Coop Construction

[DobieClose]

Has anyone ever built a chicken coop inside out?
Building the inside walls first with the studs to the outside?
I want the coop now but I want to insulate and put up exterior shiplap later when I have more time and have recovered from rotator cuff surgery.

 

[nuthatched]

Unless you live the the Yukon, inside walls and insulation are completely unnecessary, in fact it can cause problems later with moisture and pests.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Sounds like it could work. You’d have to be sure that it wasn’t exposed to the weather.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Unless you live the the Yukon, inside walls and insulation are completely unnecessary, in fact it can cause problems later with moisture and pests.

True!

 

[DobieClose]

The inside wall and outside wall would probably both be some kind of wood. Outside thinner that inside so I can attach shiplap.
My husband can build a totally functional coop. He, however, does not care about the aesthetics as much as I do. He made the brooder quickly and it works fine. I could not help due to rotator cuff surgery.
These are my pets. The beautiful brooder I had designed out of my grandson’s crib did not happen. I want my husband’s functionality to be up for a couple of months so I can do the outside my way.
If I don’t insulate, I could just attach my shiplap to the exterior wall plywood, I guess.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

any void - such as that created between inner and outer walls - is a protected place for pests (rodents and insects) to live which will be hard for you to treat, once they arrive.

Insulation is only important of you are attempting to maintain climate control (as we do with human houses) - your climate is not a danger to your birds.

I caution against setting aesthetics over functionality. It may *look* good to you, but its your birds that have to *live there*.

and yes, you absolutely can build that way. Whether the skin of a stick built wall, for rigidity purposes, is on the inside or the outside of the framing is immaterial. Weather "proofing" with paint or stain all that exposed surface is typically more expensive, of course.

 

[DobieClose]

any void - such as that created between inner and outer walls - is a protected place for pests (rodents and insects) to live which will be hard for you to treat, once they arrive.

Insulation is only important of you are attempting to maintain climate control (as we do with human houses) - your climate is not a danger to your birds.

I caution against setting aesthetics over functionality. It may *look* good to you, but its your birds that have to *live there*.

and yes, you absolutely can build that way. Whether the skin of a stick built wall, for rigidity purposes, is on the inside or the outside of the framing is immaterial. Weather "proofing" with paint or stain all that exposed surface is typically more expensive, of course.

I would never sacrifice health for looks, however I can certainly put shiplap on a chicken coop without hurting them. I’m still researching the insulation.
I’m just starting this chicken stuff, but I will make it look good. The inside out wall construction was just a thought. I might still make a playhouse that way.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I would never sacrifice health for looks, however I can certainly put shiplap on a chicken coop without hurting them. I’m still researching the insulation.
I’m just starting this chicken stuff, but I will make it look good. The inside out wall construction was just a thought. I might still make a playhouse that way.

Just making you aware of the concerns. Plenty of new owners do buy or make (usually buy) very attractive looking coops which were clearly NOT designed primarily for the health of the chickens contained therein.

 

[DobieClose]

Just making you aware of the concerns. Plenty of new owners do buy or make (usually buy) very attractive looking coops which were clearly NOT designed primarily for the health of the chickens contained therein.

I research everything for every living creature I’m responsible for. I don’t even throw away plant clippings if they can be rooted. Believe it or not, I’ve had the same Sea Monkey colony alive and flourishing for 8 years.
This is how I end up with all the pets. If it’s homeless, I help.
I do know that every inch of my coop will be protected with hardware cloth. That’s one reason I wanted double walls. So it could be sandwiched in-between and not exposed on outside or the inside.
I suppose I could make the walls plywood, attach the hardware cloth outside, and then attach my shiplap on top of that.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

I could be wrong since I don't see a sketch or maybe if you elaborate on internal vs. external dimensions it would help, but when I read your question I do think of my coop..... If you look at my articles, I started with a dog house. That eventual became "interior." I did build all around it because I liked the base it provided with 4x4's. I used railroad ties placed around the 4x4's for foundation, wood floor on top of that. Like others have said though, I didn't just build the exterior walls up next to it or that would have been a rat hotel (nice of me but no thanks.) I have about 2 feet between the interior and exterior so it really does make it a room inside the overall house now that it's done (it's my baby brooder room.) One side of the original dog house is still external wall, I just added siding and that sounds like your shiplap plan. I don't know, again I could be wrong but if take a look at my pics maybe you'll get ideas?? I did insulate walls not roof (plywood and sheet metal,) only because I had so much left over from a people house project that it made more sense to use it than to store it. Anyhow, just thinking your plan could work just fine given creativity and thought