- Apr 29, 2012
- 5
- 0
- 7
I have a storage barn that is roughly 14 x 24. I am planning to build a wall across the back end of it for the coop area, making a room somewhere around 14 x 5 or so. Likely going to bisect it into 2 rooms if needed. I have 8 chicks now, would eventually like my flock to be about a dozen hens. My wife also wanted a couple geese (she ordered 2 toulouse from the feed store that we will bet in a couple weeks) and I ordered up 4 guineas as well...figure they can range around the yard mostly. Im not sure how the birds would all get along in one area, hence the possible need to bisect the coop into two. Im enclosing a 14x12 area behind the barn to serve as the run, might also need to bisect? I dunno.
The barn has a concrete slab, I had thought about building up the floor on a joist system maybe 8" high and going with a plywood floor thinking the concrete might be kind of cold in the winter, but might just go with the concrete after reading some in another section about thermal...ummm...stuff. Which would be the best way to go?
After readfing a forum post on poop boards and Sweet PDZ I am sold on going that route for the roosts. I was thinking about 4-5 feet high if that will be good, higher if need be, I have a 9' ceiling I can work with. Looking at pictures on this site, I have seen some roosts that use a log instead of a 2x4. Is there an advantage to this or is that just a bit of coop cleverness? I have both 2x4 and plenty of 3-4" dia logs available to me so I can go either way. I was thinking Id scatter some sand on the floor instead of wood chips.
For the nesting boxes I was thinking of cutting some 5 gal buckets in half lengthwise and using them as an easy to remove/clean liners, 4-6 boxes, with a rear access door opening into the barn. I'd use wood chips as nexting material.
I'll be putting in windows for light and ventilation, and I can cut in gable vents, etc. The barn itself has no electricity or water. Water can come via the garden hose from the house, and was contemplating setting up a solar panel/battery/AC inverter system in the barn to handle the electrical needs, which I assume would just be a couple light bulbs, maybe a fan.
About half the run area behind the barn is on a concrete slab, the other half is old gravel. I was planning to level it out using crushed limestone and then adding sand on top in the run. Im putting in a decent sized garden on one side of the barn and fencing it in, was planning on having the garden enclosure butt up to the run and putting in a gate to let the girls range in the garden when Im home, keep them in the run when Im gone, and close them in the coop at night.
As for local predators. I have coyotes, foxes, hawks, etc to contend with, I think my bases are mostly covered there. As far as clever predators, racoons, weasels, etc...Im hoping they wont be able to get into the barn, but I might have to address the dig-under situation with the run. I dunno, do we even have weasels here in SE Wisconsin? I have never seen one...but ya cant be too careful.
My biggest concerns come with winter. The coop walls are all 2x4 stud framed which will allow for a full 3 1/2" of insularion. Was thinking of using storm doors in the interior, unless its recommended I build more solid interior doors with better insulating capabilities. I could insulate the rafters or put some polystyrene board across the joists to help contain the heat...but that might restrict ventilation. What else is required to winterize that I should be thinking about here in the design phase? Will a couple lightbulbs be sufficient in winter? Im in SE Wisconsin to our winters are could, but not brutally so, typically anyhow.
Well, thats about all I can think of to inquire about/run past you experts for now. I am a former carpenter/contractor so I have fairly high construction abilities if anyone has ideas or suggestions, I am more than happy (and capable) to make modifications. Heck, just reading the information available here at BYC I have been mentally modifying my design for the last couple days. I outta get building in a couple days and got a little time to play with (chicks are between 2-3 weeks old).
I thank you all in advance for any input or advice you have.
The barn has a concrete slab, I had thought about building up the floor on a joist system maybe 8" high and going with a plywood floor thinking the concrete might be kind of cold in the winter, but might just go with the concrete after reading some in another section about thermal...ummm...stuff. Which would be the best way to go?
After readfing a forum post on poop boards and Sweet PDZ I am sold on going that route for the roosts. I was thinking about 4-5 feet high if that will be good, higher if need be, I have a 9' ceiling I can work with. Looking at pictures on this site, I have seen some roosts that use a log instead of a 2x4. Is there an advantage to this or is that just a bit of coop cleverness? I have both 2x4 and plenty of 3-4" dia logs available to me so I can go either way. I was thinking Id scatter some sand on the floor instead of wood chips.
For the nesting boxes I was thinking of cutting some 5 gal buckets in half lengthwise and using them as an easy to remove/clean liners, 4-6 boxes, with a rear access door opening into the barn. I'd use wood chips as nexting material.
I'll be putting in windows for light and ventilation, and I can cut in gable vents, etc. The barn itself has no electricity or water. Water can come via the garden hose from the house, and was contemplating setting up a solar panel/battery/AC inverter system in the barn to handle the electrical needs, which I assume would just be a couple light bulbs, maybe a fan.
About half the run area behind the barn is on a concrete slab, the other half is old gravel. I was planning to level it out using crushed limestone and then adding sand on top in the run. Im putting in a decent sized garden on one side of the barn and fencing it in, was planning on having the garden enclosure butt up to the run and putting in a gate to let the girls range in the garden when Im home, keep them in the run when Im gone, and close them in the coop at night.
As for local predators. I have coyotes, foxes, hawks, etc to contend with, I think my bases are mostly covered there. As far as clever predators, racoons, weasels, etc...Im hoping they wont be able to get into the barn, but I might have to address the dig-under situation with the run. I dunno, do we even have weasels here in SE Wisconsin? I have never seen one...but ya cant be too careful.
My biggest concerns come with winter. The coop walls are all 2x4 stud framed which will allow for a full 3 1/2" of insularion. Was thinking of using storm doors in the interior, unless its recommended I build more solid interior doors with better insulating capabilities. I could insulate the rafters or put some polystyrene board across the joists to help contain the heat...but that might restrict ventilation. What else is required to winterize that I should be thinking about here in the design phase? Will a couple lightbulbs be sufficient in winter? Im in SE Wisconsin to our winters are could, but not brutally so, typically anyhow.
Well, thats about all I can think of to inquire about/run past you experts for now. I am a former carpenter/contractor so I have fairly high construction abilities if anyone has ideas or suggestions, I am more than happy (and capable) to make modifications. Heck, just reading the information available here at BYC I have been mentally modifying my design for the last couple days. I outta get building in a couple days and got a little time to play with (chicks are between 2-3 weeks old).
I thank you all in advance for any input or advice you have.
