Coop Reconstruction All suggestions and help welcome (IMAGE HEAVY)

[Hunter0704]

Here is a thread telling you all about the deep litter method www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=585432

Vents...definitely need some at the top of the walls to vent out ammonia from poop, and moisture from chickens breathing and pooping in the winter. In the summer, perhaps some of your windows can open, but put hardware cloth over them to keep predators out. If you put some vents low inside, make sure they can be sealed off during the winter. When the coop gets too warm in the summer, fans can be set in windows to cool it down. There are plugs you can buy that turn on a fan at 82 degrees and turn it off around 75 degrees for the summer. Just the opposite for the winter where they turn on at 35 degrees and turn off at 45 degrees...this helps keep water from freezing. Make sure the coop is draft free and caulk everywhere. Personally, I would want to have electric at the coop, if possible, for several reasons...the fans and heaters for one...so you can see at night inside the coop, etc.

What a wonderful coop you are going to have when it is all finished!!!! Good luck to you.

 

[Ole rooster]

Would someone explain why sand is not good in the winter? This would be inside all the time so never wet. I'd like to know.

 

[Sweetened]

Quote:
I would also like to hear about peoples experience with it. I think the person who posted indicated sand does not insulate, it conducts, which I can kind of see. However I think it would be the cleaner, more efficient option.

I used to live in Griffin Georgia actually, I know right where you are, Roo. However here, we have -40 F months (not days), plus wind chill LOL

 

[Ole rooster]

That is the exact reason I'm here and not there. I live on Hwy 36 E between Barnesville and the I-75. I have sand in the coop and have from the start. I just don't see what the trouble with it would be.

 

[hemet dennis]

Sand will conduct the cold. clean the floor then use straw when the straw gets dirty put down more straw then when that gets dirty put more straw down. Once a year take all the straw out and compost it in to your garden. Oh then put more straw down when the straw gets dirty put down more straw then when that gets dirty put more straw down. Once a year take all the straw out and compost it in to your garden. Oh then put more straw down when the straw gets dirty put down more straw then when that gets dirty put more straw down. Once a year take all the straw out and compost it in to your garden.

 

[LaurelRidgeDreams]

Others will definitely know more about this than me but my thought to help with ventilation would be to install a ridge vent along the peak of the roof. We did this on a 6x8 coop that was hard to keep cool and it has made a nice difference.

You have an exciting project to work on. I envy you!

 

[zzGypsy]

a couple of things I don't think you mentioned...
feed and supply storage area. might be nice to have a separate "stall" with chickenwire for feed storage.
brooder area? if you're going to be hatching, might want to set up a brooder space that you can hang heat lamps in for started chicks. might need the small grid wire to keep them from squeezing out.
electrical outlets in various places for heat lamps, etc.

I like the nests, but they might be a bit small. I'd be interested in keeping them if you can treat / clean them... but it might be easier to replace them if they're nasty.

the chute thing? don't know, might be more obvious once you get the roof off.

 

[3forfree]

WOW, that's not going to be a weekend job. As posted earlier a new roof is needed. always nice to have a dry place to work in. I'd get rid of the nest boxes, maybe keep the small section. In one of your pics you mentioned a "rafter thing" looks like maybe it was a roost for all the chickens that used the nest boxes. Electricity would be a help for obvious reasons too. I don't know about a ridge vent, the ridge isn't centered on the roof, maybe another kind of vent or two or three in the large area. Good luck with whatever you do, and keep the pics coming.

 

[maizy'smom]

6. Replace insulation in walls, cover and seal (depending on material used, any suggestions?) Determine if ceiling will be flat or peaked... again, suggestions? Pros/cons?

To quote my dearly-departed uncle, (he was president of a saving-&-loan specializing in mortgages), "Never buy (build) anything with a flat roof." Especially if you are northerly enough to expect any amount of snow, the flatter the roof, the more danger there is of it collapsing under the weight of the snow. You also have no wind protection from surrounding trees. I'd keep the current slope, at least, if not increase it. Good luck in any case! You've got a great blank canvas to work with! I'm jealous!

mm

 

[Trefoil]

What a great find. A couple of things. You weren't (i believe) thinking about using sand for bedding, for flooring it should work great. You may have to do something around the perimeter of the coop to prevent varmints from burrowing into the coop. If you have sawdust available in your area, I really like it for bedding. you may need to add lime with it for compost, but it doesn't get nasty like hay or straw and when it comes time to clean it out its a lot lighter. You just add more every now & than & stir it up and it doesn't get wet & smelly. If you decide not to use the nesting boxes, sell them so someone else can use them. If you get snow like we do in Michigan, I would make the new roof at least a little steeper and install both ridge vents and eave vents. High humidity in a coop causes real problems in the winter A metal roof will last longer than shingles.