Checking my design with the experts before I start in the next 2 weeks

[bairo]

All comments welcome.....
10x20 shed is elevated on piers 8 inches off ground with welded 1x1 wire from bottom of shed to ground all the way around. I will wall of back 10x10 for coop, install man door from front half of shed to coop, one window facing south, self powered roof vent, a couple 8 inch screened floor vents i can close if need be, and insulate everything including floor. I guess i'm going to try the deep litter method on top of linolium floor. Pop door will be center rear of shed with walk board and sliding on bearings and metal drawer slides with a safety lock. 4-boxes on right side 24" off ground, ladder type perch up left side all the way to top with big poop board underneath. Ladder will be hinged at top so i can tilt it up and slide out poop board

Run comes off rear of shed and goes left and right of back half of shed and will be privacy fenced on both sides and 8' wire across the back and on top with hardware cloth on coop side of wire.

12 large hens, 1 rooster, 100 sq.ft. coop, 550 sq.ft. run. (Keep in mind that I know the run is big enough normally.....but I will not be able to free range much at all outside of run.

I've researched quite a bit over the last year, but probably missed something. Please chime in with anything you would do differently and why.
Thanks so much everyone.

 

[elmo]

My first question for you is about the 1" by 1" wire covering the gap underneath the foundation. Is it your aim just to keep chickens out from under the coop, or are you trying to keep mice and rats out of there? If you're attempting to keep rats and mice out, the 1" openings probably won't do the trick. I used hardware cloth with 1/2" by 1/2" spacing and am kinda crossing my fingers because I know it's possible for mice to squeeze through openings of that size. Amazing, eh?

The other thing that pops out at me is your plan for floor vents. Do you really mean vents in the floor, or just low down on the walls? I don't see how vents in the actual floor would work in a chicken coop, especially if you're planning on using the deep litter method. In any event,for security any vent needs to be covered with hardware cloth and not just the screening that comes with prefab vents. Vents low down on the walls aren't usually a great idea for winter because of the potential they have to create cold drafts over roosting chickens. For winter, vents up high above chicken roost level tend to work the best.

If you haven't yet read Patandchickens' ventilation page, here it is:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-VENTILATION

Your idea of the mechanical roof vent is probably not the best thing, sorry. First of all, unless it's a quite powerful unit it may not do the job, ventilation wise. And unless you're willing to shell out $$$ for an agricultural unit that's suited to the dusty environment of a chicken barn, you'll need to dust the unit off regularly and frequently so the motor doesn't get clogged and burn out. It's easy cheap to build large, wide vents at the top of walls for passive ventilation. Why not go that route?

Sorry, I'm just not understanding what you mean here:

"Run comes off rear of shed and goes left and right of back half of shed and will be privacy fenced on both sides and 8' wire across the back and on top with hardware cloth on coop side of wire"


Your proposed stocking densities both inside and out look very good. One thing you might even do with a run of that size is cut it into parts (halves, thirds) and use a rotational grazing system. One paddock could be recovering while your chickens enjoy the other one.

 

[bairo]

I appreciate the advice.....The vents I did mean to say low on the wall, dont know why i said floor. I did think about the drafty conditions but figured I would close them in the winter. Since the warm air inside a coop rises, then it seemed logical that convection would pull in fresh air from the bottom and exhaust through the top. The roof turbine I was speaking of is actually a passive unit. The flow of air turns the turbine slowly and helps move air more efficiently (think attic passive type turbine vent). I will def. take a look at that link though. The ventilation problem is the one that has given me the most worry.

What i meant by the fence pattern...There is a state owned (i live next to a freeway) wire fence running at 45 degrees across the back of the shed 35' away. So the run would look more triangular. My neighbor can see down both sides of shed and I also want to control the noise a bit for them, that is why privacy fence extending out from the sides of the shed and taller welded wire across the back (the wire on the back due to cost of privacy fence...I only want to privatize what I absolutely need to)