chicken coop and run...I hope it's secure enough! (13 pics)

[valley]

Does the run look secure enough? Hubby wants to leave the pop door open at night because he is sure the run is secure but I don't want to take chances if its not as secure as the coop itself....can anyone let me know if you see any design flaws or possible safety concerns?


Double foam insulation board on ceiling.



2. Insulation (we live in NNY and it gets down to 30 below here in the winter sometimes) The floor is wooden with thick rubber so we don't worry about rot...it can be hosed down int he summertime



Roost for our 9 chicks


Plastic over top of insulation


Boarded up walls.


Finished


Feeder (my hubby made this..he is a sheet metal mechanic)..there are 3 slots...2 for feed and one for corn...you fill it from the top and the bottom cover comes off. The watering system has a valve with a hose going outside so we can flush stale water out.


Vents...windows covered with hardware cloth. the entire outside of the coop is covered in heavy black rubber to keep drafts out.


door to run


Pop door


10 inches of sheet metal buried along the perimeter, with the last 2 inches bent outward



Finished run...1/2 inch hardware cloth, metal banding at every seam, all bolted down with metal washers and screws



roost under the eaves

 

[junebuggena]

Are those the only vents? I don't think it's going to be enough. Ammonia and moisture need to be able to escape. Two vents on one side isn't going to be enough to create the needed cross breeze above roosting height to do the job. If you rely on keeping the windows open, it will be too drafty in the winter.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I would definitely add more ventilation and a wider skirt outside the run.

 

[jrjoplin]

I hate to sound like a broken record but I agree you need more ventilation. You've done a great job with weatherproofing but that's working against you on the ventilation side. In the warmer months you could probably open up your windows but in the winter you'll probably need a few more vents.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I agree to add more vents on the opposite side of the coop. Up high is best. You can put a hinged plate that you can close if the wind is blowing hard.

Am I the only one that thinks if the pop door is left open and the not secured in the open position the breeze could blow it shut closing chickens in the run?

I would put a hook or something so you can secure it open if you want that style of door.
I think that is why you see so many doors that slide up. They can be slid up and secured using a pulley and rope.

 

[junebuggena]

I agree to add more vents on the opposite side of the coop. Up high is best. You can put a hinged plate that you can close if the wind is blowing hard.

Am I the only one that thinks if the pop door is left open and the not secured in the open position the breeze could blow it shut closing chickens in the run?

I would put a hook or something so you can secure it open if you want that style of door.
I think that is why you see so many doors that slide up. They can be slid up and secured using a pulley and rope.

Totally missed that pop door! And your right, the way it currently is, would be problematic.

 

[valley]

Am I the only one that thinks if the pop door is left open and the not secured in the open position the breeze could blow it shut closing chickens in the run?

I would put a hook or something so you can secure it open if you want that style of door.
I think that is why you see so many doors that slide up. They can be slid up and secured using a pulley and rope.

We have a barn door hook....it automatically holds the door open and you have to unhook it for the pop door to close. I see that its not shown in the picture but it was added later on. I took pictures as soon as the door was done. The hook came a few days later.

 

[valley]

Thank you all for the tips and advice! I will get my hubby to work on some vents for a cross-breeze....he says that he doesnt want to much cold air in there because of the cold but i'd rather be safe than sorry. We can always close them up when its 30 below and breezy.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Glad you have a hook for the door. OH and one thing many people learn the hard way is to make sure the run door can be opened from the inside. No one wants to spend hours and hours locked in the run.

Humidity is the bigger concern in the cold weather. They emit a lot when breathing and the droppings hold a lot of wet.
You need to keep it dry especially in the cold. They best way to do that is to give the humidity a place to go out.
If you add 2 vents like the ones you already have that should help a lot.

 

[valley]

here is a better picture of the hook and spring mechanism on the pop door: