Building a new coop, suggestions welcome

[enrgizerbunny]

Really enjoyed reading this thread so far. Definitely worth making it into an article.

Can't wait to see the finished coop!

That's my plan after I complete it.

Working on sheathing today.

 

[aart]

That's my plan after I complete it.

Best to wait until coop is done, and maybe used for a few months, before making an article about it.

Working on sheathing today.

Will you also have a ridge vent?

 

[enrgizerbunny]

Best to wait until coop is done, and maybe used for a few months, before making an article about it.


Will you also have a ridge vent?

Yes ridge vent and gables/eaves open. Will consider louvers on the gables after a few rains, but my plan is to leave it all open and put metal mesh on the ceiling and a sheet of plywood over the roof joists so that I can store straw, pine shavings, etc like a barn loft.

 

[enrgizerbunny]

Miscalculation on the sheathing and I'm short two pieces. No biggie though, got the roof and everything else finished.

12:12 roof is not for the faint of heart! Definitely not the pitch you want if it's your first building project.

 

[enrgizerbunny]

Best to wait until coop is done, and maybe used for a few months, before making an article about it.


Will you also have a ridge vent?

If I wasn't descriptive enough, imagine a sheet of plywood on the joists and the red triangle remaining open.

 

[aart]

If I wasn't descriptive enough, imagine a sheet of plywood on the joists and the red triangle remaining open.

That's a gable vent.
A ridge vent runs along the top edge of were the 2 roof planes meet.
Maybe google it?

 

[enrgizerbunny]

That's a gable vent.
A ridge vent runs along the top edge of were the 2 roof planes meet.
Maybe google it?

I know what it is. That's why the ridge is cut back an inch in the picture I took from the top. I have to cut the other side back- ran out of time this afternoon.

 

[aart]

I know what it is. That's why the ridge is cut back an inch in the picture I took from the top. I have to cut the other side back- ran out of time this afternoon.

Sorry guess I missed your point.

 

[enrgizerbunny]

Sorry guess I missed your point.

No worries, I was more concerned about trying to describe the loft situation in the top. It'll have 8 feet of ridge vent, which may or may not be effective with the open gables, although I'm confident that I'll end up making louvers out of some planks and at least covering the gable ends, but not sheathing them and putting vinyl siding up.

I'm hoping to have a situation where I can keep a few layer hens, but I have the ability to scale up if I want to raise a bunch of meat birds if I so choose. Additionally, I'd love to get meat rabbits in the future and being able to put some hutches in with the birds would be great, especially in the wintertime.

 

[aart]

No worries, I was more concerned about trying to describe the loft situation in the top. It'll have 8 feet of ridge vent, which may or may not be effective with the open gables, although I'm confident that I'll end up making louvers out of some planks and at least covering the gable ends, but not sheathing them and putting vinyl siding up.

Both gables and ridge will be good, not the same as in a residential attic.
Louvers might be good if you get wind driven rain/snow.
The fly rafters(I love them!!) might make louvers unnecessary

I'm hoping to have a situation where I can keep a few layer hens, but I have the ability to scale up if I want to raise a bunch of meat birds if I so choose. Additionally, I'd love to get meat rabbits in the future and being able to put some hutches in with the birds would be great, especially in the wintertime.

Not sure how much you can scale up with the foot print(6x6'?) you have.