Cob chicken coop???

[socks]

O.k. as far as I can tell this question hasn't come up and I am a newbie over in the pacificnorthwest crazed with trying to figure this coop thing out and reading so much of your fine advice my brain is getting adled

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My constraints? A 1/2 acre of sloping land with various gardens so my original idea of a tractor is starting to lose strength as I imagine difficulty moving and stabilizing it. The other constraint is money oh yeah, and a complete lack of building skills:

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So then I started daydreaming....I took a cob wall building workshop last year and just loved the results and the process and was wondering about building a cob chicken coop. For those who don't know, cob buildings are made of clay soil/coarse sand and straw which is usally covered over with a clay/lime plaster. (so basically ummm... dirt cheap

So maybe this is a very bad idea, for example maybe the hens would peck their house apart (it would take time though as walls would be about 8"thick and could be mudded over) or worse still maybe mites and other nasties would be able to live in the walls. So you out there with the wisdom please help me out with some advice. and thanks for it!

 

[saddina]

I don't see why it wouldn't work.... provided you get a plan for keeping it clean in place. I think most of us use water in washing down coop walls. Still some food grade DE, stall pellets, and the floor should be ok (personally I would bury some wiring in the dirt floor, or use some cheap 99 cent pavers for digging predators. With cob construction you could be able to build the chicken wire enclosure into the cob walls for added security. I would say try it, if it doesn't work, you learned something along the way.

 

[WalkingWolf]

They build houses with recycled tires, you could do this with a chicken coop. Search for recycled tire houses, the materials are free, and no problems with the chickens pecking. It would last as long as the tires, forever.

 

[spook]

Don't forget the bails of hay houses, what the heck, go for it, although you may want to reinforce the walls up 3' with wire to prevent the other critters from coming in...or put the fence around it! You wont have to deal with preditors then!

 

[socks]

Well this is encouraging information. I did think that mesh could be embedded in the cob. Now does anyone have an opinion about whether it might host mites or the like? I don't even know if red mite is a concern but I have come across it in posts and it sounds quite nasty if it can live in woodwork etc.

And sorry, Saddina what is DE? or stall pellets?

 

[Omran]

Hello, How much really ae you have as a budget? it is not my business, but if you are going to have a small flock, you can almost build a little coop for the cost of he nails. try to go to constuctions sites and ask for some unwanted lumber, like what in the dumpstor.

 

[CHICKEN little 1]

Not a bad idea! Plus the lime should keep lice,and mites down. As long as it is field grade.

 

[saddina]

Someone else will have to spell it correctly for you... dicametrious earth, you'll want food grade, and it's to keep the mites, paracites down.

Stall pellets are at feed stores it's a litter that keeps the floor dry, in this case, so that the earth floor doesn't stay wet abd cause the cob to mosture log. You'll need a solid ventalation plan, as laying hens give off alotta mosture.

 

[socks]

diatomaceous earth (when in doubt I google something and when they say 'did you mean' I've got my spellcheck

thanks Saddina, I know that stuff from gardening, nice to know it has other uses.

Yes, ventilation, drainage and a very good overhand would be important.

Hello, How much really ae you have as a budget? it is not my business, but if you are going to have a small flock, you can almost build a little coop for the cost of he nails.

Hi Omran, um I think I have about $300 Canadian (what's that today, $200 U.S...just kidding) and could no doubt build a coop for 6 with some scrounging and that (and may in the end do that). The reason why I am exploring this possibility is that I REALLY don't know how to build a thing but do have a bit of experience with cob (and am an ex-potter) and know that there would be little measuring in this and more intuitive building (it's kind of like a big sculpture). I do also know that if you want to change it you can just hack into it and expand or whatever. I would need help with the roof though and that is where I would spend some money and of course for the run.​

 

[chills]

well i have no clue what cob build is, so i have no answers - but i really would love to see this if you decide to create it .. truly would be art!
best of luck with what you choose ..
sometimes its just a matter of starting and the rest will work it's way out???