Building new coop and new to Chickens

[dustnik]

Currently have 4 silkies and plan to have Buff Orpington's. Currently using a run with temporary coop until the new coop Is built.

The footage for the run will be 8 x 12. the coop will be a 4 x 8 inside the run 2 foot off the ground.

I have placed a cement footing that is roughly 5 to 6 inches deep for the foundation. Hoping this would prevent any predators from entering underneath.

I live in Northeast Texas so I'm not too concerned about cold freezing winters. I'm planning on having a open floor for the coop instead of a sheet of plywood. Are there any recommendations as far as using hardware cloth or see next picture or other options for flooring that would make it easier to clean the coop and provide ventilation for the hot summers in Texas?

Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[crested1990]

That mesh would work fine as long as the birds are a couple of months old at least and have decent sized feet. It looks like it would work awesomely

 

[chynasparks]

I like what you've got going there. I like that wire too. We just conpleted our coop today and moved my 4 3month old pullets in. We chose to place it over a concrete slab we have in the yard to keep varmints from tunneling in. My husband built this coop and its probably stronger than our house lol. It's 4x8x6 foot high. I've been worried about my choice to use sand over the concrete but now that they are in I'm so glad I did. It's a nice soft pad for junoing off perches. It has a ground floor of the sand and an upper enclosed area for nesting and roosting. I can go inside to be with them, clean and feed them. It didn't take them long to walk the ladder to the first landing but they haven't gone inside the coop yet. I should have had balloons for move in day!

 

[ducks2chickens]

Dustnik, how did you build your A-frame coop/run. I'm trying to build a mini coop/run in my big run for shade.

 

[BStump]

Looking good!

My 2 Cents: I had a wire floor in my old coop under the roosts. The open spaces were large enough to where I could hose off the poop from the wire. If the mesh was any tighter it would have been a real bear to clean!

~Brian

 

[flock4mebane]

I think you did a great job on both designs. It shows you intend to offer your chickens the best life possible. Kudos!

 

[buttercup95]

I had originally planned on installing a window in that space but I don't want the possibility of chicken poop dropping down on the nest boxes. I would hate to have wasted space inside the chicken coop. another option is to close it in add doors on the outside and make a space to store food and other supplies.

Oh that's a good idea you could certainly keep the food dry and it would be a good use of space.

 

[aart]

...... but once you put your hand around her neck and scooter off the egg she go back to being very docile.

LOL that would do it!

 

[aart]

lol, I didn't mean as in, strangling the chicken. Circling your thumb and pointer finger in a C shape at the base of her neck and using the other three fingers over the wing in a scooping motion to move her off the eggs, just to control her head and she can't reach around and pick you anymore. ("There was no harm done to any animals with this method")

I know you didn't mean actually strangling her to death...but just the 'threat' of strangulation would show her who's boss!

 

[shgreen1]

Sounds good. No predator problems yet?