Building 4x4 Barn style coop with 4x8 run

[tbatz11]

A friend of my husbands, a fellow volunteer firefighter, was hit by a pickup being chased by the police. He was in his work van. Even though he was wearing a seatbelt, it broke on impact and he was flung out the front window. He will most likely not make it. I'm waiting to hear news from Mike on whether there is any brain activity. He was at the hospital till midnight or so last night and headed back first thing this morning.

I don't know how to feel when things like this happen. I had only met him a few times.

Just as i'm typing this Mike texted me. No brain activity.

 

[twfernandez]

@tbatz11 , our hearts and prayers go out to you and yours, your friend and his family.

T&S

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

So sorry.

 

[tbatz11]

Our friend passed this evening at 7:49pm. His heart stopped about 15 minutes after the ventilator was removed. I know this is a chicken site, but I felt the need to share this.

I like to immerse myself with work when bad things happen. I put a second coat of paint on the trim I started yesterday, while that was drying I framed one of the windows with pvc trim. I would have liked to do the whole coop with it but at $6+ for an 8 foot section but it's just not in the budget.
I nailed it in and put on one coat of paint to try to cover the nails. I'll have to do another coat tomorrow. I love knowing how to use a miter saw!





I then nailed 1/4" aspen boards I found to use as the trim for inside the large door



This is how far we got so far


I put two coats of red paint on the parts that could be painted (I think I did the second coat yesterday, I can't remember)
I also cut and painted 1x3" furring boards for trim on the outside of the door. I don't really know why they're called "furring" boards, but they are just 1x3 pine boards that are rounded on all edges. I cut the top one at the wrong angle and didn't notice it till after I was about to nail it in. When I went to get another board (I had 3 left) I saw they they all had warped and bowed even more than they were at the store, and the ones I picked out were the "straight ones". They were laying flat on the floor so maybe the humidity helped with that. I decided not to screw around with it anymore and will go buy some better wood tomorrow. Not looking forward to the painting part though. I really do like to paint, anything, but I have carpal tunnel in my left wrist (i'm a leftie) so the next day it's a constant pain.

Chick update:
They're getting so big! I've been giving them boiled or scrambled eggs for the past 3 days as a treat. My buff orpington is the least shyest so far. She was the first to eat out of my hand. On the second day the wyandotte joined in, and today one of the americaunas did. So maybe tomorrow I can get all 4 of them to do it. It's sooo funny to watch them chase each other when one has food in her beak.
They're also starting to take dust baths in the shavings. I keep meaning to put an actual dust bath in there for them but I always get sidetracked and forget.

 

[tbatz11]

I forgot to mention... Yesterday and today I've been having serious builder's remorse. I keep reading posts on here and other articles about what goes inside a coop and how "more space" is better and all I can think is that our coop is too small. It's most likely fine for 4 hens, which is all we can have, but I can't stop thinking that it just isn't big enough.

The inside is 3' 4 3/8" by the same. My brain had envisioned a 4x4 coop having 16 square feet, not the 11.something that we ended up with. I wish we had made it 4x6, or looked around at all the hardware stores to see what materials were available to us and built it with thicker plywood and only a few 2x4's for the frame support instead of framing each wall.

Now there is no way that I can think of to make it bigger. I'm sure i'll get over it eventually, but for now i'm going to be moody and broody

One of the reasons I'm not happy with the coop size is because I read that people put a dust bath inside during the winter because if it's too cold then they won't go outside and can easily get bored being inside and then start pecking at each other. And I had already planned to keep the food and water inside.

There are also many different views on how to place the roosts. Some say all the same level and others say tiered. I'm really confused about what/how I should do mine

 

[Terra777]

Love this!! May take some ideas!

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

I live in the mountains of Colorado and it gets cold and snowy here. There hasn't been a day that I haven't allowed my chickens outside if they want to go outside. I did build my run so that a large part of it is sheltered from thte snow and from much of the wind. One winter when it was really cold and very windy I also draped a bunch of the remainder of the run with thick plastic to help cut down on thewind. If you weatherize your run, you may find that it reduces your builders remorse about the size of your coop.

As I've said before, you have built a beauitiful little coop. Part of your moody and broodyness may be coming from the tragedy that has taken place in your life. It will spill over on all sorts of other projects and issues. You are doing great!

 

[tbatz11]

Thank you @Hummingbird Hollow ! That's a great Idea to winterize the run!

I would have never thought of that. I do plan on letting them out every day, I was afraid they wouldn't Want to go out if it gets too cold for them. But if I wrap up part of the run with plastic that will be a huge help in keeping the icy wind and snow out and then they can take their dust baths safely!

I can't say enough of how much better this made me feel

I'm also thinking now that we should put a corrugated plastic roof over the run too. We get a LOT of thunder storms and the rain can come down pretty hard, so a roof will help keep the muddiness down. I'm sure the girls will stomp the grass out in no time.

Incase anyone is interested, this is the site my husband used to figure out how to make the roof: http://www.blocklayer.com/Roof/GambrelEng.aspx

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

I've heard of folks using hay bales as wind breaks for their chicken runs. I most definately think a corrugated plastic roof is a great idea. It will mean a tidier run and allow your girls outside time even on rainy days. Make sure there is enough of a slope and enough support so that it doesn't collapse under the weight of a bunch of snow.

I built my first coop towards the back of an old garage/outbuilding that was already on our property. I have since added a much larger outside run, made with 10'longX 6' high chain link dog run pannels but on cold snowy or wet rainy days, the girls still have access to the 4'X8' run under their coop as well as the 6'X12"attachded run. The opening of the outbuilding faces South East, so they also have protection from winds from the North and West. It was easy to add additional wind protection with clear plastic when I felt it might be needed.

 

[jetdog]

I wrap 3 sides and use a clear shower curtain on the front. It acts like a greenhouse and keeps it surprisingly warmer on the cold winter days, let's a ton of sunshine in. Sandwiched between a frame made of strapping and zip tied to the kennel panels.