Chicks coming next week - finishing up the coop

[CarriPage]

Build thread - we still have work to do but we're getting closer.

My 18-year old daughter and I decided last year we would get chickens this year. We were originally going to build a small raised coop but then decided to convert part of our current shed into a coop. The shed is 10' x 12' and has an upper shelf 6' high x 4' deep at the rear and we'll make the section UNDER the shelf into the coop. So it'll be 10' wide, 4' deep and 6' tall.

It was in bad shape and weeds were overgrown around it. So far we have cleared the outside area, replaced all the siding, painted, made a new dutch style door (only bottom is attached so far), made a dividing wall for the coop section, and covered the floor with BlackJack 57. There is very little roof overhang so no room for soffit ventilation.

So the list of things still to do:

• Attach upper part of dutch door - it will have a window for light and we plan to actually leave the top part of the door open most of the year for ventilation
• Build and install poop board and 2 roosts on left side of coop (4' wide)
• Build out nest boxes in lower two shelves already in shed - cover the coop end of the upper shelves.
• Hardware cloth currently stapled - have washers and screws to reinforce it
• Pop door will be on lower right side - need to cut and build door, and ramp on outside
• Windows and additional ventilation - plan to add two 12"x14" awning style plexiglass windows on back wall. May also add lower intake vent on long sides and some kind of gabled vent up high (above shelf) on back wall
• Setup brooder - using dog crate in the coop with mama heating pad
• Run! Planning about a 12' x 8' covered run off right side of shed. Budget constraints are getting tight so I haven't finalized the plan on it yet.

We've ordered 5 pullets and will be picking them up Saturday - they'll be 2 weeks old. We picked for heat-tolerance and friendliness - one each Ameraucana/EE, Barred Rock, Light Brahma, Buff Orpington, and Welsummer. These will be pets with the perk of getting fresh eggs

I would love any thoughts or advice on attractive but not expensive runs and ideas on additional ventilation if needed.

Thanks for reading! I'm so excited to share as we progress.

 

[Kee11]

Hi there,

That's a nice looking shed. I'll look forward to seeing pictures of your progress. You didn't mention anything about having a poop shelf under your roosts. I'm new here, and working on my own coop, and I've been researching all the details, and poop boards seem like a great idea. You might want to check it out. Also, going by the ventilation info I've researched, you should plan for doubling the number (or size) of the awning windows, based on 5 chickens. Your plan of having a lower vent and upper vent will really help, too.

Good luck with everything! Can't wait to see pics of your new pets when they arrive.

 

[CarriPage]

Yes, we are doing a poop board on the left side under the roosts.

We've made some progress, slowly but surely. Back awning windows are installed - upgraded to two 12" x 24" plexiglass windows with hardware cloth inside. We've boxed in the coop side of the shelves on the right except for the bottom area which will become nest boxes, and we've cut and framed the pop door. Tonight hoping to finish pop door, nest boxes, and then do poop board and roosts. None of it is perfect - I'm kind of just winging it with the limited building experience I have, but doors and windows open and close, so hoping that's good enough

We're looking to move chicks out to the coop, in their brooder, this weekend to get them out of the house. They'll be 3 weeks old at that time but we'll keep MHP if needed depending on temps outside - lows mostly in the 60s are expected. We have one each of 5 different breeds - Barred Rock, Buff Orpington, Light Brahma, EE/Ameraucana, and Welsummer.

Love BYC and so glad to have a place to share. What I've learned through the coop build threads has been so great - I read every page of the "mistakes made early on" or "what would you do different" to try to get the best ideas I can for ours. Thank you!!!!

 

[Benderb15]

Welcome to BYC!

It's looking good so far!

A couple notes i see that I can see is much needed ventilation. You could look at putting in some gable end vents on the front and back, similar to what goes into a house. The rule of thumb around here is 1sqft per bird of passive ventilation.

I would also like to point out that hens are dusty animals. I would not keep anything in the rest of the shed that your not willing to let collect a layer of dust.

What type of run are you looking to build? Completely enclosed? Fenced? Will they free range or be enclosed 24/7? These questions will help point you into the right direction.

 

[CarriPage]

Welcome to BYC!

Thank you Benderb15. We're still working on ventilation. With the top of the dutch door open except in very heavy rains, and awning windows open at various levels when needed, we should have plenty of ventilation. We will be adding some low intake only vents as well as gable vents soon but I think the benefit of those will mostly be in winter.

A few more pictures now - we have poop board, roosts, and ramp finished. Nest box and pop door are done too but I forgot to take pictures - will do a final photo shoot this weekend

Our 4-week old chicks have moved in - they were quickly outgrowing their dog crate brooder. We still have MHP in the coop as we've had some 40-50° nights. They've explored up to the roosts but will still have a smaller one down under the poop board until they get more confident.

They've gotten some supervised outdoor time in a temporary baby gate enclosure. We're working on the run this weekend - it will be fully enclosed but made with PVC and hardware cloth. We can only go 4' tall per HOA restrictions but I'm hoping to hinge roof panels on it to make it more accessible.

 

[New2COchicks]

Thank you Benderb15. We're still working on ventilation. With the top of the dutch door open except in very heavy rains, and awning windows open at various levels when needed, we should have plenty of ventilation. We will be adding some low intake only vents as well as gable vents soon but I think the benefit of those will mostly be in winter.

A few more pictures now - we have poop board, roosts, and ramp finished. Nest box and pop door are done too but I forgot to take pictures - will do a final photo shoot this weekend

Our 4-week old chicks have moved in - they were quickly outgrowing their dog crate brooder. We still have MHP in the coop as we've had some 40-50° nights. They've explored up to the roosts but will still have a smaller one down under the poop board until they get more confident.

They've gotten some supervised outdoor time in a temporary baby gate enclosure. We're working on the run this weekend - it will be fully enclosed but made with PVC and hardware cloth. We can only go 4' tall per HOA restrictions but I'm hoping to hinge roof panels on it to make it more accessible.

What did you use for poop board?

 

[along121]

Chickens can take the cold better than the heat. Our henhouse is 6x10. We did a 4x2 ft hardwire horizontal window on our south wall with a flip down door for the winter. On our north wall we put in two regular windows and covered the screens with hardwire. We have a good cross breeze inside the hen house now. My best hen loves to roost right by the window. Make sure your chicken keep cool.