Chicken Coop pics and Run being competed by March.

[SaviorOutdoors]

Hey everyone, here are the pics of my coop that I built last year. It wasn’t fully completed but will be done by March with the 8x8 run as well.
I am currently keeping some miscellaneous items inside including my bigger fig trees.
It is 8x12 with 8 ft walls and another 3 feet included in the pitch roof so lots of height and lots of up and down storage.

The run will be to the right of the coop/mini barn and with this warm weather up here in CT I should be able to carve out the ground and lay my 4x4s nice and flat this weekend.
I will build the wood framed wire walls in my garage over the winter and install them in 4 ft sections.

 

[DobieLover]

Hey everyone, here are the pics of my coop that I built last year. It wasn’t fully completed but will be done by March with the 8x8 run as well.
I am currently keeping some miscellaneous items inside including my bigger fig trees.
It is 8x12 with 8 ft walls and another 3 feet included in the pitch roof so lots of height and lots of up and down storage.

The run will be to the right of the coop/mini barn and with this warm weather up here in CT I should be able to carve out the ground and lay my 4x4s nice and flat this weekend.
I will build the wood framed wire walls in my garage over the winter and install them in 4 ft sections.

Very nice start.
How many top hinged windows are you putting in?
Are the soffits open and backed with hardware cloth? I'd also put the largest sized louvered gable vents on that you can find.
Is there a predator apron attached to the floor framing around the bottom of the coop that is now covered by the stones?
If I were you, I'd go bigger than an 8x8 run. I'd at least double that and enclose it with 1/2" hardware cloth that extends out between 16-24" for a predator apron. If you can swing it, I'd also put a solid roof on the run so that the flock will have a good space to use during the long winter months. If you can do that, your run will be as predator proof as your coop and you can leave the pop door open year round.

 

[SaviorOutdoors]

Very nice start.
How many top hinged windows are you putting in?
Are the soffits open and backed with hardware cloth? I'd also put the largest sized louvered gable vents on that you can find.
Is there a predator apron attached to the floor framing around the bottom of the coop that is now covered by the stones?
If I were you, I'd go bigger than an 8x8 run. I'd at least double that and enclose it with 1/2" hardware cloth that extends out between 16-24" for a predator apron. If you can swing it, I'd also put a solid roof on the run so that the flock will have a good space to use during the long winter months. If you can do that, your run will be as predator proof as your coop and you can leave the pop door open year round.

Thanks for the ideas. Yes the soffits are open and will be covered by cloth, netting or plastic soffit sheets. I have to see what I have. The foundation has predator wire under 4x6s so to enter it would need to be a savvy critter but I have since renewed my trapping license and also have a crop damage permit so protecting my flock is my goal. I have trail cams and easy access to my coop location with spot lights and my shepherd will be patrolling a bit more, lol.
I will be adding 2-3 windows but 2 for sure. I also want to close off a small 4ft area in the coops for supplies and feed so that they won’t poop everywhere. The front door will be a double door built with the same t-111 and framed with 2x3 on the outside to break it up a bit or I may reframe it and fit In A traditional 36” exterior door. The fascia board will be attached in the spring and I will work on the cosmetics attaching the fascia to the wrap around roof corner. Still have some ideas but need to iron one down.
Thanks for visiting and appreciate your insight. I’m looking to breed white face Spanish Blacks or Black Minorcas but I have a few other rare breeds I’m interested in. I really enjoy breeding animals that aren’t the norm and help insure the breeds continue and can be appreciated for generations to come.

 

[DobieLover]

I would not enclose the soffits with anything solid. Just secure fasten 1/2" hardware cloth to it so you have lots of ventilation up there that will go out through two large gable vents. That is a necessity to remove moisture and provide lots of fresh air during the winter.

For windows, I picked up some old windows for very little, top hinged them and I just hang them open with chains that are secured to the rafters. They are locked tight to the framing with barrel bolts for the winter.

 

[SaviorOutdoors]

I would not enclose the soffits with anything solid. Just secure fasten 1/2" hardware cloth to it so you have lots of ventilation up there that will go out through two large gable vents. That is a necessity to remove moisture and provide lots of fresh air during the winter.
View attachment 1999709 View attachment 1999711
For windows, I picked up some old windows for very little, top hinged them and I just hang them open with chains that are secured to the rafters. They are locked tight to the framing with barrel bolts for the winter.

How are they about laying in their nest boxes? Do they lay on the floors and benches ever? What style or design did you use for your nest boxes

 

[DobieLover]

How are they about laying in their nest boxes? Do they lay on the floors and benches ever? What style or design did you use for your nest boxes

They've never laid anywhere but their nest boxes. Sometimes new layers will drop them off the roost because they don't yet get what's going on with the whole egg laying business.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Hey everyone, here are the pics of my coop that I built last year. It wasn’t fully completed but will be done by March with the 8x8 run as well.
I am currently keeping some miscellaneous items inside including my bigger fig trees.
It is 8x12 with 8 ft walls and another 3 feet included in the pitch roof so lots of height and lots of up and down storage.

The run will be to the right of the coop/mini barn and with this warm weather up here in CT I should be able to carve out the ground and lay my 4x4s nice and flat this weekend.
I will build the wood framed wire walls in my garage over the winter and install them in 4 ft sections.

I see a beautiful place for many happy chickens!

 

[drumstick diva]

Welcome to Backyard Chickens, the pulse beat of the chicken community.

 

[drumstick diva]

Dobie Lover, - love the curtains on your nest boxes

 

[aart]

Might be easier to mesh the soffits from the outside....one big piece instead of a bunch of little fussy ones.