building chicken coop with pictures along the way and it is finished

[badbowtie]

I got a couple more things done tonight I have to put runners for them to walk up the ramp how far apart do they need to be? I am going to go tomorrow and get some fence to be able to figure out where the rest of my boards go and start painting. I have some of that 3' wide metal barn siding I am going to use for the coop and should I do the whole roof of the run with it or only maye the first 3' section coming out of the coop? Also I did raise it a couple more inches do to the advice of go higher. Also the access door they have from the run to the coop, the air that leakes around the nesting box lid, and the air around the access door to do maintence in the coop is that enough air for them? Am I on the right track?

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Orient your roost so the pvc feeder is a foot away from it otherwise it will be more than pine shavings that get into the feed. Also you'll want it a foot from wall so they have plenty space to roost. Many use 2X4 so feet are flat and warmed by feathers in winter. I did'nt use a poop board and have openings, to nest and doors, 4" up to provide 3 to 4" of pine shavings. Personally I just laquered the floor for seal when hosing out for spring cleaning.

As for air vents, no, that is not enough. There is a good equation for air venting if your roof is gabled. Sounds like your not going that route so keep in mind that do to chickens exhaling and general poop fumes each chicken requires minimum of 0.5 cubic ft per min of freash air. That's enough to circulate out fumes from poop and exhast the moisture to prevent frost inside your coop in winter. Believe it or not it's not the below 0 temps that damage birds in winter it's the moisture that frost bites their combs and feet at a mere 32 F if not vented out.

With a gable sloped from 4:12 to 6:12 pitch, physics dictates (tried and tested), that 2.5 SQ inches per bird per eave end and total in gables will provide 0.5 cubic ft per min air circulation. i.e, if you have 4 birds that would be 10 square inches vent along each eave and 5 square in each gable. To do that you can drill 6-3/4 inch hole per bird along eaves or just have continuous small gap along eaves. This is far more efficient than large vents at top and only works with proper slope so take this info with a grain of salt. Much more venting is needed if you go a different route. On my page you'll see I used far less than this by drilling holes and calculating in wind speed as I'm right on a river with constant wind...just to let you know I did'nt heat this winter and my coop never had frost inside.

 

[badbowtie]

I could drill 3/4 inch holes across the top which would be right under the roof. Facing the west and east for a draft flow or should I drill like maybe 6 holes a inch or two down from the top on all four sides did you screen them or just leave them open. Also for the roof of the run should I cover the entire thing or half and half with hardware cloth on the uncovered side. I am going to probably only going to do one roost board how high from the floor of the coop is good.

Well I just got back from the hardware store and got the rest of the stuff to finish the only thing I didnt get was something to paint it or stain it with have to figure that out today so I can do that tonight I am going to finish making my doors and maybe get all my screen cut but will need to paint it all before I attach the hardware cloth. Also wood like to figure out all this venting stuff before I paint. I think I have 5 gallons a exterior white paint in the garage somewere.

 

[badbowtie]

I also bought this for my sides I wan to make sure it will work before I open and start cutting it.
http://www.doitbest.com/Utility+Fence-Do+it+Best-model-700668-doitbest-sku-700668.dib

 

[badbowtie]

I have been reading around and found more info and I guess I will do cuts up by the roof and put mesh over them . I will also put grooves to slide plexiglass in if I need to shut them.

 

[badbowtie]

All done and posted two pictures in the first post

 

[wolfandfinch]

Quote:
Fantastic work, it looks great! I can't wait to build mine - but it's going to have to wait

stupid basement renovations taking too long