coop design questions

[3KillerBs]

Ok roost and window. Do I make the window that it can open in the summer? Roost to bottom of window is 7.5"

I would.

For chickens acclimated to your usual temperatures the occasional weeks in the high 80's to low 90's would be like the weeks of high 90's and 100's for chickens acclimated to my climate. Additional airflow is good then.

Make it so that you can open it different amounts for different conditions to keep the inside the same temperature as the outside.

 

[3KillerBs]

sorry back with another question. My husband got some screen to put over the HW cloth to try to keep bees out of the coop. Is the screen going to cut back on ventilation? I don't want to use it if it is going to cut back on it but I really don't want bees nests in my coop and we have a TON of bees around my house.

Regular window screen? That shouldn't be a problem unless it gets clogged up with dust from the feather dander and the bedding (you may need to shop-vac the screens regularly if it's a major problem).

What kind of bees are you talking about?

 

[3KillerBs]

not 100% sure but 95% sure not honeybee and know not bumblebee. maybe paper wasp or yellow jackets? They are mainly around my hummingbird feeders and around my back door. just don't want them building anything in the coop and having me go in there and getting stung. I am not "allergic" but last year I was stung near my elbow and my arm from just above my elbow down swelled up about 2x the size and was itchy for about 2-3 weeks! My main thing is just keeping them out of the coop. And yes it is normal window screen.

It might be good to make a new thread about keeping wasps and bees out of the coop. That way people who have good ideas will know you need help and people who need help can easily find the thread because of the title.

 

[junior67]

Run framed. Need to put roof on the 8' section. And braces on the 10' section

 

[junior67]

finally got a coat of blackjack 57 on floor and partway up the walls. And also did the poop boards. Most of the run has HW cloth on it, still have a few sections left but I have carpal tunnel so gave my wrist/hand a break today from cutting and stapling (just using staples to hold it up then going around with screws and washers to secure it).

so need to finish HW cloth, roof on the roof covered part (hopefully this weekend), boards across the HW cloth covered part so I can put the HW cloth on that. Then just trimming things out. Oh and 2nd coat of Blackjack 57. HOPING to be done before the 20th since we are camping the 21-23rd and I would like to start putting them out during the day around then and then have them out full time the week after that.

I took them off heat completely on Mon. took out the MHP today and gave them a 2nd roosting bar in its place.

 

[aart]

Most of the run has HW cloth on it, still have a few sections left but I have carpal tunnel so gave my wrist/hand a break today from cutting and stapling

I had to take HC breaks too.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I had to take HC breaks too.

Same here. I also have a history of tendonitis, so cutting HWC is really a pain, and hubby will chip in to help with cutting when he can. If I space out how often I do it it's not too bad, but doing all the cutting at once in a long extended session is a bad idea for me.

 

[aart]

glad to see I am not a wimp like I was feeling for a bit and that others had to take a break too!

It's a pretty intense activity....especially with hands not used to that kind of stress and already predisposed to tendon and joint inflammation(both here).

 

[junior67]

2nd coat of blackjack 57 is done. Now taking a break for my hands until Sat when I will finish the HW cloth and my husband will put the roof on the roof covered part of the run. FINALLY almost to the end which is good since the chicks are now 5 weeks old.

 

[junior67]

forgot to get pictures today so will have to be tomorrow. But got the whole outside of run HWC. most of the roof is on the covered run part. Need to finish up the roof tomorrow, then can put the HWC on the off of the HW cloth covered run. And start shingles. Then it is just the trim work to cover up HWC seams, trim for windows and put those on to cover the windows if needed. BUT the chicks can at least go out in the run tomorrow with supervision if we wanted them too. And once I pick up the shavings they can go in the coop on nice days for the day, don't want to put them in there at night till at least 2 of the windows are covered since they are next to the roosts.