about to start new coop

[aran]

Hey guys...am heading out tomorrow to buy some lumber to put a coop together with. I need this coop to be about 8x8 for starters ( will inc the size in september when i can afford it...new job)
Is regular old non treated 4x2 ok for the frame? Was thinking of using ply wood for the walls and roof. Is non treated ply wood ok if i use wood stain/sealant over the top after its built? is stain/sealant ok with chickens?


thanks guys.

 

[Poison Ivy]

my coop was built with all 2x4 and pressed plywood for the sides and roof but I covered mine with roofing material works great and its protected from the elements.

 

[aran]

thats fantastic news Ivy...so yours is the pressed plywood even on the outside? did you just paint it with regular outdoor paint to protect the wood? Many thanks for the info!

aran

 

[SkeeredChicken]

If this helps any, I'm making mine out of the cheapest (non treated) 2x4s from Home Depot. I've got a few things to do before I can put the whole thing together. But, for the most part, I guess I'll see how it goes. I plan on covering up the wood with siding.

 

[aran]

well mine is about 3/4 finished...all i got to do is finish the doors , the nesting boxes and put the roof shingles on and paint it and im done! man im totally shagged from working on this all day!!

 

[aran]

ok so today i worked on painting our house mainly but got time for a couple hours on the coop this afternoon...managed to make two rows of 3 nesting boxes ( 14x14x15 each) along one wall of the coop. What I am building is a budgetized version of chickenlips' first coop that she had posted.

 

[aran]

Hi all. OK so the coop had some major renovations yesterday. A buddy of mine who actually knows which end of the hammer to hit the nail with unlike myself came over and laughed out loud at my meagre efforts! I believe he said something along the lines that it wouldnt be able to keep in a dead chicken much less a live one.Soooooo with that starting point he went about pulling apart most of my hard work! We spent the whole afternoon squaring things up, cutting holes for doors, windows and vents and sorting out stuff like roof struts, cross beams, supports etc ( who knew a chicken house would need all this stuff?)

OK so im not quite that stupid but you get the picture. Im a doc NOT a carpenter!

Anyhoo...i have some questions...i have a big pail of clear wood sealant (water proofer).
--> #1. Can i use this without there being lingering fumes/chemicals that would be able to hurt my chickies?
-->#2 Can you paint over this stuff when it dries?
--> I live in Rochester NY...do I need to line the inside of the coop with insulation and another inner layer to the walls? or do i just say you know what? these are chickens, they have feathers and they will be fine?

 

[iopele]

I understand what you're going through, aran! I'm somewhat capable of construction, but have no real tools. I'd like to get a kit to make a coop. Anyone do that? Have one they'd recommend? I have 10 chicks and am planning on breeding them to make a flock of about twenty. Either that, or I'll need to buy a pre-made shed and convert it simply to make it good for chickens. Any recommendations are appreciated!

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

My husband built our first coop which housed 8 birds. When a opossum got got in and killed all but three he decided to go hardcore. He bought an 8 x 10 shed and cut a door in the side and put a 25 foot pen around it. He finished off the nest boxes and roost. Of course he put down a raised plywood floor to make sure nothing could get under. He cut ventilation holes and covered them with wire. Now he is putting in a window. Master carpenter he is not but our girls are safe. It was alittle expensive compared to building your own but This way they are safe from any predators. We have added to our flock and now have 20 girls. They must be OK because we are averaging 16 eggs per day. Its a thought for those of us without skills.

 

[Poison Ivy]

Quote:
Here is a framing kit someof you guys might be interested in. Uses regular cut 2x4's I have a kit at the house I never used I guess I should sell it. Here is the link.

http://www2.northerntool.com/product-1/572.htm