Building a new area for the birds - Please Help me do it right.

[Chullicken]

Thank you ALL for the replies!

So, I need to dig at least a foot to put the fence barrier. This brings me back to HOW DEEP should I make the SAND? AND can I count that in the one foot depth? I also plan to put a wire skirt around the edges - as deep as I can get it. I have a variety of scrap wire - chicken wire, hardware cloth, and goat fence.

I sure wish I could say that our burrowing critters were gone for the winter! Last month, I had to shut off the water for a repair. Below is a picture of what I found when I opened the well house! (picture was AFTER I had dug out the shut off valve!) Unfortunately, I was only able to put a wire skirt on 3 sides of the well house when I rebuilt it. I don't know where all the lines run and was scared I would damage something! Yesterday, I noticed that a critter had tried to dig in the well house, again - but the buried hardware cloth stopped them!
View attachment 1216787 View attachment 1216788 View attachment 1216789

I am not sure how many 80# bags of sand it would take to do both structures, but if I imagine laying the bags -unopened- I would say probably 10 bags per structure?? That's 20 bags. I have not found it for less than $6 a bag, but I will go with your $4 - that's still $80. Money is a HUGE obstacle with every project, but unless I am wrong about the amount of sand it will take...

I was unable to get any sand delivered today - so I guess my project is on hold until after Christmas.

Welcome to the world of construction..nothing involving earth moving of any type is cheap. =) With a predator skirt, its recommended you go down a foot and out a foot. I couldn't do a foot down due in part to my coop location is nothing but maple tree roots so I was able to do about 6" which has worked for me so far and I went the 1' out. Now with the base of your run you can choose to bury the plates if you wish using pressure treated or it will be nothing in a year and then add your skirt out. Keep in mind once you dig out that run trench, you will be able to still use the dirt you removed. It will be greatly less compacted when you put it in so keep in mind you may have to add in a few layers later on once it settles.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It will take more bags than the effort is worth. If you want to do sand, get the truck delivery. I doubt it will be more expensive than the bags. If you don't think you can use it all, have them dump half into the chicken area and half somewhere else. You'll eventually find a use for the rest.

It would help us if we knew what species your burrowing critters were.

Your original post said the coop was 30 sq. in. Is that true?

 

[aart]

So, I need to dig at least a foot to put the fence barrier. This brings me back to HOW DEEP should I make the SAND? AND can I count that in the one foot depth? I also plan to put a wire skirt around the edges - as deep as I can get it. I have a variety of scrap wire - chicken wire, hardware cloth, and goat fence.

Dig down 1 foot, line the entire hole(bottom and sides) with small mesh (1/4" to 1/2"), anything with larger holes will be a waste of time as it won't deter the rodents, fill hole back up. I don't see any reason to buy sand to fill the hole.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Dig down 1 foot, line the entire hole(bottom and sides) with small mesh (1/4" to 1/2"), anything with larger holes will be a waste of time as it won't deter the rodents, fill hole back up. I don't see any reason to buy sand to fill the hole.

 

[Enchanted1s]

It will take more bags than the effort is worth. If you want to do sand, get the truck delivery. I doubt it will be more expensive than the bags. If you don't think you can use it all, have them dump half into the chicken area and half somewhere else. You'll eventually find a use for the rest.

It would help us if we knew what species your burrowing critters were.

Your original post said the coop was 30 sq. in. Is that true?

Couldn't agree more! @ChickenCanoe

I seem to be confusing with my terms. Someone here pointed out that the 'coop' is just the box they sleep in - not the entire enclosure - (I was calling the structure as a whole the coop). The existing structure that I have is about 8 foot by 6 foot. The box they sleep in is about 30 inches square. The plans for the new structure - about 10 foot by 4 foot with the sleeping box being about 4 foot square. My plan is to put sand on the floor of both structures - not inside the sleeping box.

