Builders! How would you fence in and predator proof this run?

[lisasea]

Hey aart! We don't get any snow where we live up in Northern California near the ocean...we really only get heavy rain a month or two out of the year. I sat in the coop during a really heavy wind the other day, and the plastic didn't so much as budge. Because of the drastic angle, the rain seems to slide right off. I think we're lucking out a bit because it's in an area that's protected from wind and most rain. Will keep an eye on it though! Could send a long 2X6 from the carport to the gate down the middle if it sags any further. We used a lot of those water tight hex screws.

Here are a few more pics of the coop. Dave placed a large clean out door on the left side, I'd say it's at least 2ft wide. There are windows with hardwire mesh in the front, back, and on the side with the egg boxes (cute little egg shaped windows). We lined the bottom with some linoleum stick on tiles. We didn't actually stick them down; it's nice to be able to take them to a sink to clean them with hot water when you get a particularly cement-y poop. We're going to get their food and water out of there soon; they're just getting used to the new setup. I also have a heat lamp in there for now since they went from a 65 degree laundry room to night temps in the 40s...more for my own sanity than their warmth probably. The coop came with the platform it's sitting on, and Dave made it a little taller for us so the ladies can benefit from the sq footage below it. The whole footprint of the coop is 4'X4', and it stands about 5ft tall. Mostly plywood (now sealed by exterior paint), with redwood anywhere it touches the ground. I think the only modification I'll make is to stick a little removable piece of wood at both entrances so my shavings don't fall out every time I open them or the chickens run in and out. Like a threshold of some sort that I can take out when I clean out the coop.

We live in an area where building materials are really expensive, so Dave's modest price tag was well worth it! He's also just a super nice guy and was nice enough to drive three hours to deliver it to us in person. There's no way we could have made something so great on our own.

 

[junebuggena]

Heat lamps in such small coops are extremely dangerous, and completely unnecessary for your temps. The coop has lots of ventilation, but it is poorly positioned in relation to the roosts. This will create a draft blowing on the birds while roosting, which is bad. Vents should be at least one foot above roosting height, to prevent drafts chilling the birds. Cover up those roost level vents, and increase the size of those gable vents. Also, the roosts will be more comfortable if you put them wide side up, rather than narrow side up. I also suggest moving the feed and water out of the coop. They are taking up valuable sq footage, in such a small coop.

 

[3riverschick]

what a lovely coop ad run situation,. It's obvious you did lot of work and research on it. Congrats!
Karen

 

[lisasea]

Hi Junebuggena - Per my last post, we will be moving the food, water and heat lamp out of the coop soon, and the area is completely isolated from wind due to the positioning, gate, and the corrugated roofing. No coop is perfect, but I think this is serving us quite well considering how few chickens we have and the fact that we don't have to worry much about frigid temps. Dave has done a wonderful job with the coop, builds about 80 a year as a retiree, and I'm not going to go messing with his handy work as long as the chickens are doing great. I check on them multiple times per night since this is all new to them, and they even seem to prefer the roost bar closer to the vents, even when the heat lamp is off. Will consider your updates if anything changes. Thanks!

 

[Daox13]

Hey aart! We don't get any snow where we live up in Northern California near the ocean...we really only get heavy rain a month or two out of the year. I sat in the coop during a really heavy wind the other day, and the plastic didn't so much as budge. Because of the drastic angle, the rain seems to slide right off. I think we're lucking out a bit because it's in an area that's protected from wind and most rain. Will keep an eye on it though! Could send a long 2X6 from the carport to the gate down the middle if it sags any further. We used a lot of those water tight hex screws.

Here are a few more pics of the coop. Dave placed a large clean out door on the left side, I'd say it's at least 2ft wide. There are windows with hardwire mesh in the front, back, and on the side with the egg boxes (cute little egg shaped windows). We lined the bottom with some linoleum stick on tiles. We didn't actually stick them down; it's nice to be able to take them to a sink to clean them with hot water when you get a particularly cement-y poop. We're going to get their food and water out of there soon; they're just getting used to the new setup. I also have a heat lamp in there for now since they went from a 65 degree laundry room to night temps in the 40s...more for my own sanity than their warmth probably. The coop came with the platform it's sitting on, and Dave made it a little taller for us so the ladies can benefit from the sq footage below it. The whole footprint of the coop is 4'X4', and it stands about 5ft tall. Mostly plywood (now sealed by exterior paint), with redwood anywhere it touches the ground. I think the only modification I'll make is to stick a little removable piece of wood at both entrances so my shavings don't fall out every time I open them or the chickens run in and out. Like a threshold of some sort that I can take out when I clean out the coop.

We live in an area where building materials are really expensive, so Dave's modest price tag was well worth it! He's also just a super nice guy and was nice enough to drive three hours to deliver it to us in person. There's no way we could have made something so great on our own.

Awesome job!!!!

if you find you need to fix your roof you could get away with a 2x4 or 2x6 right down the center flat instead of upright. I would suggest it and here is why.. while maybe only in heavy winds it will slightly flex, but those fasteners that are designed for water tight fit will flex too in the holes and so will the threads and the threads may eventually strip which is the only thing holding those middle sections together, and you will finds yourself with a leaky roof and one that you will have to continuously patch until you replace. if you were to run a flat 2x4 right down the center from your carport to the other side it will give it some support to keep from flexing in the wind AND you could even use a few of those fasteners and attach the roof to it which will prevent an updraft from flexing it... I'm an over builder so I understand that most are not...

Either way I think you have done a fantastic job!