Coop Construction

[3KillerBs]

You're in a quite moderate climate so insulation is a waste of time and effort -- creating a hotel for rodents while offering no benefit to the chickens.

I do know that every inch of my coop will be protected with hardware cloth.

My open air coop https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/large-open-air-coop-in-central-nc.1443812/ is a big wire box with a 3-sided shelter at one end. For that shelter I used fence boards, but shiplap could have been an option over the wire.

The important thing is that the wall material be strong enough that a predator can't break through it.

I’m using the hardware cloth under the floor of the coop too.

This is a bad idea.

It's the nature of chickens to scratch and dig so putting hardware cloth on the ground both frustrates their instincts and hurts their feet. It's better to use an anti-dig apron around the outside.

@aart has a good example of how to install one.

I don't think you said how many chickens you have or how big a coop you were planning?

Here's some general information for you about that:

The Usual Guidelines

For each adult, standard-sized hen you need:

• 4 square feet in the coop (.37 square meters)
• 10 square feet in the run (.93 square meters),
• 1 linear foot of roost (.3 meters),
• 1/4 of a nest box,
• And 1 square foot (.09 square meters) of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation, preferably located over the birds' heads when they're sitting on the roost.

 

[aart]

This is a bad idea.

It's the nature of chickens to scratch and dig so putting hardware cloth on the ground both frustrates their instincts and hurts their feet. It's better to use an anti-dig apron around the outside.

@aart has a good example of how to install one.

I don't think they mean on the ground but on the underside of the flooring itself so nothgin can chew thru.

Good examples of anti-dig apron installation.
If rodents are prolific, burying the apron ~12" would be good.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/wire-around-coop.1110498/#post-17093528
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/new-coop-project.1169916/page-2#post-18481208

 

[DobieClose]

I don't think they mean on the ground but on the underside of the flooring itself so nothgin can chew thru.

Good examples of anti-dig apron installation.
If rodents are prolific, burying the apron ~12" would be good.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/wire-around-coop.1110498/#post-17093528
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/new-coop-project.1169916/page-2#post-18481208

Yes. That’s what I meant. The underside of the floor.
Yours looks so nice and neat. This is where my husband has difficulties. My chickens would look like hobo chickens in his coop!

 

[DobieClose]

Sort of small, given the potential they will be stuck inside for days - how many birds are you planning on? Or are you planning an attached covered run as well?

/edit apologies for tone, I don't know a better way to ask the question. Size may be perfectly appropriate, I just don't recall seing mention of how many birds you plan on getting.

6 chickens (all hens) with a covered run. An uncovered run extension too but it’ll have hardware cloth or chicken wire enclosing the top. Lots of hawks and even some eagles.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

6 chickens (all hens) with a covered run. An uncovered run extension too but it’ll have hardware cloth or chicken wire enclosing the top. Lots of hawks and even some eagles.

32 sq ft for six chickens, plus a good sized covered run, sounds perfectly appropriate for your climate.

Its been my experience that a wide run is best - I'd orient it off the 8' wide section of your coop, rather than 4' side.
Back with a sketch in a moment.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Concept / Rough

That's the 4x8 shed, a 2' 7" wide opening where you can put an off the shelf type "bathroom/closet"-sized door and approx 8x10' covered run portion, using a gable style roof design, and off the shelf 2x8' metal roof sheets, with a center vent cap - 1' overhang on three sides. Plus some wood framing to provide anchor points for your hardware cloth, assuming 2' widths in the covered run. Pitch is 3/12, the minimum. Obviously, the run could be extended, uncovered except for netting or similar quite easily. If you go that route, I would gutter that end of the roof, direct the contents to buckets or barrels, and use as a gravity fed water source for all but the coldest times of the year.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

I didn’t sketch yet because I’m still in the planning stage. Your post helps out immensely.
Mine will probably be 4x8 and raised to wheelbarrow height.
I’m also trying to decide if I want a peaked roof or a lean-to roof. So many decisions!
Also, I have to try to figure a lot out for myself because ….. Ask 15 people about Chicken Coop Engineering, you’ll get 15 different answers. And all are very vehement about their opinions!

If ever I've done a sketch, it was just a joke because I have always made it up as I go along. I've gained mad construction skills thanks to continuously "improving" my coop. My family buys me tools for presents now. My opinion, it should be fun, enjoy the process, you don't need to repeat anything that's been done before. I think I got beat up by the ventilation police with my dog house because my pics just didn't show it well enough, I knew it was perfect, don't take it to seriously. Not that I can't follow diagrams and instructions but if I look at dimensions and materials from other people it's for ideas only. Some people go to incredible lengths to document their builds. I have to respect that as it's free here.... I hope you post pics of your progress

 

[DobieClose]

If ever I've done a sketch, it was just a joke because I have always made it up as I go along. I've gained mad construction skills thanks to continuously "improving" my coop. My family buys me tools for presents now. My opinion, it should be fun, enjoy the process, you don't need to repeat anything that's been done before. I think I got beat up by the ventilation police with my dog house because my pics just didn't show it well enough, I knew it was perfect, don't take it to seriously. Not that I can't follow diagrams and instructions but if I look at dimensions and materials from other people it's for ideas only. Some people go to incredible lengths to document their builds. I have to respect that as it's free here.... I hope you post pics of your progress

Thanks so much for that. I end up changing things as I go along.
I’ve been building and woodworking with my dad since I was small and have now inherited all of his tools.
It’ll be beautiful and safe!

 

[DobieClose]

View attachment 3062613
Concept / Rough

That's the 4x8 shed, a 2' 7" wide opening where you can put an off the shelf type "bathroom/closet"-sized door and approx 8x10' covered run portion, using a gable style roof design, and off the shelf 2x8' metal roof sheets, with a center vent cap - 1' overhang on three sides. Plus some wood framing to provide anchor points for your hardware cloth, assuming 2' widths in the covered run. Pitch is 3/12, the minimum. Obviously, the run could be extended, uncovered except for netting or similar quite easily. If you go that route, I would gutter that end of the roof, direct the contents to buckets or barrels, and use as a gravity fed water source for all but the coldest times of the year.

That looks great. Just perfect!

 

[DobieClose]

Now my youngest son has jumped onboard and is currently in his room drawing a sketch of a coop where the bottom is on hinges and can be dropped open to dump the contents onto a tarp for cleaning. Pretty smart but makes me nervous. Is there already such a thing?