building the run first with cedar - feedback?

[spiderbakesale]

I have a carport that I'm turning into a run, its 10x20 with a sturdy tarp top. I plan on ditching the flimsy polls while keeping the roof and replacing the polls with 4"x4"x8' posts sunk 2' into the ground with gravel packed into the hole. There will be one 8' post in the center of the run to hold a crossbeam that will act as a support and a perch for more agile chickies. There will be 2"x6" boards running along the base of the run and hardware cloth 18" out on the ground which will hopefully also be layered in gravel one day. The top will have 2"x4" boards along it, all of these screwed into the 8' supports.

The coop itself will be made of pine, most likely. But for the run, I would like to use cedar. I've heard some things about cedar but most of the "AH NO" feedback for that is about using it inside the coop. For an outdoor run I would think its pretty well ventilated and will help a lot with keeping bugs from eating the wood too quickly.

Any reason not to use cedar for the run? The chickens will be in contact with cedar products outside of their run when they're free-ranging and I feel like it shouldn't be a biggie but I also want to do things right the first time, not do them twice.

 

[rjohns39]

The issue with cedar is the aromatics properties of shavings, they cause respiratory problems in the birds, especially young birds. That said, I would think kiln dried or air cured dimensional lumber should be fine.

I would also suggest cutting it away from the birds.

 

[Dayrel]

You are on the right track. I wouldn't worry about using cedar for the run. It will be open and the air will clear away the aromatic vapors. I'd be much more concerned about using it for the coop or worse as shavings.

 

[spiderbakesale]

Thanks so much! I don't have any birds yet, so no worries about cutting it by them. My coworker is holding a roo and might be holding a few sebrights for me till my coop is up and running. At this rate, it seems that it might be quicker than previously suspected!

I'll definitely share the process, since I think its a pretty good option for a medium-sized run. I only plan on 10 chickens, mostly bantams, but by the calculations there should be room for as many as 30 in my finished coop-run (10x30), if I'm doing math right. Which, yknow, I'm not great at haha.

 

[Dayrel]

Standard number for full-sized chickens is 4sqft in the coop/bird and 10sqft in the run/bird. My experience is that those are pretty good numbers. Of course with bantams, you can crowd them into a somewhat smaller space.

 

[spiderbakesale]

Right I forgot the coop number is different than the run number! So more like 25 chickens, my coop is probably going to be 10x10 since we have cold winters in Wisconsin and I can't imagine being cooped up in a tiny little thing on really chilly days

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome! I didn't read your entire plan for framing, but do make sure that you've studied snow load requirements, and then consider overbuilding a bit if possible. Will 2' deep be good enough? Some footings may be needed too. Cedar will be fine for framing, or treated lumber, or treated fence posts. Build as large as you can, because having chickens can be addicting, and add up! Mary

 

[aart]

Most dimensional cedar lumber is not likely the aromatic variety anyway.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Cedar gives off fumes that repel insects and, if they build up, can cause respiratory problems with chickens. You don't want to build nests or solid coops from cedar, the fumes can build up if they are trapped. Also shavings have a lot more surface area than solid cedar lumber so they give off a lot more fumes per volume. You don't want to use cedar shavings as bedding for nests or coops.

I would not hesitate to use cedar lumber in a well ventilated run where the fumes will not build up. The added bonus is that cedar heartwood is very rot and insect resistant as you mentioned. It can be a good choice for a run, especially the parts that touch the ground. A disadvantage is that cedar is pretty expensive unless you have a source. For parts that don't touch the ground and don't stay wet, pine is a good choice.

You are working with a 10 x 20 carport that helps set you dimensions. But I think the coop will be built off to the side so maybe you are not committed to a 10 x 10 coop. I'll mention that many building materials come in 4' and 8' dimensions, at least the more economical sizes. You can often reduce cutting and waste if you take this into account when designing your coop. You have to be careful that you use out-to-out dimensions, not centerline dimensions. An 8 x 12 will give you about the same area as a 10 x 10 and may be easier and less expensive to build. An 8 x 16 may cost a bit more but not much. Just something to consider.

I don't believe in magic numbers for chicken space, you can follow the link in my signature for my reasons. In Wisconsin you are going to have some rough snowy weather. Your covered run will help but snow and wind will blow in that run. Chickens don't like to be out in snow much, though they can get used to it. They don't like strong cold winds hitting them. Mine go out in the run with temps below 0 degrees Fahrenheit but not if a strong wind is hitting them or they wake up to a white world outside. You can help yourself a lot if you can create some areas in that run where the wind is blocked and snow does not accumulate.

My suggestion is to build larger than you think you need or restrict the number of chickens. The more I crowd mine the more behavioral problems I have to deal with, the harder I have to work, and the less flexibility I have to deal with issues.