Building a 4x8 Coop inside 10x10 dog kennel

[drinkoj]

Sounds like a good plan.

Keeping chickens is cheep, housing them is not.
I sold some stuff to afford my coop, but I only the bottom 2' of my run has HC, just to keep chicks and bedding contained.

That's the truth. My wife and I definitely didn't expect all this expense. My AKC Australian Shepherd puppy, crate, and supplies is going to be less expensive than these chickens and their housing.

 

[aart]

Thank you. I was thinking about using some left over chain-link fencing that I have to use as a canopy fence cover OR using the 1"x 2" welded fencing I have to do the job. We already have a tarp over the enclosure which we will use to provide shade.

What do you think about using 1" holed chicken wire, wrapped around the 10x10 chain link fencing? That would almost always create a spacing within the fence of about 1/2". And then adding 2' of hardware cloth to the ground outside the kennel?

Would prevent 'reach thrus'...
...but the tarp on top may be a weak point.
Needs to have wire(or something) under it both to keep critters out and make sure it's supported well enough to shed rain.

 

[pozees2]

Thank you. I was thinking about using some left over chain-link fencing that I have to use as a canopy fence cover OR using the 1"x 2" welded fencing I have to do the job. We already have a tarp over the enclosure which we will use to provide shade.

What do you think about using 1" holed chicken wire, wrapped around the 10x10 chain link fencing? That would almost always create a spacing within the fence of about 1/2". And then adding 2' of hardware cloth to the ground outside the kennel?

If you can make a support frame to hold up chain link on top it's probably your best bet to protect from climbers and birds of prey. We have birds of prey here on and off throughout the year, the ones that stay the longest are Coopers, which I wasn't that worried about until a neighbor 5 miles to the south said she was standing in her yard and watched one take out her largest hen (Partridge Rock) before she could do anything about it (she was too far away). You can also surround it with some electric fence - the kind that looks like rope is pretty manageable, with step-in stakes and a small charger, as long as the ground stays moist at the grounding rods; here that turns out to be a daily task, it's very dry here.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Question: How in the heck do ya'll afford all the hardware cloth I see on these coops and runs that are completely covered in it? I'm looking at $600-700 in materials just to build the coop without even dealing with fencing materials.

I cry and then I pull out the credit card and pay for it anyways.

My coop and run could buy a used car, easily. Cost of labor here is absurd. And then even after that I did all the final touches like installing the apron and netting and building the roost myself.

but I only the bottom 2' of my run has HC, just to keep chicks and bedding contained.

Same here. Plus I know aart and I are both usually at home, so our runs are not built to be predator proof, just predator resistant. I can hear the chickens' alarm call from my computer, and the run is just outside the living room so I can look out to see what's harassing them.

 

[drinkoj]

If anyone ever says building a coop is easy, they need to be smacked. The picture doesn’t show I but I have cut the window and chicken door out along with glueing the 2x4s to the plywood. Just waiting for it to dry

 

[MrFluffyandGirls]

View attachment 2170324
If anyone ever says building a coop is easy, they need to be smacked. The picture doesn’t show I but I have cut the window and chicken door out along with glueing the 2x4s to the plywood. Just waiting for it to dry

I've never seen anyone frame a building using glue. You need to borrow a nail gun and then you'd be breezing though it!

 

[drinkoj]

I've never seen anyone frame a building using glue. You need to borrow a nail gun and then you'd be breezing though it!

Compressor died 2 weeks ago and cannot wait till Father's Day for my new one w/ a nail gun. Using decking screws and having to fix my cutting mistakes as I go. Got 2 sides and the base done now, so I'm taking time off the get other things done this week.

 

[drinkoj]

Some updated pics of the coop progress

 

[drinkoj]

Bad picture but primed and sealed it late in the evening so I could get it ready for painting this weekend. Primed the inside floor and about 16” up the walls as I am going to use a patio paint instead of vinyl rolled flooring , as I had paint in hand.

Question I have is, do I even need to patio paint the inside if I primed and sealed it? Used the Bulls eye 1-2-3 primer sealer

 

[rosemarythyme]

Question I have is, do I even need to patio paint the inside if I primed and sealed it? Used the Bulls eye 1-2-3 primer sealer

I would paint the floor at least for extra protection, as that gets the most wear and tear. Walls are completely optional.