8' dimensions, so those are usually pretty good dimensions to use. Remember for your wall panels and such, those are out to out dimensions, not centerline dimensions. That makes a difference. Also, you want an overhang on your roof. Partly to get water away from the building, but also because an easy way to provide ventilation is to cut out under the overhang and put up hardware cloth to keep predators out. A roof with overhang will be more than the 4' or 8' dimensions. Just something to consider when setting size.
I do firmly agree that you need to provide sufficient room for the chickens. Having too much is infinitely better than not having enough. If you have little more room than you absolutely need, you have a bit of wasted space. If you don't have enough, chickens can turn mean and cannibalistic. That is a lot worse than having a bit of wasted space. So I suggest building as large as you can afford.
Hope this helps a bit. Welcome to the adventure.
Incidentally, I just noticed your coop pic and writeup BWSY, I *love* it, that is a SUPER job there especially on the 'repurposing'
<applause>
If you have little more room than you absolutely need, you have a bit of wasted space.
Not meaning to quibble but I would never call it "wasted" space. If you have a little more room than you absolutely need, what you have is happier and more relaxed chickens, and easier management. Hardly a "waste"
JMHO,
Pat
Not meaning to quibble but I would never call it "wasted" space. If you have a little more room than you absolutely need, what you have is happier and more relaxed chickens, and easier management. Hardly a "waste"
JMHO,
Pat
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- Dec 20, 2010
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Lots of good advice everyone. It looks like what I mainly need to do is scrounge. I'm thinking the cheapest roofing option will probably be shingles if I can find some leftovers somewhere. I'll definitely go at least 8x8. I think anything bigger is just beyond my budget, and we're planning to have animals other than just chickens.
I kind of like the idea of just having a dirt floor, but I do live in a pretty wet climate (Oregon) and am a little worried about finding a good place that I can keep dry. Lots to think about!
I kind of like the idea of just having a dirt floor, but I do live in a pretty wet climate (Oregon) and am a little worried about finding a good place that I can keep dry. Lots to think about!
Plan for bigger. I was planning on 4-5 birds but knew I might get more so I built 8X6. I got 10 birds.
Craigslist and Backpage are good for salvaged material. I actually got some galvanized roofing nearby for 10cents on the dollar. Used some for one coop and the rest for the bottom of compost piles to keep tree roots out.
OSB is way cheaper than plywood and if well painted and kept dry it can hold up outdoors.
I like shingles for a long lasting roof on a pretty coop. Sometimes building supply places have broken bundles for about half price.
I also use 45 mil EPDM rubber for roofing on one building. It can even be used on a flat roof. It's lightweight, not very expensive, goes on fast, outlasts any other roofing material and can be purchased in any size. I glue it down.
2x2 too wimpy. 2x3 acceptable but not much cost savings, 2x4x8' is the cheapest new lumber per board ft.
Plan for good ventilation. Helps cool in the summer and reduce humidity in winter. Ridge vents if you don't get a lot of snow which would cover the vents. Gable vents work for most people and windows you can either open or just holes in the walls covered with hardware cloth to keep varmints out.
A coop without adequate ventilation will kill birds quicker than one that is too cold
I built mine high enough to put a garden cart next to it and rake the shavings right into it. I used those dek-blocks for piering they are concrete blocks that accept upright 4x4s or horizontal 2x6 lumber and you just set them on the ground. saves lots of time.
My friends think I'm nuts for putting guttering on a chicken coop but it's the single smartest thing I did. That along with roofing the part of the run adjacent to the coop insures a dry area for the girls to play in year round. I run the drainage from the guttering with pvc to my compost piles so I rarely have to water them.
Just make sure you have good drainage for the run or you'll always have a muddy mess.
And yes patandchickens, there is a direct correlation between the room chickens have and problems. You can't have too much space.
Craigslist and Backpage are good for salvaged material. I actually got some galvanized roofing nearby for 10cents on the dollar. Used some for one coop and the rest for the bottom of compost piles to keep tree roots out.
OSB is way cheaper than plywood and if well painted and kept dry it can hold up outdoors.
I like shingles for a long lasting roof on a pretty coop. Sometimes building supply places have broken bundles for about half price.
I also use 45 mil EPDM rubber for roofing on one building. It can even be used on a flat roof. It's lightweight, not very expensive, goes on fast, outlasts any other roofing material and can be purchased in any size. I glue it down.
2x2 too wimpy. 2x3 acceptable but not much cost savings, 2x4x8' is the cheapest new lumber per board ft.
Plan for good ventilation. Helps cool in the summer and reduce humidity in winter. Ridge vents if you don't get a lot of snow which would cover the vents. Gable vents work for most people and windows you can either open or just holes in the walls covered with hardware cloth to keep varmints out.
A coop without adequate ventilation will kill birds quicker than one that is too cold
I built mine high enough to put a garden cart next to it and rake the shavings right into it. I used those dek-blocks for piering they are concrete blocks that accept upright 4x4s or horizontal 2x6 lumber and you just set them on the ground. saves lots of time.
My friends think I'm nuts for putting guttering on a chicken coop but it's the single smartest thing I did. That along with roofing the part of the run adjacent to the coop insures a dry area for the girls to play in year round. I run the drainage from the guttering with pvc to my compost piles so I rarely have to water them.
Just make sure you have good drainage for the run or you'll always have a muddy mess.
And yes patandchickens, there is a direct correlation between the room chickens have and problems. You can't have too much space.
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We built an 8 by 8 coop back in 1993 and it is still going strong. Prices of lumber were up after the Gulf War and I think we spent $500 excluding the windows and vents that we scrounged. It is about 8 ft high in the front going down to 4 ft in the back, as hubby was frugal. It has not been a problem. We re-shingled in 2006 with leftovers from our house roof redo and stained it twice more in 18 years (3 total). We used T111 board and used opaque stain that looks like paint. The coop is still as solid as when it was built. I used T111 again last year to build a bantam coop. I started with 9 chickens, have 14 in it now & have had as many as 21 years ago. It is always nice to build bigger, but an 8 by 8 is a nice size coop either way.
Don't use 2x2's. You can get away with it for a while, but...........................
An elevated coop gives you an area where you can place a feeder, and it gives teh chickens a place to get out of the rain.
An elevated coop gives you an area where you can place a feeder, and it gives teh chickens a place to get out of the rain.
This is my 8x8
At the moment it houses 7 chickens
We just bought it at Lowes
ETA: We made a stupid mistake of building it at the bottom of a slope, so the run can get VERy muddy!
At the moment it houses 7 chickens
We just bought it at Lowes
ETA: We made a stupid mistake of building it at the bottom of a slope, so the run can get VERy muddy!
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- Jan 6, 2011
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I love your coop!! We are building ours now and it will probably look like yours! Were building out of cedar and i think my husbands going to do the shaker siding too. I really like yours! This is our first time building a coop and getting chickens!! Ours is also elevated but a little more than yours! Anyway just wanted to say hey and love your coops!!!
I love your coop!! We are building ours now and it will probably look like yours! Were building out of cedar and i think my husbands going to do the shaker siding too. I really like yours! This is our first time building a coop and getting chickens!! Ours is also elevated but a little more than yours! Anyway just wanted to say hey and love your coops!!!
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