I thought I had pics of the existing structure here? Maybe not, I will post it again. @aart - I was planning on using some of the goat fence pieces for under the structure. I guess I will save that for the next time I can afford concrete... I HATE manual dirt work! I sure don't want to do all that for nothing! You don't see a reason for the SAND??? I thought I had read that many feel it is the best choice for the floor???? In the existing structure, I just have dirt with some Hay on the floor.

AND THANK YOU EVERYONE!

The existing structure... When winter and storms were near and I came to realize that this chicken is going to stay - we bought one of those coops in a box. Rudy & Tootie spent a few nights in that tiny thing. I realized that it was just too small - even for just one hen & one rooster, so I used all of the pieces and rebuilt it to offer something more acceptable.

Coop in a box...
Existing Structure...

 

[Enchanted1s]

It will take more bags than the effort is worth. If you want to do sand, get the truck delivery. I doubt it will be more expensive than the bags. If you don't think you can use it all, have them dump half into the chicken area and half somewhere else. You'll eventually find a use for the rest.

It would help us if we knew what species your burrowing critters were.

Your original post said the coop was 30 sq. in. Is that true?

I knew I forgot to address something... What burrowing critters? I think we have them all! In the pic I posted with the Wellhouse, there is a picture of one of the critters - live and in person! I was about 100 feet away when I took the pic, so it is hard to say if it is a squirrel or a ground hog - we have both. I believe we also have possums, and of course mice, rats and/or voles. Before we had chickens, we had LOTS of RoadRunners! I haven't really seen many since the chickens.

 

[aart]

I seem to be confusing with my terms. .

Yes, you've had your terms confused from the beginning, several have tried to explain it. Chicken Canoe labeled your photo correctly.

I thought I had pics of the existing structure here? Maybe not, I will post it again. @aart - I was planning on using some of the goat fence pieces for under the structure. I guess I will save that for the next time I can afford concrete... I HATE manual dirt work! I sure don't want to do all that for nothing! You don't see a reason for the SAND???

If you want to dig down under area where chickens are to put mesh to deter anything digging, you have to go deep, but you don't have to fill it all with sand, you could just use sand on the top if that's what you want as bedding. I'm guessing your soil is pretty 'sandy' anyway.

 

[Enchanted1s]

Yes, you've had your terms confused from the beginning, several have tried to explain it. Chicken Canoe labeled your photo correctly.


If you want to dig down under area where chickens are to put mesh to deter anything digging, you have to go deep, but you don't have to fill it all with sand, you could just use sand on the top if that's what you want as bedding. I'm guessing your soil is pretty 'sandy' anyway.

So what is the correct term for the entire structure? If I just call it the structure - does that clear things up??

Our soil is somewhat sandy, is suppose. It is hard as a rock right now LOL. Unfortunately, the area the chickens (and goats) are in is where the leach field is. This is my first property with a well and septic - working around this 'leach field' hump has been a challenge! I am not sure how far I can dig to set posts etc. BUT, it looks like both structures will be just barely past the end of the leach field. So, I'm thinking around 4 to 6 inches depth on the sand? Does that sound right?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

We usually call the building they go into at night the coop.
The wired in larger space where they spend most of their day is usually referred to as the run or pen.
If no pen and they are free to roam = free range.
When you say the box they sleep in, are you talking about the nest box? Once maturing, they should be sleeping on a roost. The roost should be wide enough so they can cover their toes at night if it gets cold there. Most use a 2X4 with the wide side up for a roost.
They shouldn't sleep in the nest box. That is a habit that causes poopy eggs. The nest box is strictly for laying eggs. One way to prevent it is to have the roost higher than the nest boxes since they like to sleep as high as possible.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

Why are you using sand? Do you like the idea of cleaning it like a big ole cat box? Or hauling it out once it stinks too bad? Have you looked into the deep litter method?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-a-chicken-coop-or-run.1203309/#post-19072383

Good luck

Gary