Clueless coopbuilders...Help!

[segeine]

I'm SO in over my head.

We have 6 new chicks who are outgrowing the tank we've been using for a brooder and are trying to figure out a coop. We're starting with a frame from a 9'x5'x3' garden store display shed. We want to put it up on 3' stilts with wheels (I guess that makes it a "tractor," right?), fence the bottom of it for a little mobile run, and put the door in the bottom, like a hatch/ramp, so they can get in and out. It will raise and lower via a rope/pulley. I have a replacement window that is 30"x20" that I was thinking about putting in at one end, for some light and ventilation. I'll replace the screen with hardware cloth. We have some tarpaper and shingles left over from another project that we plan on putting on the roof. We also have some leftover vinyl siding to use over the outside of walls, which will be plywood. That's mostly just for appearance.
Issue 1:
We live in central NY. Average seasonal highs/lows are 80-20, but we can get a few days close tor 100 and as low as -10 to -15. This past winter, we had a few days at -25 or so, not including windchill! Should I insulate the coop? We are planning to move the structure into the barn in the coldest parts of the winter. The barn will keep it out of the wind, but is not heated. We will be able to run electric in there for light/a heat light when it's really cold.
Issue 2:
I have no idea what to make the floor out of. We're considering particle board or plywood. Should I paint it, and, if so, with what?
Issue 3:
How "critter proof" does the coop have to be? My husband thinks mice and snakes aren't going to be an issue, but I'm not so sure. I saw a lovely coop on this site that used louvered floor vent covers for ventilation, with screening on the inside to keep out the bugs. Seemed like a good, cheap-ish idea.
Issue 4:
Whatever I do needs to be rather inexpensive.

Any advice you might be able to give me would be very appreciated. I'm sure I will have more questions. (You folks will see me over in the "what gender are these?" section soon. I'm dying to know what they are!

--Segeine

 

[jetdog]

Don't bother insulating they have built in down coats, I'm in Massachusetts and mine did just fine with no heat, more important that there is no wind blowing on them for the winter I wrap my run with clear shower curtains, let's the sunshine in and blocks snow and wind, I would use plywood it won't fall apart if you paint it it will make clean up a lot easier, I used latex semi gloss white, snakes and mice probably won't be a problem use hardware cloth around the run and so nothing can dig in put an apron of wire around the whole thing extended out at least a foot, the hardware cloth will keep paws out and heads in. I'll post a picture of my vents in the next post.

 

[jetdog]

Can be opened and closed with the length of chain, wide open in the summer and not so much in the winter, with this it allows alot of air flow which is good in the summer, they have hardware cloth and window screen to keep bees and bugs out. Also keeps the rain from coming in.

 

[Lilyput]

I don't know if this helps, but we recently constructed a 4 x 4 coop with 2 laying boxes for 8 birds. This coop was placed inside of the shed shown in picture one. First we put cloth around the sides of the shed to keep predators out and keep hens from escaping. It's very nice because there is great airflow. The finished coop has added ventilation approximately on the left side in picture 3. Airspace with cloth is about 36 inches by about 4 inches. Because the coop is in the shed, there is also top ventilation right above my daughter in laws head again about 36 inches by 4 inches and of course the full door. A little landing base pulls out under the door and a ladder rests on it for entry and exit. They are securely locked in every night. In addition, we chain link fenced about 20 x 15 feet outside of the shed. I and chickens love it. They have the shed (dirt floor with added sand and river rock), lots of grass and weeds, and also have a nice hiding place under the forsythia bushes showing in picture one. This coop is about 4 feet off the ground. The plywood is reinforced all four corners, ceiling, and floor with one x twos. Floor has linoleum as I use deep bedding. Fence most expensive, of course, otherwise couple hundred dollars at lowe's for everything else. I had to purchase a lot of cloth and 4 x 4s to shore up sides of shed. ( you can see some of it to the bottom left of picture 2). Have fun.

 

[segeine]

Thanks for the advice! I"ll try to post some pictures in the next couple of days, when it's all done!

 

[KristineY]

I also am not a fan of insulation. Mice love places to hide and the gaps you make with the insulation are too much of a draw. It's great to build your coop up higher. That helps too with rodents (since the openness beneath the coop provides no refuge from cats or other predators...in fact, I have an EE who is a better mouser than any cat I've ever had!)

We have plywood floors (3/4 inch) in all of our coops. We used vinyl flooring in one (having issues with it coming up though), self stick vinyl tiles in another (which I like a lot but pretty expensive for a larger coop) and in the big coop we painted the floor with a porch floor paint (Olympic) which is more durable than exterior paint. That has worked very well and was less expensive than any of the other alternatives.

Good luck! And don't worry! If after you build this coop you find that you wished you had done something different, you can just apply that knowledge to the next coop you build and then the next coop and the next coop after that ...