Chicken Coop for desert area

[glassparman]

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[Desert Plum]

Count down time peoples! Two weeks before my chicks arrive. Don't ask about that *&*^&^%% garage!

So I moved the old dog house onto the hobby horses to see how it would look in the chicken coop. BIG is what I would say since the hobby horses themselves are about two foot tall. The old dog house looks like it was for two small dogs.

Specs: 3.5ft long; little over 2ft wide and roughly 3 feet tall inside. The roof is removeable and heavy yet I think or maybe it can just be repaired with new roofing material. A second small side door was lockable but now is too old and will be removed. The floor is light strong enough for chickens but not for daily use/cleaning and will have to be re-enforced underneath and inside but that isn't a problem.

What I did have to do is increase the size of the coop's length from 9 to 12 feet. The width is still the same (5 feet). So that is 12L by 5W by 6H. The size of the dog house gives almost no room to pass on either side so the chickens will have to walk under it but would have additional places to hide from the sun. I will take some pictures tomorrow since I do have to purchase some coop materials. So much action!

 

[Desert Plum]

Prior to catching a really bad head cold of which I still have, I did get quite a bit done!

Outline of coop is finished: actual length is 13x5x6 but that is ok, the more room the better. One set of metal walls are in the ground but the ground then became unstable due to all the rain we have recieved. I think now after nearly two weeks its dry enough to start up again especially since this week is C-day (chicken day). I have 9 8x1 poles for the framing, one piece of particle board painted purple for the door. I just need to make it an even cut now.

I am still debating on how many bags of cement to get as each pole will be in old horse feed buckets (the ones were suppliments come-roughly 1-2 gallons) so they keep stable. I am thinking 5 bags should be enough or maybe too much? Lastly, I wish they sold four foot long Hardwire cloth in longer rolls! I have one roll that is going in to the round on the outside of each pole on the inside of the metal sheets about a foot down. Overkill? Maybe but I'd like to think that when I'm not hear or on vacation they chickens are safe enough to stay in their home.

Might have to cut that dog house in half since it is almost too big for that space. It would also give the chickens more run room.